Before Reading

Strategy: model through discussion

Goals: use oral language strategies for positive interaction, develop effective communication, interact to aid understanding

• Know the parts of the book and what information you can find on each: cover, spine, page numbers, inside cover, back cover, index, table of contents, glossary….
• Examine the cover:
  • identify title, author, illustrator….
  • Look at the picture.
    • What do you think the story will be about?  What might happen? What are your clues?
    • Who will the characters be?
    • What genre might you expect? (informational, literary – narrative, poetry, biography….)
    • What can you learn about the illustration? (how was it made, why was it made in this style, what tools were used…   See Visual Arts below)
• Predict: Flip through the book and read 3-8 random words. Give the students time to think about the words and make a prediction about storyline or content based on those words.

While Reading

Strategy: model through interspersed discussion

Goals: develop vocabulary, develop comprehension, develop reading skills, verbally respond to content

• That’s a big word! (This part means…. What do you suppose the whole word means? Anyone brave enough to guess how it is spelled?)
• Why did ___ do that?
• Do you think that was a good idea? Why, why not?
  • What do you think will happen next?
  • Did you notice that phrase? (highlight great description, alliteration, metaphors, etc. OR point out poor writing and discuss why it is poor.)

After Reading

Strategy: model through discussion, demonstration, collaboration… before individual practice

Goals: extend thinking, respond to or reflect on content, fluently use writing strategies at all stages of the process, create a variety of writings

• Remember those words I read at the beginning? Was your prediction accurate? Why or why not? If I had chosen different words would it have made a difference?
• What part did you like most? Why?
• Were any parts hard to listen to? Why? (boring, slow, too sad, too tense….) What words caused this response for you?
• Would you recommend this to a friend? Why?
• What made this a good story? How did the author start it? Continue it? End it? How might you use these ideas when writing a story of your own?
• What style was this written in?
• Think of a word from the story. Use it to make a question for the group. Take turns sharing your questions.
• What happened first? What happened in the middle? What happened at the end?
• What was the problem in this story? How was it resolved? What other ways could the problem have been resolved?

Specific writing examples and writing strategies are linked into your DbD Planners. Ask you teacher if you do not know where these are.