This page is designed to help the teacher introduce reading comprehension strategies associated with Reciprocal Teaching to the students. The five strategies are:
Read this paragraph:
The weather forecasters on television look at clouds on the radar and try to predict what the weather will be like today, tomorrow, and a few days ahead. They don't just guess, they find clues that tell them what the weather will be like. They also combine those clues with what they already know to make those predictions.
Just like those weather forecasters, we are going to learn how to predict from the passages that we hear or read. We are going to look and listen for clues and combine them with what we already know to tell us what will happen next. Predicting can help us become better readers and writers. As we read, we can see if our predictions come true.
Ask the students to think of what they already know and to respond:
Ask: Where can you make predictions in a story?
The most important prediction should come as you read the title or a headline. Other predictions may happen when you read chapter headings or subtitles, when the author of the story asks a question, or when a character in a story is about to do something.
Sometimes you have to stop reading in order to get a clear picture in your mind about the ideas the writer is trying to get across. Good readers are not always fast readers. Sometimes you have to slow down and even stop to clarify or make clear what you are reading. When watching a video, you can hit the PAUSE button and REWIND if you miss something. If you miss something when reading, you have to hit the PAUSE button, go back, and REREAD until it makes sense.
Does anyone know what the word "clarify" means? (Students respond.)
Ask: What do you do when you come across a word you don't know while you are reading? What do you do when you don't understand what the text is trying to tell you? (Students respond.)
There are four strategies you can use to help you figure out the meanings of words that you don't understand. They are:
Right. After you have predicted and clarified, you should ask good questions about what you have read for at least two reasons. One reason is to test yourself to see if you really understand what you have read. The other reason is to identify what is important to remember in the story or the passage.
Let's talk about what makes a "good" teacher-like question. You have already asked clarifying questions about parts you don't understand. Now you should ask questions to help you understand the larger meanings of the lesson.
Read this passage:
Many years ago, in the days when people lived outdoors or in caves, there were no tame dogs. In fact, all the animals of the world were wild. One of those wild animals was the wolf. Wolves roamed through the fields and forests shy and suspicious of humans. Yet from these wild wolves (and maybe from jackals and foxes too) have come all the different dogs that are pets today.
Ask:What kinds of questions can you think of to test your understanding of this passage? (Students respond.)
Good questions ask who, what, when, where, why, and how. They also ask you to compare two or more things, tell why something is important, or give the order in which things happen. Good teacher-like questions are based on the information given in the text.
Suggested response: To tell the most important ideas in one or two sentences. A good summary does not include details or information that is not important.
Some practice exercises:
Now listen to this list: rabbit, dog, cat, horse, cow
What one word describes this list? (animals)
Here's another list: car parts, buses, trains, ships, planes
What one word describes this list? (transportation)
You may have to generate more lists if students still do not get the idea.