In reading most of our class work has been whole group instruction. We have been learning how to find themes in books and also discussing how to do "deep thinking" while interacting with a text. Much of this has been learning the skills that I want the students to have once they are in novel groups. I have also been taking this time to assess and read with the students to get to know them as a reader.

Strategies that we will be working on are:

Making Connections
Readers pay more attention when they relate to the text. Readers may naturally bring their prior knowledge and experience to reading, but they comprehend better when they think about the connections they make between the text, their lives, and the larger world.

Asking Questions
Questioning is the strategy that keeps readers engaged. When readers ask questions before, during, and after reading, they clarify understanding and forge ahead to seek answers and make meaning.

Visualizing
Active readers create visual images in their minds based on the words they read in the text. The pictures they create enhance their understanding and change as new information is obtained.

Drawing Inferences
Inferring is at the intersection of taking what is known (prior knowledge), gathering clues from the text, and thinking ahead to make a judgment, discern a theme, or speculate about what is to come.

Determining Important Ideas
Thoughtful readers grasp essential ideas and important information when reading. Readers must differentiate between less important ideas and key ideas that are central to the meaning of the text.

Synthesizing Information
Synthesizing involves combining new information with existing knowledge to form an original idea or interpretation. Reviewing, sorting and sifting important information can lead to new insights that change the way readers think.

Repairing Understanding
If confusion disrupts meaning, readers need to stop and clarify their understanding. Readers may use a variety of strategies to "fix up" comprehension when meaning goes awry.