Reading Strategies Professional Development Miami Norland High
School January 29, 2009
Slide 2
Agenda 1. 12:35 1:20 Coach modeling of read aloud using all
strategies 2. 1:25 2:05 Coach/ Reading teacher facilitated smaller
group deconstruction of passages and responding to benchmark
questions: poetry, narrative, nonfiction science/math, non-fiction
social studies, non-fiction health and fitness, culture Groups:
Reading teachers narrative English teachers poetry Social Studies
teachers non-fiction expository/persuasive social studies
Math/Science teachers non-fiction expository/persuasive science,
math Voc. Ed./Business/JROTC/ Fine Arts non-fiction biographies,
arts P.E./Health/Foreign Language non-fiction health, sports,
culture 3. 2:10 - 2:30 - Reflection/ Awards given to groups with
all responses correct 4. Post PD - Once per week, all teachers will
model and provide guided practice for students to facilitate their
habitual use of pre, during and post reading strategies.
Slide 3
Reading Strategies Pre-reading Strategies Text Preview/
Analysis _____ Pre-questioning _____ Predicting_____ During Reading
Strategies Text Chunking _____ Selective underlining/circling _____
Text Annotating _____ Text Questioning _____ Visualizing _____
Making Connections (text, self, world) _____ Rereading for
understanding _____ Summarizing _____ Rewording _____ Post Reading
Summarizing _____ Reflecting/Reviewing Notes ______ Responding to
Questions Strategies Underlining key words in phrases in questions
_____ Process of elimination _____ Looking for revealing words to
avoid choosing the distracter _____
Slide 4
Deconstructing a Non-fiction Passage 1. Closely analyze the
layout and structure of the passage. Preview any subheadings,
graphics, pictures, and captions. 2. Begin the questioning and
predicting process as you read the title. Decide if you can
identify the topic by the wording used in the title. Underline the
words that reveal the topic or write topic out to the side. 3.
Begin reading the first paragraph. Note its method of organization:
cause/effect, comparison/contrast, descriptive, problem/solution,
time order, scenario. Underline the passage main idea if possible,
or predict the implied main idea. Underline key words and phrases
that represent support points. Ask yourself what did this paragraph
communicate to me? Reread until you can answer that question. Write
a brief summary out to the side. Begin to circle unfamiliar words.
Use context clues to determine possible word meaning: word within a
word or familiar root words, prefixes and suffixes, sentences
before and after word, connotation of word (negative or positive,
neutral in meaning), words or sentences before or after in the form
of definitions, restatements, appositives, examples, comparisons,
contrasts, or cause and effect). 4. Move on to next paragraph and
repeat the same process, underlining key words and phrases that
represent support points and important details. Circle unfamiliar
words. Use context clues to determine word meaning. Again, ask your
self what this paragraph communicated to you. Write a brief summary
out to the side. 5. Repeat the process for the remainder of the
passage. 6. Review graphics, pictures, captions. Note what
information one or each is communicating. 7. Write at the end:
topic, authors purpose (to explain, persuade, to entertain), and
main idea. 8. Read questions carefully and underline key words and
phrases in the question and the answer choices. Use process of
elimination to arrive at the correct answer.
Slide 5
Slide 6
Deconstructing a Narrative 1. Identify important characters and
list traits as they are revealed through direct and indirect
characterization. 2. Mark the beginning of each plot part:
exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution.
Summarize action in each. 3. Circle difficult words and use context
clues to determine word meanings. (Use context clues to determine
possible word meaning: word within a word or familiar root words,
prefixes and suffixes, sentences before and after word, connotation
of word (negative or positive, neutral in meaning, words or
sentences before or after in the form of definitions, restatements,
appositives, examples, comparisons, contrasts, or cause and
effect). 4. Mark examples of major narrative elements such as
irony, foreshadowing, suspense, point of view. 5. Determine storys
theme based on characters, events, and outcome. Write a statement
that captures the storys theme or message.
Slide 7
Slide 8
Multiple Choice 1. A major event in the rising action occurs
when a. the American notices that a strange look comes over the
face of the hostess. b. the servants wait to serve the nest course.
c. when the American jumps up to slam the veranda doors, and the
guests scream in fright. d. a faint smile lights up the womans
face. 2. A conflict occurs between a. the American and all the
guests. b. Colonel Wynnes and the young girl. `c. the American and
Mrs. Wynnes. d. the snake and a rat. 3. At what point in the
narrative does the climax occur? a. when the American engages
everyone in the game b. when the hostess whispers to the native
boy. c. when the American slams the veranda door and frightens the
others d. when the hostess lets everyone know that the snake
crawled across her feet
Slide 9
4. Which of the following does not describe the American a.
observant b. sexist c. knowledgeable d. inquisitive 5. What
literary technique/device is used to develop the storys theme? a.
Irony is used to show how people unfairly judge others. b.
Foreshadowing is used to show readers that women are emotionally
weaker than men. c. Figurative language is used to show how often
men are sexist. d. Allusion is used to make reference to the
serpent in Bible scripture.
Slide 10
Deconstructing a Poem 1. Closely analyze the layout and
structure of the poem. Read the title to begin the questioning and
predicting process. Then, read the entire poem prior to a careful,
critical reading. 2. Begin the critical reading process. Start
listing traits for the speaker as you read the poem. 3. Read one
section or stanza at a time. Then, reread the stanza or section by
reading from the beginning of a line to the end of a line or to a
significant punctuation mark. Interpret what this small section is
communicating. Write a brief interpretation or summary to the side
of each small section. Do the same for the remainder of stanzas or
sections. 4. While interpreting each small section, note if it is
literal language used to describe a particular image or figurative
language (simile, metaphor, personification, hyperbole) that must
be interpreted. Always write the interpretation out to the side. 5.
Note and underline contrasts, comparisons, cause and effect
relationships, stunning images, allusions, sound manipulations,
symbols/archetypes, and narrative elements (some poems tell a story
and have all the elements of story telling). 6. During and after
deconstructing the poem write notes on topic, mood, tone, theme.
Dont forget to make connections to self, prior texts, and the world
when possible. 7. Underline significant words and phrases in the
question and answer selections. Use the process of elimination to
determine the correct answers. Paul Laurence Dunbar
