READING WORKSHOP DAY ONE

Introduction, Overview, & Before Reading Strategies

Our Goal

Through the use of cross-curricular Reading strategies all students in grades 7-12 at New Berlin West Middle/High School will improve WKCE Scores from:

• Minimal to Basic• Basic to Proficient• Proficient to Advanced

NB West Literacy Needs Assessment• I am confident my instruction leads to my students’

increased comprehension of my disciplines texts.• 68% Agree or Strongly Agree

• My students’ read strategically.• 84% Don’t know, Disagree or Strongly Disagree

• I am confident that my instruction leads to students’ increased use of academic vocabularies in my discipline.• 79% Agree or Strongly Agree

• There is consistency in the academic vocabulary that is taught within my department.• 79% Don’t know, Disagree or Strongly Disagree

Professional Development Series• Before Reading Strategies• Asking & Answering Questions• Vocabulary Development• Understanding Text Structure• Summarizing, Synthesizing, & Reflecting• Comparing, Contrasting, & Categorizing• Adapting Literature Circles Across Content

Areas/Collaborative Grouping• Interacting With Text

Activity Get in groups of four and discuss the following questions:

1. What are the different things that you read in a week?2. What are the different purposes you have for reading?3. What are the different process that you use for

different types of reading:A. Before reading?B. During reading?C. After reading?

What Good Readers Do: Before Reading

•Set goals/establish a purpose for reading

•Preview•Predict•Activate Prior Knowledge

What Good Readers Do: During Reading• Read sequentially, skimming some parts and focusing on others• Reread some sections• Make notes• Tune in to main ideas related to reading goals• Check and adapt predictions• Monitor and repair comprehension• Connect to world knowledge • Make inferences• Paraphrase and Summarize passages• Respond to and evaluate text• Use context clues/Understand different types of context clues• Visualize/Construct Mental Images

What Good Readers Do: After Reading

• Reread selectively• Summarize• Reflect• Apply• Compare and contrast

Explicit Teaching Model/Gradual Release

Explicit Teaching Model

• I Do (Teacher Modeling)• We Do (Guided Practice)• You Do (Indiv. Practice)

Gradual Release Model

• I Do (Teacher Modeling)• We All Do (Whole Group)• We Do (Small Group)• You Do (Indiv. Practice)

Today’s Focus: Before Reading Strategies

• Set Goals• Establish a purpose for Reading

• Preview• Use textual elements such as titles, headers, graphics, charts,

index, etc. to figure out text structure and make predictions. • Predict

• Make predictions about the content and then check and adapt those predictions during reading as new information is introduced.

• Activate Prior Knowledge• Gather prior knowledge and experience related to a topic and

make connections which aid in comprehension.

Strategy #1: KWL

Strategy #1: KWL (Modified)K

KnowT

Think/GuessW

Want to KnowL

Learned  

                         

     

Strategy #2: Prediction Chart  Making and Verifying Predictions

What is my prediction?

What is my prediction based on?

Did the text verify my prediction?

If not, what was the difference?

 1.       2.      3.    

 1.       2.      3.

 1.       2.      3.  

 1.       2.      3.         

Strategy #3: Previewing Checklist Teach students 5 steps for previewing:1) ___Read the Title: Think about what you already know

about the topic. 2) ___Read all the headings and subheadings and bold

print. 3) ___Scan the whole text to see how long it is and what it

covers. Read the introductory sentence or paragraph. 4) ___Look at all the pictures, graphs, and charts. Read all

the captions. Make note of words that are unfamiliar. 5) ___Read the chapter review summary and review

questions (if applicable).

Strategy #4: Pre-Reading Checklist1. ___Determine what you want to learn or find out from

the material. 2. ___Look over what you will read. 3. ___Skim to find out how the author has chosen to

present the material. 4. ___Ask yourself what you already know about the

topic(s) the author will cover. 5. ___Jot some predictions on paper about what you

expect to learn from the text.

Strategy #5: Multi-PassPURPOSE: This strategy is used to preview information in a textbook chapter. The strategy is a series of passes the students make through the chapter to acquaint them with the Information in the chapter. First Pass: Students read the headings and subheadings and turn them into questions. If the textbook has section objectives or objectives by the paragraphs, students turn those into questions. Second Pass: Look at the visuals and read the captions. Third Pass: Read the sentences containing the boldfaced words to use the context to determine the meaning of the words. Fourth Pass: Read the introduction and conclusion. If the textbook has a chapter review section that explains what should have been learned, read that section.

Activity: Before Reading Jigsaw1. Get in groups of four 2. Assign each group member a different one of the following

strategies: Strategy #1: KWL or KTWL Strategy #2: Prediction Chart Strategy #3: Previewing Checklist Strategy #4: Pre-Reading Checklist

2. Complete the activity as if you were a student preparing to read the article titled “Supreme Decisions” that is included in your packet.

3. Discuss: How might the activity help students to comprehend challenging text? How could this activity be modified to be more effective for your students?

Strategy #6: Topic Survey• Develop a list of statements related to the reading topic

which students can agree or disagree with.• Post an “Agree” sign on one side of the room and a

“Disagree” sign on another side of the room• As you announce each statement, students move to the

“Agree” side if they agree with it and the “Disagree” side if they disagree

• After each statement, ask several students from each side of the room to justify their reasoning.

* Can be modified as a writing or discussion activity

Sample Topic Survey Statements

Salem Witch Trial Topic Survey Statements

• Confessing to a crime you didn’t commit in order to avoid punishment is wise.• The difference between right and wrong is clear.• It is better to die for what you believe in rather than to lie to save your life.  • That which doesn’t destroy us only makes us stronger.• It’s more difficult to forgive yourself if the person you have hurt doesn’t forgive

you.• Courage means doing something even though it can be difficult and

frightening.• A person is innocent until proven guilty.• Beliefs in opposition to common values should be illegal.• Justice is best determined in a court of law.

Strategy #7: Four CornersStudents…

• Get in groups of four• Write a topic in the middle of a piece of chart paper • Divide the piece of chart paper into four sections• Each student sits by one corner of the paper and writes what

they know about the topic in one section (silently)• Students share at tables• Students summarize ideas (or compare/contrast, look for

common themes, etc.)• One person from each group shares out to the class.

Four Corners Template                    

 

                   

    

Topic

Strategy #8: Speaker, Supporter, Arguer• Students get in groups of three and create three placards:

• 1) Speaker, 2) Supporter, 3) Arguer• Each student chooses a role and places the appropriate placard in

front of them• Teacher presents one side of a controversial topic related to the

reading• The speaker must argue the side of the topic presented by the teacher• The supporter must support the argument• The arguer must oppose the argument• Give students 1 minute to prepare an argument• Give students 2 minutes to discuss in roles• Give students 1 minute to discuss their personal opinions on the topic• Students switch roles and the teacher presents a new topic.

Strategy #9: Anticipatory Questions

Choose questions that:

• Activate prior knowledge• Connect to life experience• Get students thinking about the topic(s)• Promote interest in the topic(s)• Encourage students to make guesses about the reading

Sample Anticipatory Question Stems

• Think about a time when…• What do you know about…• If you could…• What do you think would happen if…• What do you want to know about…• Make a prediction about...• To what extent do you believe…

* Students can journal, think-pair-share, discuss, create idea webs, etc.

Next Steps: Implementation• Go back to your classrooms and implement some pre-

reading strategies.

• Discuss implementation in your PLC’s and collect several samples.

• Bring several before reading student work samples (per department) to the next PD meeting.

Activity: ReflectionGet in groups of 4 and discuss the following questions:

1. What other before reading strategies have you used successfully in the past?

2. What new strategies will you implement in your classroom?

3. What worries you most about a school-wide Reading initiative?

4. What excites you the most about a school-wide Reading initiative?