Helpful Strategies: Before, During, After Reading

1. HELPFUL STRATEGIES:
Before, During, & After Reading
Erica Rodriguez
RED4348
CA #1

2. BEFORE READING

3. Preview! Preview! Preview!
Have the students skim
through:
• the title
• headings
• photos
• illustrations
• captions
Students can create a
prediction about the text
based on this information.

4. “What do I know about
this topic by looking at
the pictures, title, and
headings?”
“What do I know about
this topic by reading
the summary or
introduction?”
Activate Prior Knowledge
Have the students ask themselves…
?
This can give students a way
to connect what they already
know to the key parts of the
text before they even begin to
read.

5. KWL Chart
After students have activated their prior knowledge, have
them create a KWL Chart. This chart can be used
throughout the lesson, it starts with the students listing
what they know (prior knowledge about the topic), what
they want to learn about the topic, and at the end of the
lesson, what they’ve learned.

6. Pre-Teach Vocabulary
Prior to reading the text introduce the
vocabulary words by using:
• pictures
• student friendly definitions
• discussion time (small and whole
group)
• having the students draw a symbol for
the vocabulary word
• Using synonyms and antonyms

7. "Think-alouds." Reading Rockets. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 July 2014
In my opinion, a think-aloud is a perfect strategy to perform with the students
right before beginning the text. Previewing the text, activating prior knowledge,
and pre-teaching vocabulary can all come together with a think-aloud to assure
that the students are ready to begin the book. In order to use this strategy the
teacher should model a think-aloud for the students by self-questioning out loud
as they are reading. Using the following set of examples is a great way for
students to start the text with a positive attitude about their understanding:
• What do I know about this topic?
• Do I have a clear picture in my head about this information?
• What do I think I will learn about this topic?
• Do I understand the vocabulary words and their meanings?
• I predict that…
• This reminds me of…
Think-Aloud

8. DURING READING

9. Graphic Organizers
Graphic organizers can play many different roles during reading but
all have one thing in common, they each help build a deeper
understanding of the text for the student. Graphic organizers can be
used for:
• Cause/Effect
• Timeline
• Main Idea
• KWL Chart
• Venn Diagram

10. Literacy Circles
A literacy circle is a small group of students who discuss the text in depth. This
strategy engages students in the book by thinking and reflecting with their
classmates all while creating a deeper understanding of the text. In the literacy
circle, students are given roles to play while the teacher acts as a facilitator. Some
of the roles may be:
• Discussion director
• This person can create the questions for the students in the group to
discuss.
• Passage picker
• This person will pick a selection of the text for the group to reread.
• Vocabulary enricher
• Can choose the words in the selection that are difficult.
• Summarizer
• The student playing this role will prepare a summary of the selection read.
http://olc.spsd.sk.ca/De/PD/instr/strats/literaturecircles/index.html

11. Paired Reading
Placing students with a partner and having them read the
text aloud can build fluency and comprehension. Paired
Reading can be done by placing two students together,
reading levels do not matter you can place less fluent
readers with more fluent readers for support or you can
place same level students together so
they can re read the story together. As
students are placed with their partner
they can take turns reading the
sentences, paragraphs, pages or
chapters. Encourage students to praise
each other and to provide effective
feedback.

12. Prior Knowledge Relationship
As the students are reading
encourage them to ask how
certain parts of the text relate
to their prior knowledge.
Students can write down on
sticky notes anything that they
can relate to and leave it on
the page to go back to later.
The more the student can
relate to the text, the better the
student comprehend the text.

13. Re-Reading
Having the students read the
text more than once can
highly increase their fluency
as well as their
comprehension of the text.
Once the students have read
the text once it is very
important for the teacher to
assign the same reading
again.

14. AFTER READING

15. Summarize
Having students summarize, either in writing or
aloud by whole group, individual, or in small
group, can build their memory of what they read.
Summarizing can also teach students how to
take large chunks of text and reducing it to the
main details making it easier to remember thus,
building their comprehension of the text.

16. Question the Author (QtA)
The QtA strategy “requires students to pose queries while reading the text in
order to challenge their understanding and solidify their knowledge” (Beck et
al., 1997). This approach helps students appreciate the text with a deeper
meaning.
According Beck et al. (1997) there are specific steps in order to use this
approach. These steps are as follows:
• “Select a passage that is both interesting and can spur a good conversation.
• Decide appropriate stopping points where you think your students need to
delve deeper and gain a greater understanding.
• Create queries for each stopping point:
• Ex. What is the author trying to say?
• Ex. Why do you think the author used the following phrase?
• Ex. Does this make sense to you?”
Beck, I.L., & McKeown, M.G., Hamilton, R.L., & Kugan, L. (1997). Questioning the author: An approach for enhancing
student engagement with text. Newark, DE: International Reading Association

17. Question Myself
After reading the text have the students question
themselves. Questions such as:
• What was my opinion about the text/book?
• Do I fully understand the topic of this text/book?
• Is there anything I can do to help me comprehend
this text/book any better?
By students questioning themselves about the text it
raises a deeper understanding of the topic.

18. Exit Slips
Exit slips are done at the end of class after reading the text. The
students answer questions that the teacher will create. These exit
slips are a great way for students to reflect on what they have
learned. Fisher & Frey, 2004 have listed three categories of exit slips:
• Prompts that document learning,
• Ex. Write one think you learned today.
• Ex. Discuss how today’s lesson could be used in the real world
• Prompts that emphasize the process of learning
• Ex. I didn’t understand…
• Write one question you have about today’s lesson.
• Prompts to evaluate the effectiveness of instruction
• Ex. Did you enjoy working in small groups today?

19. QARs
This after reading strategy helps students use higher-level thinking skills by
deciphering between the different types of comprehension questions. There are four
different types of questions in the Question Answer Relationship:
Right There Questions
Literal questions whose answers can be found in the text. Often the words used in the
question are the same words found in the text
Think and Search Questions
Asnwers are gathered from several parts of the text and put together to make meaning
Author and You
These questions are based on information provided in the text but the student is required
to relate it to their own experience. Although the answer does not lie directly in the text,
the student must have read it in order to answer the question.
On My Own
These questions do not require the student to have read the passage but he/she must
use their background or prior knowledge to answer the question.
Raphael, T.E., & Au, K.H. (2005). QAR: Enhancing comprehnsion and test taking acrossgrades and content areas.
The Reading Teacher, 59, 206-221
This strategy can be done in groups, pairs, or individually. After reading the text give the
students the predetermined questions and show them how to find the answers (own
experiences, in the text, etc.). Once they have answered the questions be sure to leave time for
discussion.

20. References:
• "6 Scaffolding Strategies to Use with Your Students." Edutopia. N.p., n.d. Web. 01
Aug. 2014
• "Think-alouds." Reading Rockets. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 July 2014
• Teaching Reading to Students Who Are at Risk or Have Disabilities: A Multi-Tier
Approach, Second Edition, William D. Bursuck, Mary Damer 2011
• Beck, I.L., & McKeown, M.G., Hamilton, R.L., & Kugan, L. (1997). Questioning the
author: An approach for enhancing student engagement with text. Newark, DE:
International Reading Association
• Fisher, D., and Frey, N. (2004). Improving Adolescent Literacy: Strategies at Work.
New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall