None of us were born knowing how to read ... we have to learn how, and then, practice the skill.
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Strategy 1: Make a connection
What is it: Good readers use what they know already to make a connection with what they are
reading. So use memories, personal experiences, information about the subject, the author’s
style, and anything else to help you visualize, predict, ask questions, infer, stay focused, and
remember what you have read. Sometimes recalling factual information can help you understand
why an event is taking place. Remembering another story with a similar plot can help you
anticipate what happens next in the story.
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What can you do to encourage your student? You may ask your student what they think about the texts they are reading. Encourage them to tell you about whatever it is they have been reading lately. Ask them if they can see any ways in which what they are reading connects to anything else in their lives.
OK, since your student may often not want to answer these questions, try asking them to make connections between the things they see on TV with real life experiences. How does the ending of the Avenger's movie look like anything happening in the world today? How does the character in that TV show they are watching remind them of any person who is alive today? Does the fairy tale they read a younger brother or sister remind them of anything else?
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Strategy 2: Make some predictions
What is it: Good readers anticipate what’s coming next. By thinking about other things you’ve
read, you can expect certain new things to happen next. Sometimes misreading words throws
the prediction off. Instead of ignoring an incorrect prediction, good readers get back into the
action by making a new guess. Predicting what will happen keeps you on track. It can help you
stay interested in what you are reading, even if you are surprised by wrong guesses. Try this:
(1) Ask yourself: “Based on what I have read, what do I think will happen next?”
(2) Look for clues as to what might happen next and make a new prediction.
(3) When you are wrong ask yourself if you missed something, or if this is just a surprise.
(4) As you make predictions, you’ll make mistakes, then you’ll make better predictions ...
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What can you do to encourage your student? Pause a movie or TV show at a commercial break or when you need to grab a snack, and ask your student to predict what will happen next. Ask about what the characters might be thinking or planning to do next. Practicing these skills while watching TV can help students learn to do the same thing when reading a book.
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Strategy 3: Stop and Think
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What is it: This one is so easy most students ignore it, yet it is one of the most useful reading
strategies of all. Good readers stop to ponder what they have read. They connect newly acquired knowledge with information they already have. Stopping and thinking gives you time to figure out what you’ve read. It helps you ask yourself questions, to visualize what you have read, and to determine what is really important in the text.
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What can you do to encourage your student? You can model this skill for your student. When you get a minute to chat -- over a meal, in a car ride, during commercials, discuss something that you have watched or read lately. Then say one thing the book, or article, or show made you think about. Wonder out loud about the things you have seen in the news. Ask for input. You may be surprised that your student has a lot of thoughts about these things too, and may only need some encouragement to share their thoughts or questions out loud. You might be surprised if you get things started with your own observations.
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For more: download the following Guide:
(Adapted from the Greece, NY English curriculum)
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Remember -- no one is born knowing how to read. We all have to learn.
We all can learn. How long it takes is not the measure of success, but whether
you can read sooner or later. Let's make it happen ... together. We can do it!
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