2. Basic Facts/Research of Summary
Frames…
Summary Frames were researched and developed starting with Meyer & Freedle in
1984 in their article cited by Marzano, Pickering & Pollack in 2001 as Meyer, B. J. F., &
Freedle, R. O. (1984). Effects of discourse type on recall. American Education
Research Journal, 21, 121-144.
Assists with both reading comprehension and Note taking
“Effective summarizing leads to an increase in student learning. Helping students
recognize how information is structured will help them summarize what they read or
hear. For example, summarizing of a reading assignment can be more effective
when done within summary frames, which typically include a series of questions the
teacher provides to direct student attention to specific content (Marzano, Pickering,
& Pollock, 2001).”
Effective summarizing helps students to analyze information, key concepts, and
defining extraneous information (Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory, 2005)
3. Additional Research Findings on Summary
Frames…
Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory shares some key research findings on their Focus
on Effectiveness Research Based Strategies on Summarizing and Note Taking such as:
Students have to analyze information at a deep level in order to decide what
information to delete, what to substitute, and what to keep when they are asked to
give a summary (Anderson, V., & Hidi, 1988/1989; Hidi & Anderson, 1987).
Reading comprehension increases when students learn how to incorporate
"summary frames" as a tool for summarizing (Meyer & Freedle, 1984). Summary frames
are a series of questions created by the teacher and designed to highlight critical
passages of text. When students use this strategy, they are better able to understand
what they are reading, identify key information, and provide a summary that helps
them retain the information (Armbruster, Anderson, & Ostertag, 1987).
Teacher-prepared notes show students what is important and how ideas relate, and
offer a model for how students should take notes themselves (Marzano et al., 2001).
Notes should be in both linguistic and nonlinguistic forms, including idea webs,
sketches, informal outlines, and combinations of words and schematics; and, the
more notes, the better (Nye, Crooks, Powlie, & Tripp, 1984).
When students review and revise their own notes, the notes become more
meaningful and useful (Anderson & Armbruster, 1986; Denner, 1986; Einstein, Morris, &
Smith, 1985).
4. Content and Examples of Summary
Frames…
Summary frames can be used in most core classes for students that have content that involves
summarizing information including:
Language Arts
Reading
Social Studies
Science
There are different types of summary frames depending on the information you want to summarize
such as examples that Loyola University adapted from (Marzano, R., Pickering, D., and Pollock, J.
(2001):
T-R-I Frames
Definition Frames
Narrative Frames
Cognitive Map for Narrative Frame
Argumentation Frame
Problem Solution Frame
Conversation Frame
Cognitive Map for Conversation Frame
5. How to Apply the Summary Frames…
For example in a reading lesson
that is covering Character traits
Analysis you can use a summary
frame form found on
Achievement Strategies Inc.’s
Website
Character Trait Analysis use the
form or paragraph version and
have students as they read a
short story or chapter book fill out
the form to decipher the
information important to the
character.
6. Steps to Apply Summary Frames
Based on the example of the Character traits Summary Frame:
First have the student preview the story to get a glance at some of the key information.
Assign the students a character to research so that as they read they can pick up on that
character and what traits it possesses.
Have the students read the story
Once the student finishes reading have them fill out the summary frames for the character’s
traits
The form will have teacher made notes with boxes (Frames) for the student to fill in with information
from the reading passage.
That guides them through the reading material and the information that is important to the skill you
want them to learn.
Have them share what they came up for their character and its traits with a partner or
group
Have them do this again for another character to reinforce the skill before maybe having
the student move onto a writing assignment that is dependent on being able to identify
traits of characters the student encounters in their reading.
Other types of Summary Frame forms like the one found on the last slide and for
which these steps were based you can find them on can be found on Achievement
Strategies, Inc.’s website as well as the materials from Loyola University on in this PDF
7. Works Cited
Boyle, Ph.D., M. J. (2008). Summary Frames: A Strategy to Support the Teaching of
Summarizing. Chicago: The Center for Catholic School Effectiveness School
of Education Loyola University .
Darnell Ph.D, B. (2013). Summary Frame List. Retrieved from Achievement Strategies
Inc.: http://www.achievementstrategies.org/sumFrameList.html
Laboratory, N. R. (2005). Summarizing and Note Taking. Retrieved from Focus on
Effectiveness Researched-Based Strategies :
http://www.netc.org/focus/strategies/summ.php
Marzano, R., Pickering, D., and Pollock, J. (2001) Classroom instruction that
works: research based strategies for increasing student achievement.
Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
Meyer , B., & Freedle, R. (1921). Effects of Discourse Type on Recall. American
Education Research Journal Vol. 21, 121-144.
