1. Making Connections: Good readers constantly connect what they are reading to their own experiences, prior knowledge, and other texts. This can be done by:
* Text-to-self connections: "This character reminds me of my friend who..."
* Text-to-world connections: "This story takes place in a similar setting to the historical event I learned about..."
* Text-to-text connections: "This reminds me of another book I read where..."
2. Asking Questions: Good readers are curious and constantly ask questions about the text. This can be:
* Clarifying questions: "What does this word mean?"
* Predicting questions: "I wonder what will happen next?"
* Inferencing questions: "Why did the character do that?"
3. Visualizing: Good readers create mental pictures of the events, characters, and settings described in the text. This helps them understand the story more deeply and engage with it on a personal level.
4. Summarizing and Synthesizing: Good readers are able to summarize the main points of a text and synthesize information from different parts of the text to form a deeper understanding.
5. Evaluating: Good readers critically evaluate what they read, questioning the author's purpose, considering the text's bias, and forming their own opinions about the material.
These strategies help good readers actively engage with the text, making it more meaningful and memorable.