I’m in the midst of creating my final exam for sophomore reading students.  This semester, we focused heavily on summarizing and inferring as that is a school-wide goal.  The exam is not complete but here’s a peek at some of the questions I’m including so far.  Each question refers to either the summarize or infer strategy:

( All readers . . . take this to test your reading skills!!  Answers are on the bottom.  No peeking!)

1. To summarize nonnarrative nonfiction text, all of these are used, EXCEPT

a.  check first and last sentence.

b.  examine repeated words and synonyms.

c.  group details in categories.

d.  identify the plot.

2. You should use _________ from the text to infer.

a.  questions

b.  expositions

c.  pages

d.  clues

3.  A theme is

a.  the beginning of the story.

b.  the exposition.

c.  the author’s message.

d.  individual vs. society

4.  To summarize narrative fiction text, you should

a.  read captions, bold worlds, and headings.

b.  identify the plot.

c.  read the first and last sentence.

d.  read the entire book.

5.  Authors leave clues for readers

a. in the first and last sentence.

b.  throughout the text.

c.  in the pictures and graphics.

d.  on the front and back cover.

6.  How does knowing the conflicts in the story help you understand the theme?

a.  It keeps the reader interested.

b.  It helps identify the plot.

c.  It helps focus the reader’s attention on what is important.

d.  It makes the characters seem real.

7.  While inferring it is important to

a.  think about one type of inference at a time.

b.  look for all types of inferences at the same time.

c.  highlight all of the text clues.

d.  pay attention to all of the bold words.

8.  Which is a true statement about summarizing?

a.  Predicting helps summarizing

b.  Readers summarize as they read.

c.  Most paragraphs have a key point.

d.  All of the above

9.  ___________ is an example of a theme.

a.  True friends stick together.

b.  Forgive your friend if he does wrong.

c.  Good always overcomes the bad.

d.  All of the above

10.  Summarizing helps a reader

a.  create a conceptual image.

b.  preview the text.

c.  understand the author’s purpose.

d.  select the next book to read.

11.  What do readers think about that helps them identify the theme?

a.  Plot

b.  Characters

c.  Conflicts

d.  All of the above

12.  What is the most important thing a reader should do with the words an author repeats?

a.  Look for them before reading.

b.  Combine them in a sentence.

c.  Look for synonyms.

d.  Notice how the author uses them and/or what the author says about them

Answers:  1. d, 2. d, 3. c, 4. b, 5. b, 6. b, 7. b, 8. d, 9. d, 10. a, 11.d, 12. d

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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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The ELITE EIGHT Strategies Good Readers Automatically Do When Reading:

Predict
I think that . . . ! The clues I used were . . . !
In previewing the headlines, subheads, or graphics, I believe this chapter will be about . . .

Summarize
I get the gist of the paragraph by noting the key words!
I identify the main idea by determining which details are important and which are not.
The theme of the story is . . .

Make connections
I know this about this subject!
This reminds me of something in my life, of another book, of a real world event. . .

Infer
I am inferring by using clues in the text along with what I already know about the subject!
I also use text structure to make inferences.

Ask questions
I am wondering . . .!?!
I actively search for answers to my questions as I read.

Visualize
There’s a movie playing in my head while I read!
I create images in my head when I am reading by paying attention to specific words and phrases.

Evaluate
What do I think of the text, the author’s style, ideas and/or my reading?
How is this text credible or biased?

Monitor
Does the reading make sense?
What can I fix  if I do not understand the text?

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On this relaxing Sunday afternoon, I’m writing strategy suggestions for my school’s Applied Technology department.  As their literacy coach, I meet with the department every week to discuss, share, and observe their incorporation of reading and writing in the classroom.  A shout out to these six motivated teachers!!! I thought many of my followers would be interested in some of the material I am sharing with them:

Entrance and Exit Slips

One can never have too many pens!!

The Applied Techies are looking for a productive way to ‘wrap-up’ class and/or lab time as well as a smart way to re-group and refresh before beginning the next class:

Entrance slips (index cards, sticky notes, small slips of paper, whatever your fancy) are completed before class and students bring them in to enter the door. Exit slips are the students’ passes out of the classroom. This writing-to-learn strategy can be used for many purposes in all content areas:

• Focusing student attention on the lesson to be taught the next day

• Setting the tone for the class lesson

• Accessing background knowledge

• Troubleshooting

• Reflecting

Entrance and exit slips are a way to ease students into writing … and, in the course of writing a sentence or two, reveal what they think about a topic, materials, or teaching strategies.

EXAMPLE Entrance Slip
Woods – Fall 2009
Name ____________________ Date __________
Please write an answer to this question in 2 – 3 complete sentences:
How can a worker set up a safe workshop that will meet OSHA standards?  (provide at least three examples)

Some Other Suggestions:
~ How did you respond to last night’s reading?
~ How did yesterday’s measuring problems go?
~ What is a ground-fault circuit interrupter (GFCI)?
~ What worries you about today’s class?
~ Name the three most important things you learned?
~ What are you still confused about?
~ How does what we do in class relate to other things you do or experience?
~ What would you like to ask about today/tomorrow?

*Have students complete exit slips and entrance slips on topics such as : what I learned in class; how it relates to what I know; what is still unclear

*Students reflect on assessments: I prepared by ___; I could have ___; I would change____ if I did it again; doing this made me understand ______

*Have students reflect on the lesson; This lesson I_______; next time I will__________

Teacher challenge:  Reflect on your day or week or particular lesson.  What do you want to change?  How did you function best as a teacher?  How do you learn best – and how have you expressed that to your students?  Share what YOU write with your students as well!

As GG states . . . write it down, write it down, there’s something magical about writing it down!

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