Journal #3: T-4, Guided Highlighted Reading, and Close and Critical Reading (CCR) - 13 views
started by Erin Visger on 21 Feb 12
started by Erin Visger on 21 Feb 12
started by Erin Visger on 21 Feb 12
started by Erin Visger on 21 Feb 12
I just wanted to complete a post about different reading strategies that I have seen demonstrated in my host teacher's classroom. These reading strategies can be geared or changed so that they fit any grade level in my opinion. I have seen them used and have used them myself with my 7th graders in our English classes.
Basically the teacher would find a piece of writing or a short story, etc. This is used mostly in English, but could also be used in Social Studies and Science classes as well. Math I'm not sure?
1. Read through the piece of writing or short story twice. Usually I have my students read the story once quietly to themselves and then the second time around we read aloud together as a class. The reason we do it this way, is because the information within the story registers twice in their brains. Also sometimes students skip certain sentences or paragraphs, thus missing very important information in the story. So always have students read the story twice through.
2. Have students complete a T-4. This exercise is known as "Talking, To, The, Text, aka T-4. Students will go through the story paragraph by parargraph underlining words or phrases they are unclear on and want clarification on. They also can write side notes in the margins, which the students are highly encouraged to do stating what they like or dislike. I do tell them, that they must explain why they like or dislike something. Students can also relate something they have read in the story to another book or novel, television show, movies, or music they have listened too.
We then share as a class.
3. Guided-Highlighted Reading. It is best to pass out a set of hilighters for this activity. If students have their own great, or if hilighters aren't available then underlining the answers to questions works fine as well.
The teacher will need to prepare ahead of time some essential questions that pertain direclty to the story. Remember to include characters, setting, climax, and other story elements that will help students recall specific details about the story. As the teacher is asking these questions, students are using their hilighters to find the exact answer to the question that was asked of them. They are to only hilight the key words or phrases that complete the answers. This entire activity is helping the students learn how to skim and scan, basically pull out the needed information only.
4. Close and Critical Reading, in short a CCR. Here there are four main questions that students focus on.
First, What a text says? (Restatement)
Second, What a text does? (Description)
Third, What a text means? (Interpretation)
Lastly, What does the text mean to me? (So what?)
All of these questions guide the students through the entire story, drawing out specific details. The students are then relating the details from the story to other aspects of their life, other's lives, etc.
I hope this helps explain the process somewhat better or maybe this will give you ways to implement the four major steps in your own classroom.
First, What a text says? (Restatement)
Second, What a text does? (Description)
Third, What a text means? (Interpretation)
Lastly, What does the text mean to me? (So what?)
Erin,
We focus on Close and Critical reading in my building as well. When we have our students answer "Question 2," we say "How does it say it?" We have them focus on text structures, enhancements, use of dialogue, text features, etc. Do your students do the same, based on saying "What a text does?" I thought it was interesting that the explanation for the same strategy is a bit different between our buildings. I find that my students struggle most with the second question. We have used the process with more than just narrative texts. It is extremely useful for informational texts as well.
In terms of guided highlighted reading, we (the ELA department) has gotten all content areas to adopt using them. I have given our mathematics teachers articles from the newspaper that discuss any sort of math topics. (stocks, decreases in home values, etc.) It is important that students view literacy as a skill they even need in math!
Yes, everything you mentioned for Question 2 is what we also have our students focus on. How is the text portraying the article? How is dialouge used between characters, etc. I completely agree with you that students struggle with Question 2 the most, lots of blank stares and sighs from the kids. They will eventually understand it better I hope.