Predictions about the text help students take a moment to think about prior knowledge and prepare their mind for new information on a specific topic. Give students a copy of text that includes a title, pictures, captions and headings. Take them on a "book walk." Before jumping into the reading, students should take time to skim information presented on each page. Talk with students about the title, pictures, any graphs or bolded words. Have students make predictions about the text. Record these predictions, before the reading begins, to refer to later.
Good readers summarize information from the text as they are reading. Teach students how to get the "gist" of each paragraph while they are reading. Give each student a copy of an expository piece of reading. Divide the class into partnerships. Instruct students to read each paragraph independently. With their partner, they must answer three prompts from each paragraph: name the subject of the paragraph, tell the most important information about the subject and restate the main idea in 10 words or less. Ask for a volunteer team of students to model reading the first two paragraphs for the class. For students that have trouble focusing, ask them to write their thoughts on paper for each paragraph.
When reading a narrative piece, a good reader knows that character development and plot lines weave in and out of a complex story. Give each student a copy of a story written at the class' average independent level. Just like baking cookies with a complete list of ingredients, a story must have characters, setting, plot and resolution. Introduce each story component to the class. Ask students to draw four rectangles on blank paper. Label each box with the elements of a story. Read the story together. Stop to discuss and record each element as it is reached in the reading. Provide another story for students to read, discuss and identify the elements of the story together. Have students repeat the process with an independent reading.
Generating and answering questions, while reading, helps readers stay engaged and aware of the material. Give each student a copy of an expository piece or narrative reading that is three to five paragraphs in length. Tell students that there are three types of questions to use while reading. "Right There" questions are answered explicitly in the text. An example is "Who is the main character?" "Think and Search" questions are answered with a summary of what has been read. For example, "What caused the volcano to erupt?" "On My Own" questions need to be inferred from students' prior knowledge and what they have learned in the text. An example is, "How do you know a saber-tooth tiger will not be in a zoo?" Read a story together and stop to ask each type of question throughout the reading. Divide the class into partnerships and have them read and question together. Find time to read and listen to students' questioning individually.