Part 5: Naming and Defining Strategies

In our last post, we explored how teachers might demonstrate "brain talk" to help students develop an awareness of thinking during their interactions with text. As we've discussed, some readers may be unaware that they are, in fact, thinking strategically. Those who ARE aware may not yet have the language to name the strategies at play and develop them further. Through lively conversations, teachers can unveil student's "brain talk" and find out what comprehension strategies they already use. At this stage of instruction, teachers name and define strategies to help students use them effectively again and again.

Remember the student who whispered, "POOF!" when Dionysus disappeared in a bolt of lightning? She may have inferred the sound a dematerializing god makes in a flash of light, or made a connection to other books she read or movies she had seen. As illustrated below, one single emotional reaction could indicate various types of thinking.

We can only assume what students are thinking until they elaborate for us. This is especially difficult for students who haven't yet developed a solid language base for talking about text. And without our intervention the likelihood that they will use effective reading strategies diminishes.
In small groups or individual conferences, teachers can help students strengthen their control over the strategies they demonstrate as well as further their language development by defining and expanding upon what students already know and do. Here's how to get started.

Set Students Up for the Reading Task

After a book introduction, provide Post-its to each student in the group. Remind students to stop their reading and record their thinking whenever their brain "talks" to them. Then, let them read and think on their own. Set them free with books and a handful of post-its to find out what comprehension strategies they already use.
You may assign this activity during Guided Reading groups or strategy groups. In a Guided Reading group, there will be opportunities to talk about one text in a variety of ways. The students will be surprised at how differently we think about and approach the same reading event! There are also advantages to assigning this activity to strategy groups, where students are reading "just right" books of their choosing. Students will be able to discuss multiple story elements across texts, enticing others to read them.

Encourage Lively Conversation

When they return to the group, instruct your students to locate 1-2 of their favorite or most interesting Post-its. Encourage them to talk about their drawings and comments. Remember that this is not a time to question students about the details in the text. Your job is to help them think more deeply about their reactions to it. Keep your questions and prompts open-ended to limit your personal input. Try:

• "Show me a page that was interesting."
• "Talk about what you wrote/drew."
• "Why did you draw that?"
• "What made you think that?"
• "Wow! You were really thinking here! Tell me what you were thinking."

Define Comprehension Strategies

As students demonstrate strategies, name, define, and celebrate them clearly. For example, you might start by saying, "You did something strong readers do all the time!" Then continue by naming the strategic action,

"You made an inference when you drew a sad face next to the puppy. You made a guess about how the character is feeling. You thought it was sad when no one chose to take him home."

or

"You visualized where she lived when you drew a forest. When we visualize, we see a
picture in our minds. You pictured trees all around her when she walked along the path."

or

"You questioned the text when you wrote "huh?" You were wondering why Sistine was so rude to her new classmates. She hadn't even met them yet! Readers that stop and ask questions as they are reading understand the text better."

or

"You inferred that the two bears were fighting, or having a shouting match! When we infer we make a guess about what characters are doing. You guessed they were fighting, or arguing, because the author used words like 'growled' and 'shouted'."

Different readers, no matter if they are reading the same or different titles, often have unique responses to text. Allowing readers the freedom to respond to text in their own way helps them build a repertoire of strategies they can access each and every time they read.

Summarize and Set Goals

End the group session with a definition or summary about a strategy your students demonstrated and a plan for doing it again. For example, say,

"You visualized a forest while you read today. (cognition) That helped you picture the author's words in your mind. The next time you read, try to visualize another place you're reading about so you can 'see' where your characters are in the text." (metacognition)

You may want to offer students an artifact that will help them remember the strategy. These artifacts can be stored in a reading notebook for quick reference.

As students interact with text through annotations, you'll want to collect some informal data to plan further instruction. In our next post, we'll discuss formative assessments and strategies to deepen comprehension.