This document outlines strategies to help middle school students with non-fiction reading comprehension. It recommends that students preview the text by looking at pictures, titles and bold words to activate prior knowledge and make predictions. Students should also determine the purpose for reading be it for learning, fun or educational reasons. As they read, students can make connections, visualize, think aloud and make inferences to deepen their understanding. After reading, students should evaluate by re-reading, summarizing, answering questions and comparing to other texts.

1.  
Non-fiction strategies for middle school students

2.  These strategies help readers activate prior
knowledge, prepare for the reading, and
become focused.
o Preview the text/pictures in the book.
o Determine the purpose for reading.
o Activate prior knowledge.
o Make predictions about the text.

3.  It is helpful to look over the book/text before
beginning to read.
 Skim through the text looking at pictures, chapter
titles, bold words, etc.
 This gives the reader an idea on what the reading
is about.

4.  Knowing the purpose for reading helps the
reader focus on the important things in the text.
 Before you begin to read ask yourself, Why am I
reading this text?
o For a specific reason
• For example, learning about the 16th president
o Just for fun
o Educational purpose

5.  Determine what you already know about the reading.
o How can you build on this knowledge?
o What else would you like you know about this topic?
 Creating a KWL chart is a great way to activate prior
knowledge.

6.  The reader can make predictions before
and during reading.
 Making predictions while reading helps the
reader stay focused.
 Questions to ask while reading:
o What do you think will happen next?
o Why do you think that will happen?
o Was the prediction you made correct?
o How do you know your prediction was correct or
incorrect?

7.  Make connections with the text.
 Visualize mental images about the text.
 Use think aloud strategies to monitor
comprehension.
 Identify the authors purpose.
 Make inferences to fill in gaps and draw
conclusions.

8.  Readers should make connections with the text
using their background knowledge.
 Different connections that can be made:
o Text-to-Self: Connections between text and the
readers personal experience.
o Text-to-Text: Connections between the text and one’s
previously read.
o Text-to-World: Connections made between the text
and something that happens in the world.

9.  As you read you should create mental images to match
the text you read.
o For example, if the author describes a hot sunny day at the
beach an imagine of the beach should appear in your head.
 Visualizations helps readers engage with text and
make it personal and memorable.

10.  Think aloud strategies can be helpful tools to help
readers monitor there own thinking and comprehension
of the text.
 It slows down the reading process so the reader can
monitor there understanding of the text.
 Readers can stop periodically while reading to ask
themselves questions such as;
o Do I understand what I just read?
o What new information did I just learn?
o What were the most important points?

11.  Determine the author’s purpose of the text.
o Why did the author write the text?
o What is the main idea of the text?
o Who are the main characters?
o What are the important details?
 In order to understand the text it is important to
understand the author’s purpose.
o Was it to teach the reader something?
o Entertain the reader?

12.  Reader should make inferences has they read.
o Use context clues and prior knowledge to fill in gaps and
draw conclusions.
 Sometimes the text does not clearly identify or say
something but readers can make inferences to
acquire a better understanding.

13.  Evaluate what you read.
 Re-read the text.
 Summarize the text.
 Compare and contrast related readings.
 Answer questions about the reading.

14.  It is important for readers to reflect upon and analyze
the text after reading.
 This encourages the reader to form opinions, make
judgments, and develop ideas from reading.

15.  Sometimes readers miss key ideas in the text as they
read.
 It can be very helpful to re-read the text or scan over
it.
 This helps the reader answer any questions or clear
up any misunderstanding of the text.

16.  Summarization is the restating of the main ideas of the
text in as few words as possible.
o Put the text into your own words.
o Focus on the key ideas.

17.  It can be helpful for readers to compare and contrast
the text to prior text.
o How was it similar?
o How was it different?
o Did you like this text better than the previous one?

18.  Answering questions about the text helps readers
develop an even deeper understanding.
 There are four types of comprehension questions.
o Right there: The answer can be easily found in a sentence that
is in the text.
o Author and you: The answer is not in the text. The reader must
combine previous knowledge and information in the text to
determine the answer.
o Think and search: The answer is in the text but requires the
reader to piece together different parts of the text to determine
an answer.
o On my own: The answer is not in the text. The reader must use
past experiences and knowledge to determine the answer.

19.  Counseling Center. (2013, September 9). 7 CRITICAL READING
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http://www.salisbury.edu/counseling/new/7_critical_reading_strategi
es.html
 Yardley, B. (2012, July 28). Reading Strategies. Reading Strategies.
Retrieved July 30, 2014, from
http://www.slideshare.net/libraryyard/reading-strategies-13782096
 Rutkowski, K. (2014, April 5). Reading strategies flipchart. Reading
strategies flipchart. Retrieved July 30, 2014, from
http://www.slideshare.net/Krutkowski1611/reading-strategies-
flipchart
 Comprehension Strategies - Making connections, questioning,
inferring, determining importance, and more. (n.d.). Comprehension
Strategies. Retrieved July 30, 2014, from
http://www.busyteacherscafe.com/literacy/comprehension_strategies
.html