Strategic teaching involves using literacy strategies before, during, and after reading to maximize understanding and retention of content. It incorporates a variety of vocabulary development and writing strategies chosen based on the lesson purpose and material. Strategic teaching is necessary in middle and high school as student performance declines without explicit comprehension instruction. It benefits all students, including struggling, striving, and expanding readers.

1. Strategic TeachingStrategic Teaching
in thein the
Middle and High SchoolMiddle and High School

2. Strategic Teaching Defined…Strategic Teaching Defined…
Strategic teaching is the process of using a variety ofStrategic teaching is the process of using a variety of
literacy strategies.literacy strategies.
It maximizes the understanding and retention ofIt maximizes the understanding and retention of
content material.content material.
It incorporates before, during, and after readingIt incorporates before, during, and after reading
strategies.strategies.
It incorporates a variety of vocabularyIt incorporates a variety of vocabulary
development and writing strategies.development and writing strategies.
The strategies a teacher chooses will depend on the purposeThe strategies a teacher chooses will depend on the purpose
of the lesson and the nature of the material being studied.of the lesson and the nature of the material being studied.

3. Why is Strategic TeachingWhy is Strategic Teaching
Necessary?Necessary?
The student performance drops off in the middleThe student performance drops off in the middle
school and high school yearsschool and high school years (International Reading Association and
National Middle School Association, 2002).
Research has shown that many children who read
at grade level in grade 3 will not automatically become
proficient comprehenders in later grades. Therefore,
teachers must teach comprehension explicitly, beginning
in the primary grades and continuing through high school
(RAND Reading Study Group, 2002).

4. It benefits ALL of our students.It benefits ALL of our students.
Struggling Readers
Striving Readers
Expanding
Readers

5. The Strategic TeacherThe Strategic Teacher
 TheThe strategic teacher plans lessons with thestrategic teacher plans lessons with the
outcomeoutcome in mind. The outcomes of strategicin mind. The outcomes of strategic
lessons move the students toward mastery oflessons move the students toward mastery of
content standards.content standards.
 TheThe strategic teacher plans and facilitatesstrategic teacher plans and facilitates
engaging lessonsengaging lessons. Students in strategic. Students in strategic
classrooms have the opportunity to talk, listen,classrooms have the opportunity to talk, listen,
read, write, and investigate everyday whileread, write, and investigate everyday while
actively involved in the learning process.actively involved in the learning process.
 TheThe strategic teacher builds assessment intostrategic teacher builds assessment into
every lesson.every lesson. The lesson contains elements thatThe lesson contains elements that
allow the teacher to know which students haveallow the teacher to know which students have
and have not met the stated outcome(s).and have not met the stated outcome(s).

6. Connection to ComprehensionConnection to Comprehension
The following six strategies appear to have a firm scientific basisThe following six strategies appear to have a firm scientific basis
for improving text comprehension. These findings are fromfor improving text comprehension. These findings are from PutPut
Reading First: The Research Building Blocks for Teaching ChildrenReading First: The Research Building Blocks for Teaching Children
to Read, 2001.to Read, 2001.
 Monitoring comprehensionMonitoring comprehension
 Using graphic and semantic organizersUsing graphic and semantic organizers
 Answering questionsAnswering questions
 Generating questionsGenerating questions
 Recognizing text structureRecognizing text structure
 SummarizingSummarizing
The following strategies have received some support from theThe following strategies have received some support from the
research.research.
 Making use of prior knowledgeMaking use of prior knowledge
 Using mental imageryUsing mental imagery

7. Before Reading StrategiesBefore Reading Strategies
 activate background knowledgeactivate background knowledge
 establish a purpose for readingestablish a purpose for reading
 generate questionsgenerate questions
 make predictions about textmake predictions about text
 encounter new vocabularyencounter new vocabulary
 connect writing to readingconnect writing to reading

8. During Reading StrategiesDuring Reading Strategies
 engage with the textengage with the text
 use cognitive processuse cognitive process
 verify and reformulate predictionsverify and reformulate predictions
 integrate new information with priorintegrate new information with prior
knowledgeknowledge
 self-monitor comprehensionself-monitor comprehension
 construct graphic organizersconstruct graphic organizers
 summarize textsummarize text

9. After Reading StrategiesAfter Reading Strategies
 reflect on what they readreflect on what they read
 evaluate predictionsevaluate predictions
 examine questions that guidedexamine questions that guided
readingreading
 respond to text through discussionrespond to text through discussion
 respond to text through writingrespond to text through writing
 retell or summarizeretell or summarize

10. Strategic Teaching InvolvesStrategic Teaching Involves
 Purposeful Planning-Purposeful Planning- Make before, during, and afterMake before, during, and after
literacy connections by choosing strategies depending onliteracy connections by choosing strategies depending on
the purpose of the lesson, student’s needs, and the naturethe purpose of the lesson, student’s needs, and the nature
of the material being studied.of the material being studied.
 Multiple StrategiesMultiple Strategies -- Incorporate strategies that supportIncorporate strategies that support
various learning styles and preferences.various learning styles and preferences.
 Connected StrategiesConnected Strategies –– Incorporate before, during, andIncorporate before, during, and
after reading strategies that include a variety of vocabularyafter reading strategies that include a variety of vocabulary
development and writing strategies.development and writing strategies.
 Explicit InstructionExplicit Instruction –– Maximize the understanding andMaximize the understanding and
retention of content material through direct explanation,retention of content material through direct explanation,
modeling, guided practice, and independent application. (Imodeling, guided practice, and independent application. (I
do, we do, you do.)do, we do, you do.)

11. Strategic Teaching ShouldStrategic Teaching Should
Include…Include…
The Five Literacies in Every LessonThe Five Literacies in Every Lesson
ReadingReading
WritingWriting
TalkingTalking
ListeningListening
InvestigatingInvestigating

12. Strategic Lesson ExampleStrategic Lesson Example
Topic: SurvivalTopic: Survival Course of StudyCourse of Study
Objectives: N/AObjectives: N/A
Lesson Objectives: toLesson Objectives: to
use comprehension skillsuse comprehension skills
BeforeBefore ReadingReading
OutcomeOutcome:: activate prioractivate prior
knowledge and buildknowledge and build
vocabulary.vocabulary.
StrategyStrategy:: Interview andInterview and
responseresponse
TeacherTeacher ActivityActivity::
Teacher will model theTeacher will model the
interview and responseinterview and response
strategy .strategy .
StudentStudent ActivityActivity::
Students will interviewStudents will interview
three people with thethree people with the
question: What doesquestion: What does
survival mean to you? Writesurvival mean to you? Write
responses on note card.responses on note card.
Then turn note card overThen turn note card over
and write a statement thatand write a statement that
includes interviews as wellincludes interviews as well
as personal response.as personal response.
DuringDuring ReadingReading
OutcomeOutcome:: Students focusStudents focus
on skills needed as oneon skills needed as one
reads.reads.
StrategyStrategy:: GrandGrand
ConversationsConversations
TeacherTeacher ActivityActivity::
The teacher reads aloudThe teacher reads aloud
article (Hiker Resorts toarticle (Hiker Resorts to
Self-Amputation)Self-Amputation)
encouraging students to useencouraging students to use
cards.cards.
StudentStudent ActivityActivity::
Respond to the reading withRespond to the reading with
WonderWonder,, Notice, PriorNotice, Prior
Knowledge, or Spark card.Knowledge, or Spark card.
AfterAfter ReadingReading
OutcomeOutcome: To reflect on: To reflect on
article and respond to thearticle and respond to the
reading through writing.reading through writing.
StrategyStrategy:: Reflection CircleReflection Circle
TeacherTeacher ActivityActivity::
Model the use of theModel the use of the
reflection circle graphicreflection circle graphic
organizer (Venn diagram)organizer (Venn diagram)
StudentStudent ActivityActivity::
Respond to each phase ofRespond to each phase of
the circle about how thisthe circle about how this
man’s survival affected him,man’s survival affected him,
his family, his community,his family, his community,
and other hikers.and other hikers.

13. WonderWonder,, Notice, Prior Knowledge,Notice, Prior Knowledge,
or Spark cardor Spark card
Grand Conversations StrategyGrand Conversations Strategy
Grand conversations are discussions held by theGrand conversations are discussions held by the
entire class community. This strategy allows forentire class community. This strategy allows for
dialogue among students that is student directeddialogue among students that is student directed
and each one has the opportunity to critique,and each one has the opportunity to critique,
debate and extend upon each other’s ideas.debate and extend upon each other’s ideas.
ObjectivesObjectives -To provide a skillful strategy to students-To provide a skillful strategy to students
that helps them focus on comprehending andthat helps them focus on comprehending and
thinking as they readthinking as they read
-To develop deeper understanding.-To develop deeper understanding.

14. Procedure:Procedure:
1. Hand out the think aloud cards to1. Hand out the think aloud cards to
students and a reading passage such as anstudents and a reading passage such as an
article, a text or a novel.article, a text or a novel.
2. The teacher or a fluent reader from the2. The teacher or a fluent reader from the
class reads aloud. As the reading takesclass reads aloud. As the reading takes
place, the students are directed to use theplace, the students are directed to use the
cards as follows:cards as follows:
WonderWonder,, Notice, Prior Knowledge,Notice, Prior Knowledge,
or Spark cardor Spark card

15. W – “I Wonder” cardW – “I Wonder” card- use when you have a- use when you have a
question about what is being read orquestion about what is being read or
“wonder” about the information.“wonder” about the information.
N – “I Notice” cardN – “I Notice” card – use when you notice– use when you notice
something interesting about the text orsomething interesting about the text or
pictures, any connections or incongruence’s.pictures, any connections or incongruence’s.
P – “Prior Knowledge” cardP – “Prior Knowledge” card – use when you– use when you
have any prior knowledge to share about thehave any prior knowledge to share about the
topic.topic.
S – “Spark” cardS – “Spark” card – use when someone else– use when someone else
says something that makes you think ofsays something that makes you think of
something else related to the text. This cansomething else related to the text. This can
only be used during a discussion.only be used during a discussion.

16. 33.. As each student uses a card, the card isAs each student uses a card, the card is
turned over. All students must useturned over. All students must use
their cards before starting over.their cards before starting over.
4. When all students have used their cards,4. When all students have used their cards,
turn them back to front and startturn them back to front and start
the process over.the process over.

17. N S
WP
WonderWonder,, Notice, PriorNotice, Prior
Knowledge, or Spark cardKnowledge, or Spark card

18. Venn DiagramVenn Diagram

19. Other StrategiesOther Strategies
 Purposeful Planning-Purposeful Planning- Make before, during, and afterMake before, during, and after
literacy connections by choosing strategies depending onliteracy connections by choosing strategies depending on
the purpose of the lesson, student’s needs, and the naturethe purpose of the lesson, student’s needs, and the nature
of the material being studied.of the material being studied.
 Multiple StrategiesMultiple Strategies -- Incorporate strategies that supportIncorporate strategies that support
various learning styles and preferences.various learning styles and preferences.
 Connected StrategiesConnected Strategies –– Incorporate before, during, andIncorporate before, during, and
after reading strategies that include a variety of vocabularyafter reading strategies that include a variety of vocabulary
development and writing strategies.development and writing strategies.
 Explicit InstructionExplicit Instruction –– Maximize the understanding andMaximize the understanding and
retention of content material through direct explanation,retention of content material through direct explanation,
modeling, guided practice, and independent application. (Imodeling, guided practice, and independent application. (I
do, we do, you do.)do, we do, you do.)