This document outlines various reading strategies that can be used before, during, and after reading to improve comprehension. Some strategies discussed include frontloading vocabulary, setting a purpose, activating background knowledge, think-alouds, close reading, guided notes, monitoring understanding, text coding, exit slips, response journals, retelling, think-pair-share, and summarization. The strategies are meant to engage students with the text, help them process what they are reading, and reflect on and demonstrate their comprehension.

1. Before, During, and After
Reading Strategies
RED4348 Critical Assignment 1
Nichole Richard

2. Before-Reading Strategies
Before reading activities help the
students get connected to the text and
to activate background knowledge.
This is beneficial to comprehension of
the text.

3. Frontloading Vocabulary
Frontloading vocabulary is a technique used before reading to discuss
and learn vocabulary words that are needed to understand the text.
“The more students understand the terms used within a passage, the
easier it is for them to understand information they read or hear
about the topic” (Marzano & Pickering, 2005). An example strategy
for frontloading vocabulary is the use of the Frayer Model.

4. Setting a Purpose For Reading
Setting a purpose for reading is important to help students stay focused
and engaged on what they are reading. With a clear purpose, students
should understand what is important about the text. This will assist in
reading comprehension.
An example of setting a purpose is asking your student to think about
what they expect to learn from this book and what they should be
learning.

5. Activating Background
Knowledge
When background knowledge is
activated, it helps students make
connections to the text as they
try to make sense of new ideas,
connecting them to what they
already know. This helps to
increase comprehension. An
anticipation guide can be used
before reading to activate
students’ prior knowledge and
build anticipation about the
subject.
Mixitupintheclassroom.com

6. Pre-reading Survey
A pre-reading survey allows students to familiarize themselves with the
text. It allows them to look at pictures, words, and length of the text.
This helps students to prepare for the reading. They can activate prior-
knowledge and familiarize themselves with words used frequently.
Examples of this strategy include having the students read the title and
subtitles and reading the first sentence of each paragraph.

7. Concept Maps
Concept maps are a visual organizer that helps students understand
new concepts. Students think about the content in multiple ways and
can even answer questions to assist with comprehension of the topic.
Students can organize ideas and use lines or arrows to show how ideas
connect and relate to the text before reading.

8. During-Reading Strategies
Comprehension strategies used
during reading, help students to
monitor their understanding of
the text. They help the student
to focus on the main ideas and
important concepts within the
text.

9. Think-alouds
During think-alouds a teacher models the active thinking process that
skilled readers use. This allows students to see how the reader
comprehends what they are reading. This process enables students to
see a skill that could not be observed otherwise.
An example of think-aloud can be viewed in this YouTube video.

10. Close Reading
Close reading focuses on increasing
deeper meanings as questions become
progressively more difficult as students
read and reread the text. The questions
provide a trigger for students to discuss
the text. An example of close reading is
asking students to concentrate on a
question as they read and then
participate in small group discussions
about the given topic.

11. Guided Notes
Guided notes are prepared by the
teacher. The teacher selects important
ideas and concepts about the reading and
creates notes and blanks are left where
key facts and concepts should appear. The
student fills the blanks in during reading.
Guided notes promote active
engagement in the reading material and
help students to identify important ideas
and concepts.
Exceptionalexpress.com

12. Monitoring/Clarifying
Monitoring/clarifying is a strategy that helps students to recognize when they do
not understand what they have read. Students are encouraged to be actively
engaged in their thought process. Students are taught to visualize, reread, and ask
question. This provides them with strategies to recognize and increase their
comprehension as they read.
Some examples of questions and reflections the teacher may ask/use when
applying this strategy include:
• Stop and think about what you have already read
• Visualize
• Try to connect the text with what you already know or have experienced

13. Text Coding
Text coding is used as a way for students to mark their comprehension
of the text as they are reading. Students may mark in the text if it is
allowed, or with sticky notes. They will mark any questions they may
have, predictions, connections, and anything else they may want to
mark. This allows students to clarify meaning of the text and increases
comprehension.

14. After-Reading strategies
After-reading strategies provide students with opportunities to reflect,
summarize, and answer any questions from their readings. This allows
deeper more meaningful connections to the text.

15. Exit Slips
Exit slips are used as a way for students to reflect on their reading. It helps
them to process concepts, feelings, and information about the text. Exit
slips only take a few minutes to complete and allow the teacher to assess
the content and address any questions the students may still have.
Pinterest.com

16. Reading Response
Journals
Reading response journals allow students to
write down their thoughts, feelings, ideas, and
opinions about a text they have read in an
informal way. It allows students to think about
what they read. Students can also recall
important details from the text, or retell the
story in their own words. This strategy allows
students to reflect on their reading and
increase comprehension of the text.
Hoffman, Alice, Busy

17. Retelling
Retelling involves the student telling a story that they just read.
Students must organize the information, make inferences, and use prior
knowledge to retell the story. This strategy is used by the teacher to
check for comprehension of the material. This can be done orally
through discussions, through readers theater, with writing, or with role
play.

18. Think-Pair-Share
Think-pair-share is a collaborative learning strategy and students work
together to answer questions and reflect on reading. Students are
asked to think about or answer a question regarding what they have
read and then they share their answers with a partner or group. This
allows students to formulate ideas and share them with their
classmates increasing comprehension of the text. This also promotes
critical thinking and is a way to incorporate Higher-order of thinking
questions.

19. Summarization
Summarization is a strategy that helps students evaluate their
comprehension of a text. The reader stops periodically and thinks
about the main ideas and recalls key details of the text. This can be
done orally or through writing. This process allows for students to
demonstrate their comprehension of the text in a meaningful way.

20. References
Bursuck, William D. & Damer, Mary (2015). Teaching Reading to Students Who are at Risk
or Have Disabilities A Multi-Tier, RTI Approach, New Jersey: Pearson.
Exceptionalexpress.com. Guided notes: Retrieved from 03/12/18 from:
https://exceptionalexpress.wordpress.com/2015/01/28/guided-notes/
Hoffman, Alice. Readers Response Journal. Retrieved 03/12/18 from:
http://www.busyteacherscafe.com/literacy/readers_response.html

21. Marzano, R., & Pickering, D. (2005). Building Academic Vocabulary: Teacher’s Manual.
Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Mixitupintheclassroom.com. Anticipation Guide. Retrieved 3/09/18 from:
http://mixitupintheclassroom.blogspot.com/2011/09/read-and-write-part-1.html
Pinterest.com. 3-2-1 Exit slip. Retrieved 3/11/18 from:
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/170503535870102989/
YouTube video: Best Practice: Modeling thinking for students. Heinmann Publishing.
Retrieved 03/11/18 from: https://youtu.be/IO42Cyx-uCw