September 22, 2014:

Today's lesson identifies and applies commonly used reading strategies. These strategies are frequently used by readers of all stages, but are not often explicitly discussed. Naming the strategies and defining them will allow us to use them more effectively as readers, and perhaps even try out ones we do not often use!

Before Reading: Activating Prior Knowledge

It is important to know where to begin as a reader. Your teacher will usually introduce a text with a discussion or question designed to get you thinking about themes or ideas explored in the work. If you are reading independently, you may look at the cover, title, back cover description or simply skim through the text itself in order to see if it interests you.  These strategies help to prepare you for reading the text.

Reading Strategies:

1. Predicting
2. Summarizing/Synthesizing
3. Visualizing
4. Monitoring
5. Questioning
6. Connecting: (text to text, text to self, text to world)
7. Inferring
8. Determining Importance
9. Analysing
10. Evaluating

Making Reading Visible:

Annotating the text is one way of making the strategies we use visible. Annotations will allow us to see how we read and which strategies we use most often. We can then challenge ourselves to try new strategies or push ourselves to think more deeply about the work.  Try to use each of the strategies above at least once while reading the story in class. 

Homework: due Sept 24, 2014

Annotate your copy of Harrison Bergeron using each of the above strategies (except for predicting) at least once (connecting should include 3 separate annotations, one for each type of connection). You must follow the following format:

1. Highlight, bracket or underline the relevant passage.
2. Name the strategy you are using (1 mark)
3. Annotate and explain (briefly) how you use the strategey (e.g. if you are questionning, write down the questions you may ask at that point -explain why these questions are significant) (2 marks)

This same format will be used in future reading tests. You will be given a passage and asked to annotate using specific strategies. Look to your notes or come see me if you need help understanding the strategies listed.