Directed Reading and Thinking Activity

Directed Reading and Thinking ActivityMegan M. Springs

Directed Reading and Thinking Activity (DR-TA) is an instructional technique that invites students to make predictions, and then check their predictions during and after reading.

DR-TA can be:

Used for almost all grade levels and in any subject

Performed by an individual, in groups, or as a whole class

Used as particularly helpful in ESL and lower functioning language course as guided reading opportunities.

DR-TA is:

An activity that focuses on critical thinking

Useful for an introduction to close reading strategies and deeper, more meaningful comprehension of the material.

Considered a form of shared reading because it is viewed by both the teacher and the students

Some advantages of DR-TA are:

It assists in clarifying the purpose for reading

It provides a frame for self-monitoring because the teacher pauses throughout the reading to ask students questions (modeling the self-monitoring process).

Offers flexible options for differentiation within an academically diverse classroom.Utilizes multiple strategies within one activity

Three strategies that are embedded within the DR-TA are:

KWL

Shared Reading

Processes related to metacognition that increase comprehension and develop self-monitoring skills.

How it works…..

Introduce Background Knowledge

1.What do we already know about Shakespeare?

2. Discuss Bio and familiar works.

Discuss the title and/or cover of the text, then record students’ answers on the board or chart paper (whole class or groups).

Make predictions.1. Ask questions that invite

prediction and ask students to write them down using a worksheet or other materials.

2. After students have written their predictions, extend their writing further by instruction them to explain what evidence they used to arrive at their predictions.

Stop at predetermined places in the text and ask students to check and revise their predictions. (Crucial step in DR-TA instruction)

Identify where the natural stopping points are, and then ask students to reread their predictions.

Let them know why they should change their predictions if necessary and cite new evidence that has influenced their opinions.

Invite them to consider these key questions: (similar to KWL)

1. What do you know so far from this reading? (Summarize)

2. How do you know it? (cite evidence)

3. What do you expect to read next? (Predict)

After the reading is completed, use student predictions as a discussion tool.

Name:___________________________ Hour:____________

DR-TA for (title):________________________________________________________________________ Prediction question(s):__________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Using the title, your own background knowledge, and any other contextual clues, make your predictions.

Before reading: During reading: During reading: During reading: After reading: (KWL)

Other ways to use this worksheet or strategy:

Problem Solving in a Math class during the steps process

Hypothesizing in a Science class prior to, during, and after an experiment

Critical reading in a History class prior to, during, and after reading a chapter in text, a historical document like a newspaper article, personal account, or historically relevant fiction or non fiction literature.

ReferencesWETA Public Broadcasting (2014). Directed Reading Thinking Activity

(DRTA) | Reading Rockets. Retrieved April 1, 2014, from

http://www.readingrockets.org/strategies/drta

Fisher, D. & Frey, N. (2012). Improving adolescent literacy: Content area strategies at work (3rd ed.).

Boston: Pearson.

Fisher, D., Brozo, W.G., Frey, N., & Ivey, G. (2011). 50 instructional routines to develop content literacy (2nd ed.). Boston: Pearson.