Monitoring Comprehension
Good readers have a conversation in their heads as they read texts. They interact with the ideas in text, make note of where text becomes difficult, and question the author as they read. These resources will help you plan for how to nurture monitoring comprehension within you students while they read in your discipline.
Strategy (linked to more info) |
Descriptions |
Examples |
Explains exactly how to plan a lesson where you model and gradually release creating an inner conversation to your students. |
Video about Inner Conversation and Leaving Tracks of Thinking (Bruce Lee examples!) -- This 25- minute video does a great job of explaining what "inner conversation" is and how we use it in reading. |
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A paired/group reading strategy that fosters comprehension improvement. Students particularly enjoy it, and they report better understanding what they read when they use it. |
Video examples of Say Something variations in science classrooms -- A 4-minute video showing how Say Something is used as a reading strategy. It also shows a discussion version using beach balls. |
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An annotation strategy that uses symbol systems for leaving tracks of thinking. Students can eventually create their own symbol systems. |
Thinking Notes -- Two-minute video demonstrating how text codes can be used in HS English. Text Coding vs. Highlighting -- a Google presentation discussing text coding benefits. Examples from Buncombe County HS students and teachers included. |
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A great strategy for focusing students while reading or watching a video. Students respond true or false to a set of statements before they read, and then search for accurate answers while they read. |
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An activity where students can discuss text silently through writing. This activity utilizes a text on a large paper where students can interact collaboratively with the text. |
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The Double-Entry Journal strategy enables students to record their responses to text as they read. Students write down phrases or sentences from their assigned reading and then write their own reaction to that passage. The purpose of this strategy is to give students the opportunity to express their thoughts and become actively involved with the material they read. |
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Do you have students who doodle? Focused doodling (or sketchnoting) is a great way to have students stay engaged in reading or lecture. |