READING STRATEGIES

 

 

·       BEFORE READING:

 

*Look at any pictures, drawings, charts, or captions.

 

*Predict or guess what the text or story is about.

 

*Read the comprehension questions before reading the

  text.  Underline the key words.

 

·       As You Read:   Fiction:

 

*Make a movie in your mind.  Think about the setting and the characters. What does the setting look like?  What do the characters look like?  Become one of the characters.  Some people try to imagine the voices of the characters.

 

*DON”T use your dictionary as you read.  That will make you forget what you just read.  Try to guess the meaning from the words or sentences around a word you don’t know.  It’s likely that one unknown word will affect what you understand, overall.

 

*Use “chunking”, or thought groups to help make sense as you read.

 

*Mentally review what happened on each page and chapter before you continue.

(Graphic organizers are very useful.)

 

          Non-fiction:

 

*Use “chunking”, or thought groups to help make sense as you read.

 

*Mentally restate what each paragraph was about before you continue.

(Use a graphic organizer or make your own diagram to keep track of important ideas.)

 

*Note questions you want answered as you read.

 

*Look for the key words to answer the comprehension questions.

 

*Pay attention to words in bold or italic print because they are important to understand.  Make notes about them.

 

 

·       AFTER READING:

 

*Share your reaction with someone in your first language, then in English.

 

*Summarize, or re-tell the main points, action, or ideas to someone in your first language, and then in English.

 

*Look at key words and make a word web to help you understand and remember the meaning.

 

*Draw pictures or diagrams to help remember the plot or main ideas.

 

*Ask classmates for the meaning of words you didn’t know, or use the dictionary.  Keep a vocabulary log.

 

*Re-read aloud.  Practice chunking thought groups.

 

*Record yourself reading, or listen to a tape and follow along.