The activate, connect, and summarize daily routine can help struggling adolescent readers acquire new content. It consists of asking students to activate (what did we learn yesterday?), connect (draw a connection between your life and the topic that we’ll discuss today), and summarize (give me a keyword or phrase that describes today’s lesson) in the classroom everyday.
In this lesson, Ms. Ramsey helps her students work as “experts” to plan a piece of procedural writing written for a “novice” audience. Ms. Ramsey guides students in using an organizational structure that includes an introduction, steps, materials, domain-specific vocabulary, background, and a conclusion. Grade 6: Language Arts
Domain-specific vocabulary and transitional words are two important parts of explanatory writing. In this lesson, Ms. Ramsey provides her students with a chance to flesh out both using a graphic organizer. Working in pairs, the students consider their topics and the words they could use to enhance their writing. Grade 6: Language Arts
Use explicit strategy instruction to make visible the invisible comprehension strategies that good readers use to understand text. Support students until they can use the strategies independently. Recycle and re-teach strategies throughout the year.
Vocabulary instruction is an important part of English language arts classes, as well as content area classes such as science and social studies. By giving students explicit instruction in vocabulary, teachers help them learn the meaning of new words and strengthen their independent skills of constructing the meaning of text. Learn more in this excerpt from Improving Adolescent Literacy: Effective Classroom and Intervention Practices.
Lupo, S. M., Tortorelli, L., Invernizzi, M., Ryoo, J. H., & Strong, J. Z. (2019). An Exploration of Text Difficulty and Knowledge Support on Adolescents’ Comprehension. Reading Research Quarterly, 54( 4), 457– 479. https://doi.org/10.1002/rrq.247
Have you ever wondered what exactly goes on inside 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue? Sure, the president of the United States works and resides there, but do you know who helps keep this historic house running?
It’s no simple task, especially when there are important state events and foreign dignitaries—in addition to presidential pups, mischievous children, and even a couple of ghosts. And its Residence workers and first ladies make sure everything is in check and running smoothly.
Teachers should provide opportunities for students to engage in high-quality discussions of the meaning and interpretation of texts in various content areas as one important way to improve their reading comprehension.
