This document provides strategies to use before, during, and after reading to improve student comprehension. Some strategies outlined include quick writes, think-pair-shares, Frayer models, paragraph shrinking, double entry journals, exit slips, and 3-2-1 summaries. Specific examples are given for how each strategy could be implemented when reading the book "The Emperor's Silent Army" about the terracotta soldiers in China. Teachers are encouraged to actively engage students before, during, and after reading through questioning, visualization, and discussion techniques.

1. Before, During, and
After Reading
Strategies
Critical Assignment 1
RED 4348
The Emperor's Silent Army
Megan Nadeau

2. Before Reading Strategies
Let’s Activate Our Brains to Learn
• Quick Write
• Frayer Model Vocabulary
• Think-Pair-Share
• Visual Imagery
• Think-Alouds

3. Quick Write
Ask the student’s to predict what
the reading selection is about. Have
the class make the predictions
based on the title and pictures on
the selection. They can write their
predictions down on a piece of
paper, then have them share their
predictions aloud in class before
beginning to read.

4. Frayer Model Vocabulary
Pre-select a list of key vocabulary
from a reading selection. The
Frayer Model should be explained
and a graphic organizer provided
to each student. Then direct
students to complete the template
individually, in small groups or as a
whole class. Model the type and
quality of desired answers for the
specific concept. (All About
Adolescent Literacy, 2017)

5. Think-Pair-Share
Think-Pair-Share is a collaborative
learning strategy where students
work together and solve a problem or
answer a question about the selected
reading. This requires students to
think individually the topic or answer
to the question, and then shares their
ideas with classmates. Discussing
answers with a partner maximizes
participation, focus attention, and
engages students in comprehending
the upcoming reading material.
T : (Think) Ask a specific question
about the text and have the
students "think" about what they
know or have learned about the
topic.
P : (Pair) Each student should be
paired with another student or a
small group.
S : (Share) Students share their
thinking with their partner, then the
teacher has the class share
together.

6. Visual Imagery
Begin reading a small portion of the
reading selection that can be used for
imagery. After reading a the small portion,
explain to the class what you visualize
from reading the passage, and what
words helped you create the visualization.
Begin reading again, stop and repeat the
previous steps. Then ask the students
what visuals they have, and how they
were able to picture theirs. Compare your
imagery with theirs and talk about the
similarities and differences.

7. Think-Alouds
Teachers verbalize aloud what they are
thinking while reading a selection orally to the
class. This is a way for students to
eavesdrop on how the teacher processes the
reading selection. This strategy shows
students how skilled readers construct
meaning from text.

8. Let’s Put Those Strategies to Use!
For Strategy 1, Quick Write: I will have my students
predict what this book is about based on the title and the
pictures on the front and back of the book. From that the
students should come to the conclusion that the book is
about an emperor and a statue army.
Strategy 2, Frayer Model Vocabulary: Students will be
grouped together and asked to complete Frayer models for
vocabulary in the text. I have provided an example of what
the completed model will look like on slide 4.
Strategy 3, Think, Pair, Share: Students will remain in the
same groups as their vocabulary group and answer the
following question:
Based on the title and previous knowledge, what is an
emperor and why might they need an army? They will think
about the question individually, then share their thoughts
with their group, then with the class.
Strategy 4, Visual Imagery: I will begin reading the
first paragraph of the book to the students. The first
paragraph talks about it being early spring (crisp air)
and 3 farmers ( guys maybe in jeans and warm shirt,
but outdoors clothes that can get dirty) needing to dig a
well due to a drought (dry dirt maybe dusty when they
walk). I will explain what I picture as described in the
parenthesis above. Then continue to the second asking
what they picture and so on for the whole first page.
Strategy 5, Think-Alouds: This strategy can be used
in conjunction with the previous strategy of visual
imagery. While reading the first paragraph I can explain
to the students what is the setting by asking where does
this sentence say the farmers are? What time of year
does the sentence say it was? Who is this paragraph
talking about? This will help the students find the
questions they need to ask to better comprehend what
they are reading, and can help with their visualization.

9. During Reading Strategies
Let’s look a little deeper
• Paragraph Shrinking
• Reading Guide
• Read Aloud
• Double-Entry Journals
• Ask Questions

10. Paragraph Shrinking
Paragraph Shrinking is done by pairing
students to read together. The students
will take turns reading paragraphs.
While reading they will pause to
summarize the main points of each
paragraph (who or what, the most
important thing about who or what, and
the main idea of their selection). The
students will provide feedback to one
another and let the student answering
the question know if it was right or to
look back and try again.

11. Reading Guide
Reading Guides help navigate
students through reading material
by being providing with statements
or questions to answer through out
the reading selection from their
teacher. These statements or
questions pertain to the major
ideas and their supporting details.

12. Read Aloud
Read alouds are highly interactive
planned reading of text to students for a
specific reason. They are meant to
develop comprehension skills, oral
language, vocabulary, core knowledge,
ability to visualize, and motivation for
reading. During read alouds the teacher
reads a planned selection and encourages
the students to ask questions.

13. Double-Entry Journals
Double-Entry Journals are a way
for students to keep track of
phrases or sentences that were
meaningful to them, write a
personal response to those
phrases or sentences, and
share with their peers. The
students fold a piece of paper in
half and on the left side write a
phrase or sentence that has
meaning to them, then on the
right side write their reaction to
the left.

14. Ask Questions
Through out the reading selection
ask question about the text. You
can ask literal questions which
can be found directly in the text,
or ask inferential questions which
are not explicitly stated in the
text.

15. Let’s Put Those Strategies to Use!
Strategy 1, Paragraph Shrinking: Pair students
together based on reading abilities using PALS (peer
assisted learning strategy). Demonstrate to the class
what is expected and give them 5 minute time limits
for reading, then they ask the questions and switch.
Strategy 2, Reading Guide: The main topic of the
book the class will be reading is this “silent army”.
Where they came from and why they were made. So I
will “guide” the class with questions like that is the
book about. Who is mentioned in the book and how do
they relate to the main topic?
Strategy 3, Read Aloud: Chapter 3 will be read to the
class. This Chapter talks about where the soldiers
were located and what type of soldier was in each
location. Here students can visualize the pits and
soldiers and ask questions about them.
Strategy 4, Double-Entry Journals: Students
will be asked to keep a Double-Entry Journal for
all reading done for the book. At the end of each
class we will discuss the entries.
Strategy 5, Ask Questions: Sample questions to
be used for “The Emperor’s Silent Army” would
include:
How did the terracotta warriors look when they
were dug up?
How do you think they looked when they were
first made?
Why did emperor Qin have the terracotta army
built?

16. After Reading Strategies
What did we learn?
• Exit Slips
• Summarizing
• 3-2-1
• QAR (Question Answer Relationship)
• Quiz

17. Exit Slip
Before students can leave the class
they have to fill out an exit slip. This
slip can be a note card or loose leaf
paper that answers a question given
by the teacher about the reading
selection. It can be about the main
idea or what part they had a hard time
understanding.

18. Summarizing
Summarizing is taking the text just covered
and explaining what the main idea is and it’s
supporting details in only a few words or
sentences. This can be done by simply
asking the class, or having them write a
summary, or giving them a worksheet to fill
in to help them summarize the important
parts of the selection.

19. 3-2-1
This strategy has students list three
things they learned from the text,
two things they found interesting,
and one question they still have
pertaining to the text. You could
alter this to fit the reading selection.
An example of and altered 3-2-1
would be to have students list three
people (characters) from the text,
two important events, and one
setting (place).

20. QAR (Question Answer Relationship)
The QAU strategy helps students who
have a hard time with answering
inference questions. The teacher will
tell students the type of questions
usually asked after reading and explain
each. The questions are literal (1.right
there and 2.think and search) and
inferential (3.author and you and 4.on
my own). The teacher will read a
passage and show an example of how
to come up with questions and
answers. The teacher can then have
the class practice asking questions and
answers.

21. Quiz
A quiz after the reading selection
can help gauge how well students
understood it. Typically they are
short and ask questions pertaining
to the main points of the selection.

22. Let’s Put Those Strategies to Use!
Strategy 1, Exit Slip: Students will be given the last 5
minutes of class to fill out an exit slip after we finish the
book. They will answer: What is one question you have
about the book? Was your prediction in the beginning
of the book correct, similar, or different from what the
book was about.
Strategy 2, Summarizing: After finishing reading the
book students will be given a worksheet asking what
was the main idea/topic of the book, what details
support this being the main idea/topic, and what
information was unnecessary. They will use key words
that were given to them before reading the text to help
summarize the book.
Strategy 3, 3-2-1: Students will list three things they
learned from the book, two things they found
interesting, and one question they still have about the
silent army.
Strategy 4, QAR (Question Answer
Relationship: Students will come up
with one of each type of question from
the text and trade their question with
another student. They will then answer
the other students questions.
Questions and Answers will be
discussed in class.
Strategy 5, Quiz: Students will be given
a 10 question quiz with questions
pertaining to “The Emperor’s Silent
Army”. Five of the questions will be
multiple choice, two will be true or false,
two will be fill in the blank, and one will
be a short essay question.

23. References
All About Adolescent Literacy. (2017). Retrieved from AdLit.org:
http://www.adlit.org/strategies/22369/
All About Adolescent Literacy. (2017). Retrieved from AdLit.org:
http://www.adlit.org/strategies/23277/
Bursuck, W. D. (2015). Teaching Reading to Students Who Are At Risk Or
Have Disabilities. In W. D. Bursuck, & M. Damer, Teaching
Reading to Students Who Are At Risk Or Have Disabilities (p. 289).
Boston: Pearson.
Jones, R. (2012, August 26). Strategies for Reading Comprehension 3-2-1.
Retrieved from ReadingQuest.org:
http://www.readingquest.org/strat/321.htm
Reading Rockets. (2017). Retrieved from ReadingRockets.org:
http://www.readingrockets.org/strategies/visual_imagery