This document outlines strategies to use before, during, and after reading to improve comprehension. Before reading, teachers should have students set a purpose, make predictions, do vocabulary work, and activate prior knowledge using tools like KWL charts and brainstorming webs. During reading, they can use chunking, quotes, writing prompts, shared reading, and jigsaw activities. After reading, assessment strategies include postcards, author interviews, songs, dioramas, and completing the "L" section of KWL charts to reflect on learning.

1. BEFORE, DURING AND
AFTER READING
STRATEGIES
By Lucia Hernandez
RED4348
3/7/18

2. Before Reading
1. Set purpose for reading
2. Make predictions
3. Vocabulary Crossword Puzzle
4. “K” and “W” from KWL chart
5. Classroom BrainstormWeb

3. Set Purpose for Reading
• Students should set their purpose for reading. By setting their purpose for
reading it allows the students to gain more from the text.
• How to set the purpose:
*Preview the text to get a general idea of what it is about
*Read the title
*Glance through it, looking at text features and illustrations
*Then set your purpose

4. Make Predications
• Effective readers use pictures, titles, headings, text and personal experience
to make predications of the text.
• This can be done by asking the students questions such as:
Based on the cover what do you think the story is going to be about?
Based on the title what do you think the story is going to be about?

5. Vocabulary Crossword Puzzle
• Front loading vocabulary allows the
teacher to teach important vocabulary
that will be needed to ensure reading
comprehension. Crossword puzzles are a
fun way for students to learn vocabulary.

6. “K” and “W” from KWL chart
• Activating prior knowledge allows students to focus their thinking before
reading. A “KWL” chart is a great tool to use in the classroom for reading.
• How to use a KWL chart:
Give the chart to your students and tell them to write down what they know about
_____.You, the teacher, want to know what the text is already about and find
something significant within the text that you want your students to focus on.
For theW part, ask the students to write down what they want to know about the topic
provided.

7. Class BrainstormWeb
• Brainstorm webs allow students to activate their brains.This is done by
having the teacher writing a word or phrase in a circle and having the
students write as many words connected to it that they can think of around
it. Brainstorm webs allow students to organize their thoughts and get them
wondering what the text is going to be about.

8. During Reading
1. Chunking
2. Quotes
3. Write into
4. Share reading
5. Jigsaw

9. Chunking

10. Quotes
• Quotes is a fun activity where the students are given a character to follow
through the story. Half way through the story the teacher will ask them to write a
quotes they can see their character saying.
• This strategy forces students to get a much deeper understanding of the
character vs a superficial understanding.

11. Write into
• This strategy is done half way through the reading. Students are
asked to go back to a point in the story where the author left a hole
and fill in the hole by writing about what happened during that
time. Students are to write from the point they selected to the
ending of the story.This is a creative way to allow students to feel
like they have contributed to the make up of the story.

12. Shared Reading
• Shared Reading is an interactive reading experience where students share the
reading of a book or other text while guided and supported by a teacher.
• What are the benefits?
It provides struggling readers with necessary support.
Shared reading of predictable text can build sight word knowledge and reading fluency
Allows students to enjoy materials that they may not be able to read on their own.
Ensures that all students feel successful by providing support to the entire group.

13. Jigsaw
• Jigsaw is a cooperative learning
strategy where students are in
groups and each group
specializes in one aspect of a
topic. All the groups then come
together in share what they
know with each other.

14. After Reading
1. Post Card
2. Author Interview
3. Sing me a song
4. Create Diorama
5. “L” from KWL chart

15. Post Card
• Post Card is an activity where at the end of the reading students are asked to
write to a friend, the author, or to a character about this book. Students
need to write their post card as if they were the character or author.

16. Author Interview
• This strategy requires students to write an interview or letter in which the
character in a story asks the author a series of questions and reflects on how
they feel about the way they were made.
• This a great writing assignment and a great for a student to do a book
reflection.

17. Sing me a song
• For this strategy students must write a song/ballad about the story, a
character, or an event in the book.
• This is an awesome strategy because it allows students to be creative and
still have a comprehension of the book.
• This can also be done in groups and have the students “battle” against the
other teams using their songs.

18. Create Diorama
• Students are required to create a diorama of a
particularly important scene.
• The scene can be student selected or teacher
assigned.Teachers can also take it a step further and
ask the students to then but their dioramas in
chronological order and do a book review.

19. “L” from KWL chart
• The “L” in a KWL chart requires students to explain what they have learned
after reading.Teachers can use “L” as a form to gage understanding.
• The teacher can use a KWL chart for any passage or story and with a variety
of grade levels.