Learning Target:

Setting a purpose

“ I read everything the same way. It doesn’t matter if it is my science book or Sports Illustrated. What’s the point? Reading is reading.”

Luke, grade 10

Does this sometimes sound like you?

I don’t care about the topicI can’t relate to the topic

I daydream and my mind wanders

I can’t stay focused

I just say the words so I can be done

I get bored

You may be suffering from a lack of purpose…

Strategic Reading: Setting a Purpose

How many of you buy compact disks? How many of you pull out the CD insert? Why do you do that?

You probably do it to see the lyrics or the pictures…

For each of you, you have a PURPOSE for looking through the insert.

Good readers have purposes other than pleasure for their reading.

Do you read the sports page? Why?

Knowing what you are looking for helps you to locate information quickly. You don’t waste time reading parts you don’t need.

Having a purpose helps

readers determine what is important.

A reader’s purpose affects everything about reading. It determines what’s important in the text, what is remembered, and what comprehension strategies a reader uses to enhance meaning.

When students read difficult text without a purpose, they express the following complaints:

I don’t care about the topicI can’t relate to the topicI daydream and my mind wandersI can’t stay focusedI just say the words so I can be doneI get bored

Reader’s behave like this when they don’t have a reason for reading.

You pronounce the words, finish the assignment, and rarely come away with a thorough understanding.

It is a waste of time; they haven’t constructed meaning and can’t use the information.

1. Read the passage “The House”

2. Using a pencil underline anything in the story you think is important.

3. What did you mark? Share at your table your thinking. How did you decide what to underline?

Directions:

Let’s Practice

4. Reread the passage 5. Now, using a pink highlighter

mark things from the passage that a ROBBER would find important.

6. What did you mark? Share at your table your thinking

Directions:

Let’s Practice

4. Reread the passage again5. This time, using a green

highlighter mark things from the passage that a HOMEBUYER would find important.

6. What did you mark? Share at your table your thinking

Directions:

Let’s Practice

Compare the two highlighted sections.

What there things that you highlighted?

Were there things that you marked important for both robber and homebuyer?

Why?

What did you notice about the three times you highlighted?

The first was probably the hardest, because you didn’t have a purpose.

Essential Understanding:

Know that for each piece of reading it is important to set a purpose.

Not all text is read the same way.

Are you reading for Information? Enjoyment? Entertainment?