A collection of reasons why independent reading is important in the classroom and ideas for supporting this practice.

1. INDEPENDENT
READING OF TEXT
How can we help our students
understand what they read?

2. WHY SHOULD I READ?
• How do you respond?
• Is literacy valued by the students?
• Who are their reading role models?

3. HOW NOT TO ANSWER!
• You want a good grade don’t you?
• We have always read this book as
this school.
• Reading this book/chapter will
make you more culturally literate.
• This book/chapter is required in the
curriculum.
• Because I am the teacher and I
said so.

4. Model for
Teaching
Challenging
Texts
Framing the Text
Read Carefully
Return to the Text
Collaboration
Metaphorical response Reflective response
Surface
understanding
Deeper
Understanding

5. 3 types of Prior Knowledge
1. Knowledge about the topic
2. Knowledge about the
structure and organization
of the text
3. Knowledge about
vocabulary

6. Frontloading
Reversing the Lesson Triangle
Historical design Current design
Assignment
Read
Discussion
to see if students read
and if they remember &
understand the proper
concepts
Frontloading
pre-reading activities: discussion,
prediction, questioning,
brainstorming, vocabulary
Guided Active
Silent Reading
Discussion
to clarify,
reinforce &
extend

7. •The Teacher first
previews the text
•Talk and read around
the selection with the
students, like a tour
guide!
•Note important
features
• Make your thinking
about the text
“transparent”

8. Guiding Students through
Confusion to Comprehension
Student Fix-up Strategies
 Make a CONNECTION between the text and:
-Your life -Your knowledge of the world
-Another text.
 Make a PREDICTION
 STOP and THINK about what you have already read.
 ASK yourself a QUESTION and try to answer it.
 REFLECT in WRITING on what you have read.
 VISUALIZE.
 Use PRINT CONVENTIONS
 RETELL what you’ve read.
 REREAD.
 Notice PATTERNS in text structure.
 ADJUST your reading RATE: slow down or speed up.
Adapted from: Tovani, C. I Read It, But I Don’t Get It. p. 50-56
MEANING
VISUAL STRUCTURE