Fluency

Practice reading and re-reading to develop fluency, the ability to read for understanding and with expression.

 

KWTL

K What do I know?

W What do I want to know?

T What will the text tell me--will it give me the evidence I need?

L What did I learn? (notes /summary/report)

 

PQ5RST

Preview

Preview the text--figure out the main idea and jog your own experiences.

Look at picture and caption clues.

Look at headings, subheadings, Titles, Captions, charts, graphs, maps, bold words.

Look at vocabulary--bold or italicized words; use glossary, dictionary, word parts (affixes and base words) to find meaning. If no words are emphasized, skim the text (fast read) and highlight vocabulary words as well as get the main idea of the text.

 

Question

Read the questions at the end of the unit, chapter, text to set a purpose for reading.

If there are no questions, skim the text, headings, subheadings and ask your own questions. With questions in your mind, your mind searches for evidence to answer the questions.

 

Read

Read the text a section at a time to find the main idea, supporting details, and answers to questions.

 

Recite

After reading a section, cover up the information and paraphrase the information to yourself--did you understand? If not, go back and reread.

 

Respond

Take notes in your own words on main idea, supporting details, vocabulary, and answers to questions. Use phrases and diagrams and pictures with labels. Check spelling so you don't need to go back later; always include new and specific vocabulary (not pronouns like it, they, one, this, that) in your notes to learn the terms related to the main idea.

Make connections to yourself, your community, and the world. For example:

___________ reminds me of _________.

I saw _________ in (a movie, the news, by my house) and _____(tell about it).

I wonder if ___________.

____________ is like what happened here when _______.

_______ also has a ___________.

 

Review

Review the text and notes. Do you understand?

 

Revise

What did you learn that was new? What did you learn that was different than you thought? Revise your ideas.

 

Summarize

Write a summary in your own words to explain what you understand about the main ideas and supporting details to answer your questions. Use this information and your notes to write your report, essay, poster, presentation, web page, etc.

 

Test

Test yourself--ask questions to see if you can provide specific vocabulary and details to support the main idea you learned.