Critical Assignment #1 RED 4348

1. Before, During, and After Reading Strategies
Monica Rickards
RED 4348
Critical Assignment #1
Non-Fiction Text: “Nutrition Lesson” (6th Grade)

2. Before Reading Strategies
• Complete an Anticipation
Guide
• Scan the Text
• Conduct a Think-Pair-Share
session
• Complete a K-W-L Chart
• Pre-Teach Vocabulary
Words

3. Strategy #1: Complete an Anticipation Guide
• Anticipation Guides helps students anticipate what the subject or topic of a text is
going to be about, by asking students to formulate their opinion on key ideas from
the texts.
• A common way for students to complete anticipation guides is through the
traditional paper and pen method, where key ideas and statements are listed in a
survey manner and students check off “agree” or “disagree”. However, there are
many ways in which educators can differentiate the usage of anticipation guides in
order to relate to the learning styles of your students. Examples include the
completion of the guides in an oral manner (state key ideas aloud; have students say
stances aloud) or in a kinesthetic manner (state key ideas aloud; have students move
to a certain part of the classroom to answer).

4. Strategy #2: Scan the Text
• Before actually reading a text in full, have students “scan” or “skim” the text as a way
to preview the text. Giving students the opportunity to preview a text helps activate
their background knowledge and prepares them for what they are about to read.
• As part of scanning the text, first have students identify and read the title, paragraph
headings, and picture captions (if applicable to the text). Then, have students scan
the body of the text and take a mental note of any unfamiliar words, bold or italicized
print, and details from the text that stand out.

5. Strategy #3: Conduct a Think-Pair-Share Session
• After being introduced to a topic, give students the opportunity to collaborate
amongst one another through a Think-Pair-Share session. These short, collaborative
sessions help students build insight on a topic, share ideas, and exchange thoughts,
based off of their pre-existing knowledge.
• To conduct a think-pair-share session, simply ask students a question or make a
statement, and give them an allotted time to think about it. Then, pair the students
up with a fellow peer. Finally, have students share their thoughts and insight with
their partner, and possibly with the entire class, as time permits.

6. Strategy #4: Complete A K-W-L Chart
• K-W-L charts are usually completed in a whole-group setting. The teacher acts as the facilitator and
the students actively participate by sharing their input. The “K” stands for what students already
know, the “W” stands for what students want to know, and the “L” stands for what students want to
learn.
• K-W-L charts are beneficial to both the teacher and students. The teacher can gain insight on how
much background knowledge students already have on the topic of the text, what students are
most curious to learn about from the text, and what new knowledge students took away from the
text. Students are given the opportunity to practice their public speaking skills and reflect on what
they know and would like to learn.
• K-W-L charts can be conveniently completed on a white board, smart board, or an anchor chart. To
make a K-W-L chart, simply write a title for the chart and draw three columns. Use the columns to
categorize the students’ thoughts.

7. Strategy #5: Pre-Teach Vocabulary Words
• Students often need instruction in key vocabulary to make sense of what they are
reading (Bursuck & Damer, 2015). Before reading a text, teach students the key
vocabulary of the text. Key vocabulary should include the words that are important to
the story, useful in reading and comprehending the story, and difficult or unfamiliar
words.
• The teacher can pre-select the vocabulary from the text that they would like to teach
to their students. An alternative method would be to allow students to share words
they found from scanning the text (see strategy #2) that they seem fit for the teacher
to instruct on and clarify.
• When teaching definitions of unfamiliar words, easy-to-understand definitions should
be chosen that are clear and precise for students.

8. Implementation of Before Strategies in
Non-Fiction text
• Strategy #1- State these five key ideas from the text aloud to the class to serve as an Anticipation Guide: 1. Most of our foods
contain protein, 2. Protein helps protect us from diseases, 3. Food from animals gives you more protein than food from
vegetables, 4. The amount of protein you need is based off of your weight, 5. The grams of protein in a food can be found on the
food label. After each idea has been read, have students move to the right side of the classroom if they agree with the statement
or the left side of the classroom if they disagree.
• Strategy #2- Have students independently scan the text taking a mental note of the title, unfamiliar words, and details that stood
out to them.
• Strategy #3- Conduct a Think-Pair-Share session. Have students reflect on their responses from the anticipation guide and the
mental notes they took from the scanning of the text. Pair students with a partner and have them share their insights and
thoughts with each other. Then, allow pairs to share with other pairs at their table. Walk around the room to help facilitate
discussions and assist students who are struggling to find things to talk about.
• Strategy #4- Complete a K-W-L chart as a whole group. Use anchor chart paper with three columns drawn and each column
headed with either a K, W, or L. Call on students to share with the class what they already know about protein and fill in the chart
with their responses. Complete the W column in the same manner. Hold off filling in the L column until the end of the lesson or
text.
• Strategy #5- Pre-teach Vocabulary Words. Allow students to share with the class words they found while scanning the text that
they found to be unfamiliar or difficult to understand. Have students use dictionaries to look up definitions and collaboratively
come up with easy-to-understand definitions as a class. Write terms and definitions in a visible place for students to see.

9. During Reading Strategies
• Conduct a Whole Class Choral
Reading
• Have Students Monitor their
Comprehension
• Conduct Think-Alouds
• Ask Questions
• Question the Author

10. Strategy #1: Conduct a Whole Class
Choral Reading
• During a Whole Class Choral Reading, both the teacher and class read a piece of text at the
same time (Bursuck & Damer, 2015). The Choral reading procedure can be implemented in a
small group or whole group setting. Grade level passages that are at the independent level of
most of the students participating, should be used for the choral reading.
• Whole Class Choral Readings benefit students of all ages in multiple ways. Students who are
normally reluctant to read aloud are more likely to want to participate as a whole group.
Students of all reading levels also have the opportunity to hear the teacher model accurate and
fluent reading.
• To conduct a Whole Class Choral Reading, give each student a copy of a passage or text. The
teacher reads aloud the text first. Then, students join in with the teacher the second time around
to read aloud the text as a whole group.

11. Strategy #2: Have Students Monitor
their Comprehension
• Students can be taught how to monitor their comprehension when reading a text.
When readers are self-monitoring, they are consistently asking themselves, “Is
what I am reading making sense?” (Bursuck & Damer, 2015).
• Teach students to monitor their comprehension by 1. Identifying parts of the text
they are having difficulty with, 2. Restating difficult sentences in their own
wording, 3. Looking back in the text to recall key details, and 4. Looking forward
in the text to reveal helpful information or missing information in the text.

12. Strategy #3: Conduct Think Alouds
• During the reading of the text, the teacher can conduct think alouds to model
their own thinking, and application of comprehension strategies, for their
students. Struggling readers benefit from observing what skilled readers think
about while reading, and teacher modeling through think-alouds provides that
insight (Bursuck & Damer, 2015).
• Some common think-aloud starters could include, but are not limited to:
• “I think this next paragraph will be about…because…”
• ”I am curious to learn more about…”
• “I am picturing what ____ might look like in my mind”

13. Strategy #4: Ask Questions
• During the reading of the text, teachers should ask a variety of pre-planned
questions that involve various forms of responses. The two main categories of
questions that are most commonly asked to students are literal and inferential
questions.
• Literal questions have answers that can be found directly in the text and are more
close-ended, meaning the responses are made up of just a few short words.
Inferential questions have answers that are not stated directly in the text. These
questions require students to use their own knowledge, and supporting details from
the text, to answer the question.

14. Strategy #5: Question the Author
• Questioning the Author was developed to get students thinking from the author’s
perspective. To help guide the students’ thinking, the teacher gives students a
series of questions to ask themselves while reading a paragraph or more. The
goal of this strategy is for students to be able to eventually ask themselves the
questions when reading, without being reminded or told to do so.
• The questions students should be asked include, but are not limited to, “What is
the author trying to tell you”, and “How could the author have said things more
clearly”. (Bursuck & Damer, 2015).

15. Implementation of During Strategies in
Non-Fiction text
• Strategy #1- Conduct a Whole Class Choral Reading. Read the first paragraph, serving as a model of reading a text accurately and fluently. The class will re-read the
paragraph as a group. Repeat this process for each paragraph. For a different approach, call on tables of students to read certain paragraphs, so students are expected
to follow along and be ready to be called on.
• Strategy #2- Have students monitor their comprehension during the reading of each paragraph and throughout the reading of the entire text. Prompt students to
locate sentences they are having difficulty with, go back in the text to recall details as necessary, and look forward in the text for needed information. Paragraph two has
multiple sentences with words that may be difficult to decode and/or understand. Use that paragraph as a teaching tool to have students restate sentences in their own
words aloud for the class, to help students better understand the information in the paragraph.
• Strategy #3- Conduct Think Alouds. Before, during, and after the reading of each paragraph, take time to model aloud comprehension strategies for students. For
example, after the first paragraph tell students, “I predict that the second paragraph will talk more about the muscles and organs that protein makes up.” Another
example could be to tell students after reading the last paragraph, “I know what a food label is, because I’ve seen food labels on some of my food that I’ve purchased
from the grocery store.”
• Strategy #4- Ask questions. Ask students literal and inferential questions throughout the reading of the text. Ask students literal questions such as, “What is cardiac
muscle” and ”How much grams of protein does an adult need”. Ask students inferential questions such as, “What health effects might one experience if they aren’t
consuming enough rich protein foods” and, “How are food labels beneficial to consumers”.
• Strategy #5- Question the Author. Ask students to keep the questions listed in mind when reading the text (see slide 14). Stop and periodically call on students to share
their thoughts and hear their opinions on the author’s perspective. For example, after reading the third paragraph ask students why they think the author felt it was
important to mention the difference between complete and incomplete proteins. After the last paragraph, tell students that the author could have explained more
about how to locate the grams of protein on a food label. Ask students how they could better explain this process to the reader if they were the author.

16. After Reading Strategies
• Graphic Organizers
• Vocabulary Grid
• Summarizing
• Journal Responses
• Exit Slips

17. Strategy #1: Graphic Organizers
• Graphic organizers are visual representations of information that aide students in
recalling specific details, facts, and ideas, from a text.
• Graphic organizers can be completed by students with guidance from the teacher
or independently.
• Graphic organizers are especially helpful in aiding students with limited working
memory and learning disabilities.
• Graphic organizers include tables, timelines, flow charts, and diagrams.

18. Strategy #2:Vocabulary Grid
• Vocabulary Grids are simple tables consisting of two columns. They can be
created via electronically using a word processing program, or can even be
created on notebook paper with pencils by students.
• In the first column, students should list all vocabulary words pertaining to a given
text. In the second column, students should list corresponding synonyms and/or
antonyms for each word.
• Utilizing a vocabulary grid can help students better remember the meaning of
difficult words and sentences from the text.

19. Strategy #3: Summarizing
• Summarizing is the process of condensing a text by identifying the key points and
details from the text.
• Summarizing helps students identify the main ideas in an expository text and
recognize important story elements in narrative texts (Bursuck & Damer, 2015).
• Summarizing also helps students evaluate their understanding of what they have read,
tell important and unimportant information apart, and better remember what they
have read, (Bursuck & Damer, 2015).
• To have students summarize a text of multiple paragraphs, first have them identify the
main idea. Then, have students identify the details that support the main idea.

20. Strategy #4: Journal Responses
• Journal Responses (also referred to as Reader Responses) give students the
opportunity to find ways to relate to a text by finding connections and sharing
their personal opinions. The connections students make can be text to text
(finding connections between the text and another text), text to world (finding
connections between the text and the world) , or text to self. (finding connections
between the text and the student’s personal self)
• Supplies needed for Journal Responses are minimal, as notebook paper and a
pencil is all that is needed.

21. Strategy #5:Exit Slips
• Exit slips are an informal way for teachers to access what their students learned from a text or
lesson. Exit slips also serve as a valuable opportunity for students to practice self-reflection.
• To utilize an Exit Slip, simply hand out a small notecard or slip of paper to each student. Give
students a prompt or a question that relates to the text, and an allotted time for students to
complete the slip. Have students turn in the slip before leaving class or moving on to the next
lesson.
• Examples of prompts for Exit Slips include, but are not limited to:
• Name an interesting fact you learned from the text.
• Describe how this text relates to the world.
• Write a question you have that the text didn’t answer.

22. Implementation of After Strategies in
Non-Fiction text
• Strategy #1- Graphic Organizers. Create a Graphic Organizer worksheet and give one to each student. Project the same graphic
organizer on the board, and have students help facilitate with filling in responses. The Graphic Organizer for this particular Non-
fiction text should have a box for the main idea and three boxes for supporting details.
• Strategy #2- Vocabulary Grid. Since the vocabulary was defined before the reading, and students have now read the text to gain a
deeper understanding of the words, have students identify synonyms for each vocabulary word independently. Students will need to
fold a sheet of notebook paper vertically down the center. On the left side, have students write the identified vocabulary words. On
the right side, have students write corresponding synonyms for each word. Once all students have finished, allow students to share
their synonyms with their table partners or with the class.
• Strategy #3- Summarizing. Using their graphic organizer as a guide (see strategy #1), have students summarize the text into one
paragraph. Students’ paragraphs need to be at least 5-7 sentences long.
• Strategy #4- Journal Responses. Have students connect the text to their self, by writing a journal response to the question, Do you
feel as though the foods you eat provide your daily need for protein? Why or why not? Use evidence form the text to support your
response.
• Strategy #5- Exit Slip. Have students complete an Exit slip that explains how to figure out how much protein one needs based off of
evidence from the text. Then, have students calculate their own daily needed intake of protein and write their answers under their
responses.

23. References
Bursuck, W.D. & Damer, M. (2015). Teaching reading to students who are at risk or have disabilities: A multi-tier, RTI
approach. Boston: Pearson.
Center for Urban Education at DePaul University (2005). Nutrition Lesson. Retrieved from
http://teacher.depaul.edu/Documents/NutritionLessonnonfiction6thgrade.pdf.
Felazzo, L. & Sypnieski, K. (2018). Activating Prior Knowledge with English Language Learners. Retrieved from
https://www.edutopia.org/article/activating-prior-knowledge-english-language-learners.
Texas Education Agency (2002). Key Comprehension Strategies to Teach. Retrieved from
http://www.readingrockets.org/article/key-comprehension-strategies-teach