This document provides guidance on comprehension strategies to use before, during, and after reading a text. It recommends choosing two strategies for each phase, such as using graphic organizers or KWL charts before reading, interacting with the text through key words or visual representations during reading, and reconstructing or extending the text after reading. Specific strategies discussed in more detail include KWL, QuADS, 3-2-1, anticipation guides, SQ3R, and various exercises for interacting with and understanding texts like highlighting, cloze passages, sequencing, and matching headings to paragraphs. The document also covers spoken language strategies to promote exploratory talk and higher-order thinking when discussing texts.

1. LITERACY FOCUS
Comprehension Strategies: Application
How will I engage learners before, during and after reading the text?
Choose two strategies at each of these three phases e.g.
Reading text
Two things to do before, during the after you read the text
Before During After
Pre-teach key words Create bookmarks as you
go through the text
Graphic organisers
Anticipation KWL
Reconstructing the text
through turning the
paragraph into a diagram
or drama
Interacting with the text/words
Key Words
Visual-verbal square
Match word with definition
Bookmark – what do learners know before they read, what does the text
remind them of, how can they turn the text into something else?
KWL Strategy
What I know
What I want to know
What I learned (what I will know at the end)
K W L
What I know What I want to know What I learned
Before During After
KWL is about tracking learning and interacting with the text. It is an instructional
reading strategy that is used to guide learners through a text. Learners begin by
brainstorming everything they know about a topic. This is recorded in the K column
of the chart. Then they generate a list of questions about what they want to know

2. about the topic and these are listed in the W column of the chart. After reading,
learners answer the questions that are in the W column.
The new information that they have learned is recorded in the L column of the KWL
chart. It is a good idea to have a common chart displayed on the board or screen in
addition to supplying each learner with their own individual chart on which to record
their information. Discuss with learners what they wrote in the K column. Encourage
them to look for answers to their questions in the text as they read it. Discuss the
information they recorded in the L column. Encourage them to research any
questions in the W column that were not answered by the text.
QuADS
This is a framework for helping learners to ask questions of a text, seek answers, note
details and provide a source for this information. A chart is used.
QuADS moves beyond KWL in that is pushes learners to use research and recording
skills.
Qu A D S
Learners list the
questions they
have about the
topic in this
column.
Learners record the
answers they
arrive at in this
column.
Learners expand or
support these
answers by
including details in
this column.
Learners identify
the source of the
answer in this
column.
Another example of interacting with text is the 3:2:1 Strategy
3 things I learned
2 things I found interesting
1 thing I still do not understand
3 2 1
3 things I learned 2 things I found interesting 1 thing I still do not
understand







3. Anticipation
Make up 6 sentences in a grid. Ask learners if they agree/disagree with each one or if
they think the statements are true or false (T/F).
Will I agree with these after I read the text?
The teacher directs the learners what to look out for.
Scanning, skimming and summarizing
Teach learners to skip over some material and still continue reading. Teach them how
to skim read.
Teach them the structure/sitemap of textbooks; indices and tables of contents.
Make it explicit. Start with learners’ language.
Skim to find the section.
Scan to read the particular information in that section.
Skim the dictionary to find a particular section. Scan the meaning of a word e.g.
Kashrut. This can be applied to any text.
This helps learners to access information more effectively and become faster readers.
SQ3R
Survey, Question, Read, Review, Recall
Learners use skimming techniques to get a flavour of the text and identify questions
they want answered by a more thorough reading. Oral activity – whole class initially.
Approaching the text in an active way, anticipating and expecting that their questions
will be answered, information found and meaning revealed.
Survey
S
Question
Q
Read
R
Review
R
Recall/Recite
R
Look at the cover,
title, illustrations,
first sentence,
headings, last
paragraph.
What do you
know about the
topic already?
What is the
author’s purpose
in writing this?
Is this fact or
opinion?
Is there any
evidence of bias?
Ask yourself what
is this about
What do I need to
know?
Are there
questions I have
to answer?
Specific
information I
must find?
What evidence is
there for the
points made?
Read the passage
carefully and
identify the main
ideas and details.
Can you follow
the sequence of
events?
Can you
distinguish
between facts and
opinions?
Reread the parts
you think are
important and any
parts you are not
sure of.
Note key points.
Summarise points
for your
classmate.
This is done with
the book closed.
Have the questions
been answered?
Remember the key
words or main
points.
Tell your
classmate.

4. Working with Texts
The following are extended interactions with texts
Process stages Teaching strategies
1.Activation of previous knowledge
Brainstorming
Concept mapping
KWL grids
2. Establishing purposes
Question-setting
KWL grids
QuADs grids
3. Locating information
Situating the learning in
meaningful contexts
4. Adopting an appropriate strategy Metacognitive discussion
Teacher modeling
5. Interacting with text
DARTs
Text marking
Restructuring
Genre exchange
6. Monitoring understanding Teacher modelling
Strategy charts
7. Making a record
Teacher modeling
Writing frames
Grids
8. Evaluating information Modelling
Discussion of biased texts
9. Assisting memory
Review
Revisit
Restructuring
10. Communicating information
Writing in a range of genres
Writing frames
Non-fiction books
Drama
Other alternative outcomes

5. Reading for Meaning Exercises
Marking a text Highlight main points. Annotate, underline or circle important parts/main points.
Helps learners analyse, understand and remember content. Use colours for good
visual effect. Use 2 colours to compare/contrast … advantages/disadvantages
Scan text and find these four keywords…
Underline in red the sentence that tells you why …
Underline in blue the sentence that tells you where…
Underline in black the sentence that tells you how …
Place key word in margin as a reminder of content.
Alternative to highlighting is to use stick notes. Give learners 5 post-its and ask
them in pairs the most important key points of the text.
Table/Diagram
completion
The learning is in the completing, the searching the text and the discussion around
it – so don’t do it for them! Allow learners search the text. Use skimming and
scanning to categorise and clarify their learning. In pairs, fill in a table with
headings (like this table).
Fill in the
missing word
To reinforce key words and key concepts that are relevant to the topic.
Can supply key words or leave learners to search the text. Work in pairs.
Cloze exercises Oral exercise for pairs/groups. Cloze = complete missing parts of a passage. Not
an individual, written activity with predictable outcomes. It is an activity carried
out orally and in groups of at least 2. Learners are given text with words deleted
at regular intervals. Paragraph 1 is intact so they get a gist of the piece and a sense
of the style and purpose. They read it silently or 1 reads it quietly for the group.
When s/he comes to the first deletion s/he invites suggestions for the missing
word. Justify it. There may be several right answers. It is all about talking,
negotiating, clarifying, justifying. Whole class discuss solutions. Highlight clues
to the solutions that are contained in the text.
Sequencing –
putting them in
the right order
Asking learners to put a ‘mixed up’ piece of text into the correct order – read the
text carefully and make sense of the ideas contained within. These are the
instructions for _____. The sequence is mixed up. Put the sentences in the correct
order by matching the number in the table with the correct letter e.g.
1. C
2.
3.
4.
Or write out the instructions for …. In the correct order in the table below:
1
2
3
4
Matching the
headings
Reading with the aim of completing a task will focus the reader on the text.
Learners read the text closely, with the help of a task. Matching the heading is
one such exercise that allows learners to focus their reading. Learners are asked to
read a piece of text and choose appropriate labels or headings for each paragraph.
The teacher provides headings for learners initially. These exercises can be
increased in difficulty or simplified. Learners could come up with their own
headings for the exercise.
Read this paragraph about …
How many paragraphs are there?
Look at the list of words on the right. Each word is a heading for a paragraph in
the story. Can you decide which heading goes with which paragraph?

6. Spoken Language: Exploratory Talk – Talking to Learn!
Wait Time
Do not rush in to give an answer to
seek an answer. Give learners time to
think or discuss the questions in pairs
or small group and take feedback.
Open Questions
Ask questions worth pursuing –
encourage reflection, analysis,
compare and contrast, problem-
solving and critical thinking. What
might happen if… why do you think
… offer a counter-argument… what
argument could be presented from
another perspective … etc.
Answers
Record learners’ ideas and use as
a basis for further exploration.
Use learners’ own vocabulary in
taking and recording feedback
and build on this.
Thinking Time
Real questions need to be
considered before answering.
Avoid Bidding
Do not ask for a show of hands.
Nominate learners to speak
Use learners’ answers to develop
further feedback from others.
Extended Exchanges
Use extended exchanges to help
learners to refine their own ideas and
to think critically.
Author Ideas
When ideas are recorded on the board
identify the source/author of each
idea. Validates learners’ ideas or
feedback
Homework
Set homework based on ideas
generated by learners and related
to class discussion.
Follow Through
Classroom and homework should follow on from
ideas developed and refined through exploratory
talk. Avoid simple recall questions. Foster
higher-order thinking and problem-solving.
Encourage learners to explore perspectives,
apply to various contexts, identify the relevance
of the learning for their lives and for others.

7. Threshold Concepts
Troublesome knowledge!
Exploratory talk can help
learners master threshold
concepts or tease out
troublesome knowledge.