ONE
A strategy that I think would be highly effective in my classroom for students struggling with reading comprehension would be the Writing Break. The writing break is a quick comprehension check every 10-15 minutes through a lesson or reading. This check would take the form of a 4-6 minute writing break during which students restate what they've just learned in their own words, ask any questions, highlight important concepts, etc. This strategy would be most appropriate for use during long periods of note taking, particularly when the notes are stemming from something read, like a powerpoint or a textbook chapter.
A strategy that I think would be highly effective in my classroom for students struggling with reading comprehension would be the Writing Break. The writing break is a quick comprehension check every 10-15 minutes through a lesson or reading. This check would take the form of a 4-6 minute writing break during which students restate what they've just learned in their own words, ask any questions, highlight important concepts, etc. This strategy would be most appropriate for use during long periods of note taking, particularly when the notes are stemming from something read, like a powerpoint or a textbook chapter.
This strategy should be used because it gives students an applicitive brain break. It lets students check their own comprehension, and gives them immediate purpose in learning. Additionally, it breaks up what may be a longer chunk of notes into smaller, more manageble sections for those who struggle with comprehension. Specifically, I could be lecturing students about organelles of the cell though an interesting and engaging PowerPoint coupled with small activities. After every new organelle we cover, students would take a Writing Break to answer the following questions:
"What is the most important function of the organelle?"
"What is the weirdest/most confusing thing about the organelle?"
"Is there anything about this organelle that made you think about something else?"
As we did this throughout the lesson, it would create a series of breaks in notes and learning to permit students to check what they have learned and summarize the key components of their notes. However, as students generally don't like the word "summarize" the question series is asked instead in an effort to weed out excess information.
TWO
TWO
The Clustering strategy would be useful for struggling readers, who are often struggling writers. The strategy creates an overgrown bubble map filled with concepts, definitions, examples, and thoughts, physically linked together by lines. It works by clustering relative information together in bunches. It is best used when trying to get students to make connections between concepts, and ideas. Again, the strategy is used to make connections! However, the connections aren't in depth, they aren't taxing for an ESL student or a struggling writer. Additionally, most answers are correct, as long as the connecting line can be defended by a thought process. This lets students generate connections in a not-stressful or graded situation.
This situation sounds like it would be incredibly helpful for large concepts like evolution. After looking at a chapter, or even a whole unit, I could prompt students by giving them the center bubble, "Evolution". As a class, we could create a few primary branches leading to Darwin and Mendelian genetics. The students would each be able to add onto their map the key ideas pertaining to the different points by drawing connections instead of writing out ideas. The clustering activities could be compared in groups, and then the groups could be compared within the class to create a giant cluster map! This map, with any tweaking needed, would make a wonderful study guide.
THREE
I found a Critical literacy strategy that calls for the use of supplementary text. It's called "reading supplementary texts". The strategy is used by reading material related to the content currently being covered by class. This can be done by reading texts that give examples of an idea or theory, simple texts that break a concept down further than the original text, or by showing how an idea may have changed. This strategy should be used to expand upon an idea, either by restating content that must be known, or by building upon content to peak student interest. This is most appropriate when a subject may have changed, as it would be in the science field.
For example, epigenetics is a hot subject in science right now. The idea that things a person does NOW, that affect their offspring. This goes against all popular theories of Mendellian genetics. It's almost Lamarkian in nature. In textbooks, Lamark is used as a popular but incorrect theory... but epigenetics has proved Lamark to be correct in certain situations. Because textbooks do not yet have this information (in high schools any way) a supplementary text on rudimentary epigenetics could be introduced to the students to expand upon the required genetic knowledge into something current and interesting. This also makes Lamark more memorable, seeing as many students forget about him on their tests because he had been proven incorrect.
FOUR
PLAN stands for Predict, Locate, Add, and Note. This strategy is used for reading comprehension. This strategy is most appropriate for textbook readings, and is used to highlight the important parts of a textbook chapter. This strategy works by letting students flip through the chapter and look at titles, subtitles, pictures, etc. and predicting the contents of the chapter. The student then creates a concept map using these titles and subtitles. As the student read, he/she Locates the information on the concept map and adds more information to the concept map. At the chapter's conclusion, the student notes any changes that need to be made to the map due to new understanding, and makes these changes.
This may be used with homework assignments dealing with textbook chapters within my classroom. Science textbooks can be confusing, and later components often solve earlier questions. The PLAN strategy specifically lists out a step for students to modify their notes based on later comprehension, alleviating later confusion caused by strange writing within the textbook.
FIVE
THREE
I found a Critical literacy strategy that calls for the use of supplementary text. It's called "reading supplementary texts". The strategy is used by reading material related to the content currently being covered by class. This can be done by reading texts that give examples of an idea or theory, simple texts that break a concept down further than the original text, or by showing how an idea may have changed. This strategy should be used to expand upon an idea, either by restating content that must be known, or by building upon content to peak student interest. This is most appropriate when a subject may have changed, as it would be in the science field.
For example, epigenetics is a hot subject in science right now. The idea that things a person does NOW, that affect their offspring. This goes against all popular theories of Mendellian genetics. It's almost Lamarkian in nature. In textbooks, Lamark is used as a popular but incorrect theory... but epigenetics has proved Lamark to be correct in certain situations. Because textbooks do not yet have this information (in high schools any way) a supplementary text on rudimentary epigenetics could be introduced to the students to expand upon the required genetic knowledge into something current and interesting. This also makes Lamark more memorable, seeing as many students forget about him on their tests because he had been proven incorrect.
FOUR
PLAN stands for Predict, Locate, Add, and Note. This strategy is used for reading comprehension. This strategy is most appropriate for textbook readings, and is used to highlight the important parts of a textbook chapter. This strategy works by letting students flip through the chapter and look at titles, subtitles, pictures, etc. and predicting the contents of the chapter. The student then creates a concept map using these titles and subtitles. As the student read, he/she Locates the information on the concept map and adds more information to the concept map. At the chapter's conclusion, the student notes any changes that need to be made to the map due to new understanding, and makes these changes.
This may be used with homework assignments dealing with textbook chapters within my classroom. Science textbooks can be confusing, and later components often solve earlier questions. The PLAN strategy specifically lists out a step for students to modify their notes based on later comprehension, alleviating later confusion caused by strange writing within the textbook.
FIVE
Making inferences. This strategy is to make inferences, deductions made while reading text. Specifically on providing explanations or ideas that are presented in the text. This strategy is most appropriate for critical reading and comprehension when students are reading academic texts or high level texts. This strategy ties in personal knowledge to the text and makes students re-explain the text in such a way that they fully understand what they are reading. This is proved by their re-statement in their own words accompanied by a personal explanation. This strategy works by explaining things that they read, either to themselves or to others, using a different set of words than the text.
An interesting way to encourage students to do this would be to have them explain things to someone of less scientific knowledge. For example, if students had a brief article to read for homework, part of the assignment would be to read the article aloud to someone else, and ensure their audience's comprehension. This way, the student has to slow down and explain "why" to a lay person. Students could also do this in pairs in the classroom, where their partner has to try to ask as many questions about the article as possible while remaining relevant to the topic. The prompting from questions would force a student to come up with answers and explanations, or seek out knowledge when they are unable to answer questions.
SIX
Metacognition. The metacognition strategy is the idea of thinking about one's thinking, becoming aware of the thought process. This strategy s most appropriate when used to help struggling readers identify where exactly they are having issues in a text . This strategy is used to prevent blanket "I don't get it" statements from students, ad can help both teacher and student to resolve the underylying problem in a text. In order to use the strategy, students recognize that they are having an issue, and then slowly begin to zoom in on the problem. "I don't understand page 2. I don't understand the third paragraph on page two. I don't understand what the word ______ means, and I don't see any context clues." Once the problem is clearly identified, they can seek a solution within the text, followed by seeking assistance if it is still required.
This strategy would be useful when looking at a multi-layered scientific concept within a text, such as photosynthesis. When doing any sort of explanatory reading in dealing with photosynthesis, it's easy for students to become confused if they are confused about any of the components within photosynthesis. Students could read a text, and write down specific points that confuse them (what is NaDPh?). When students complete the text, they will take 3 minutes to look for solutions to their difficulties. They will then form groups of five and help one another.
SEVEN
Concept Maps. The concept map is a diverse tool used by students to draw connections or distinguish between ideas. The concept map isolates individual terms or concepts in boxes or bubbles, and draw lines between these bubbles to draw connections. These boxes can serve specific purposes (such an antonym to a word or definition) or may merely follow the train of thought. This strategy is most useful when linear thinking or notetaking would be confusing to students, or when connections between ideas is central to an idea. This strategy should be used because it's simple, flexible, and yields visual results that readers/writers of all skill levels can appreciate. Additionally, it can marshal overall concepts used to supplement usual notes.
This strategy would be hugely helpful for layered concepts, like the Cell cycle. There are three overlying phases in the cycle, two of which have three or more subphases. A circular concept map could be drawn, showing the three overlying phases, and branching out to the subphases. The subphase bubbles could include transitory cues, definitions, and diagrams. Concept maps could also be used as a review of the previous day's information, drawing quick conclusions from memory instead of agonizing over the details.
EIGHT
Roots and Affixes. This strategy focuses on a teaching/learning components of words so as to increase future reading comprehension. This is particularly useful idea for biology, as scientific words are often latin based and dissectable. This would also be helpful for ESL students whose original language is Latin based. This teaching strategy could then be paired with context clues, as context clues within the word itself. This is most appropriate for scientific terms. The idea is to break down the word to its most basic components and then decipher the word's meaning from there.
In the classroom, this could be an early semester unit for students, where they learn to break down biology into bio- life, and -ology - the study of. This makes words like "photosynthesis" understandable for struggling readers
SEVEN
Concept Maps. The concept map is a diverse tool used by students to draw connections or distinguish between ideas. The concept map isolates individual terms or concepts in boxes or bubbles, and draw lines between these bubbles to draw connections. These boxes can serve specific purposes (such an antonym to a word or definition) or may merely follow the train of thought. This strategy is most useful when linear thinking or notetaking would be confusing to students, or when connections between ideas is central to an idea. This strategy should be used because it's simple, flexible, and yields visual results that readers/writers of all skill levels can appreciate. Additionally, it can marshal overall concepts used to supplement usual notes.
This strategy would be hugely helpful for layered concepts, like the Cell cycle. There are three overlying phases in the cycle, two of which have three or more subphases. A circular concept map could be drawn, showing the three overlying phases, and branching out to the subphases. The subphase bubbles could include transitory cues, definitions, and diagrams. Concept maps could also be used as a review of the previous day's information, drawing quick conclusions from memory instead of agonizing over the details.
EIGHT
Roots and Affixes. This strategy focuses on a teaching/learning components of words so as to increase future reading comprehension. This is particularly useful idea for biology, as scientific words are often latin based and dissectable. This would also be helpful for ESL students whose original language is Latin based. This teaching strategy could then be paired with context clues, as context clues within the word itself. This is most appropriate for scientific terms. The idea is to break down the word to its most basic components and then decipher the word's meaning from there.
In the classroom, this could be an early semester unit for students, where they learn to break down biology into bio- life, and -ology - the study of. This makes words like "photosynthesis" understandable for struggling readers
