Reading strategies

1. Reading Strategies
Strategies for before, during, and after reading

2. Before Reading
• To have a successful reading experience, there are a several steps you can take
before beginning to read.

3. Establish a Purpose
• Identify the purpose for reading.
• Some possible purposes are for entertainment, to get information, or to learn
how to complete a task.

4. Learn New Vocabulary
• Learn the meaning of new vocabulary words to make the text easier to
understand.

5. Activate Prior Knowledge
• Brainstorm. Think about the title and write thoughts that come to mind.
• Create a KWL chart. K – what I already know W – what I want to know and
L – after reading the material, what I learned.
• Have a group discussion to share experiences and knowledge.

6. Use a Graphic Organizer
• Depending on the level of the reader, this can be completed by the teacher,
the student, or in small groups.
• Stimulates interest
• Organizes information to help retain it longer.

7. Textbook Walk
• Look at the pictures
• Preview the pages
• Become familiar with how information is presented and where to find
information.

8. During Reading
• Employing reading strategies during reading is essential.

9. Make Predictions
• Think ahead of what you are reading and make predictions.
• Can be used during reading as well as before reading.

10. Visualize
• Create images in your mind as you read.
• Use the information in the material and pictures in the text.

11. Locate Key Words and Main Ideas
• Makes notes.
• Highlight when possible.

12. Clarify
• So, what is happening is…..
• The last thing I just read meant ….
• In other words …..

13. Make Inferences
• Use clues from the text and what you already know to better understand
what the author is trying to tell you.

14. After Reading
• Strategies that are used after you have finished reading the material.

15. Summarize
• Think about what you just read and summarize.
• Review and Reflect.

16. Evaluate Understanding
• What did I just learn?
• What things are still unclear?

17. Make Connections
• Compare what you read with something you already knew.

18. Repeated Reading
• Reread when…
• You don’t understand what you read
• You are not sure what is going on in the story
• You weren’t focused on reading

19. References
• Curriculum Strategies for Reading. (nd) Retrieved April 8, 2015 from
http://www.thinkport.org/career/strategies/reading/predict.tp
• Bursuck, William and Mary Damer. Reaching Reading to Students Who are
at Risk or Have Disabilities. Pearson, 2011. Print.