Reading Strategies

Listed below are reading strategies that you can use with students in
grades 3-5:

Make Predictions

Predictions encourage active reading and keep students interested, whether or not the predictions are correct. Incorrect predictions can signal a misunderstanding that needs to be revisited. Instruct students:

• Look at the pictures, table of contents, chapter headings, maps, diagrams, and features. What subjects are in the book?
• Write down predictions about the text. During reading, look for words or phrases from those predictions.
• While reading, revise the predictions or make new ones. 

Visualize

Many students think visually, using shapes, spatial relationships, movement, and colors, and can benefit greatly from this strategy. Instruct students:

• Imagine a fiction story taking place as if it were a movie. Imagine the characters' features. Picture the plot in time and space.
• Imagine processes and explanations happening visually. Use nouns, verbs, and adjectives to create pictures, diagrams, or other mental images.
• Use graphic organizers to lay out information. Make sketches or diagrams on scrap paper. 

Ask and Answer Questions

Having students form their own questions helps them recognize confusion and encourages active learning. Instruct students:

• Before reading, think about the subject based on the title, chapter heads, and visual information. Make note of anything you are curious about.
• While reading, pause and write down any questions. Be sure to ask questions if there is confusion.
• Look for the answers while reading. Pause and write down the answers.
• Were all the questions answered? Could the answers come from other sources? 

Retell and Summarize

Relating the text in students' own words clears up language issues. Retelling challenges them to aim for complete retention. A summary allows students to discriminate between main ideas and minor details. Instruct students:

• During reading, note the main ideas or events. Put a check mark in the book or write a note to point out a main idea.
• At the ends of chapters or sections, review the information or story. Note main ideas or events and the details that support them.
• After reading, retell or summarize the text. Focus on the important points, and support them with relevant details.
• Refer to the book to check the retelling or summary of it. 

Connect the Text to Life Experiences, Other Texts, or Prior Knowledge

Connecting a text to students' experiences and knowledge helps students personalize the information. It also helps students remember information when they link it to their lives. Instruct students:

• Is the subject familiar? Do the characters resemble familiar people? Have you learned about the concept from school, home, or other experiences?
• Is the style or genre familiar? Does it resemble other texts? Television shows, movies, and games can be considered "texts."
• Write down similarities between the current text and experiences, knowledge, or other texts.