In third grade, we focus on reading comprehension. Children are taught
strategies that can help them to better understand what they are reading.
When your third grader takes TCAP, they will not receive assistance in any
way. Therefore, your third grader must become an independent reader. The
following strategies will help your third grader to become an independent
reader.
Strategy 1: Read the story carefully. Then read all the answer choices.
Refer back to the story to find the answer and underline it, then mark the
correct answer.
Strategy 2: I like my students to read the questions first, then read the
selection so that they have the questions formed in their minds as they read.
Strategy 3: Cause and Effect- What happened in the story and why did it
happen? I teach students to look for clue words in a story such as because,
so, as a result,etc. These words will help them find answers to why
something took place.
Strategy 4: Drawing Conclusions/Inferring- Sometimes the author does not
state a conclusion and students must infer or draw conclusions based on what
they have read. They must choose the best answer according to the story.
Strategy 5: Main Idea/Details- Students need to determine the main idea of
a story. What is the "Big Idea" in a story. In short stories, such as on a
comprehension worksheet, the main idea is often stated in the first or last
sentence of a paragraph. In longer stories, students must often decide what
the main idea is based on what they have read. Details are part of the
story that support the main idea.
Strategy 6: Sequencing- Many stories are written so that events are
ordered. Students should look for time order words such as first, next,
then, before, and finally to find the sequence of events in a story.
Strategy 7: Context Clues- If your child finds an unfamiliar word that
he/she doesn't understand, he/she should use context clues. Read the words
or sentences around the unknown part of the story to determine meaning.
Finally, I suggest that you talk to your third grader about taking time to
read the story carefully and read the questions and answer choices
carefully. You may have your child read more at home and ask your child
questions about what they have read. A child becomes a good reader by
reading and being read to. The more they read, the more they will "boost"
their vocabulary and better understand what they are reading. You may wish
to purchase reading comprehension workbooks found at parent/teacher stores,
or Wal Mart. Reading comprehension web sites are another source for
activities and materials. The following web site may be beneficial to your
third grader. http.//rhlschool.com/reading.htm
Happy reading,
Mrs. Keen