On Your Mark, Get Set, Read

Marking Text with Post-It Notes

This is a great focus strategy for comprehension because good readers do this “marking text” automatically and invisibily while they read.  All readers need to bring unconscious “marking” to a conscious level to increase reading rate and comprehension.

Here is a handy-dandy script teachers can use to demonstrate this strategy.  Non-educators, use this strategy to help you remember and retain what you read!

Fiction:  “Have you ever been reading along in a book and wished that you could mark the line so you could help your brain remember?  Well, when you can’t use a highlighter or pen, use post-it notes to mark text.  I will give you five post-it notes.  On the first one, write Main Character, on the next two write Minor Character, on one write Setting, and on athe last one write Event.”    

(Vary what students write on their post-it notes dependng upon where you are in the novel.  For example, all the post-its could be labeled Events.)      

Nonfiction:  “Have you ever been reading along and run into facts you wish you could pull out and remember because they seem important?  Well, use post-it notes to mark text.  I’ll give you five post-it notes.  On one, write MI for Main Idea.  On the other four, write SD for Supporting Details.”

(Vary how many post-its and what students look for depending upon the nature of the nonfiction book/textbook.  For example, students can label one C for Cause.  The others could be labeled E for Effects.  For persuasive text, one post-it could be labeled A for Argument and the others R for Reasons.)

What to do:
1.  Hand out post-it notes and have students label them.
2.  Begin reading the text.
3.  As students read, have them stick post-it in the text at the exact spots where they see information.  After students read, they discuss where they marked the text and why them made their choices.  If students disagree with one another, have them explain their reasoning.  It’s much better if you let them muddle along than to say “No, it’s wrong.”

Extension:
Students could write their reasons for choosing their selections.
Students could make an outline based on their post-it notes.

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