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3 elementary students writing on flip chart in social studies unit

Question Generation: A Key Comprehension Strategy

Use Bloom’s Taxonomy to teach students how to generate questions while reading. Research shows that generating questions at different levels of thinking can strengthen students’ memory, integration and identification of main ideas, and overall comprehension.

Elementary student in class thinking pensively about the lesson

Reading (and Scaffolding) Expository Texts

To help students comprehend expository text structures, teachers can acquaint them with the signal or cue words authors utilize in writing each of the structures and use the graphic organizers offered in this article

Young Latina student smiling in the classroom at her desk

Reading Poetry with English Language Learners

This article offers some ideas on how to introduce poetry to ELLs and integrate it with reading instruction, as well as some ideas for reading poetry aloud in a way that will encourage oral language development.

elementary teacher in lively conversation with students who have hands raised

Reciprocal Teaching for the Primary Grades: “We Can Do It, Too!”

Originally designed with seventh grade students, Reciprocal Teaching is a research-based strategy that teaches students to work in small groups to coordinate the use of four comprehension strategies: prediction, clarification, summarization, and student-generated questions. This article illustrates how to implement Reciprocal Teaching for the Primary Grades (RTPG). Modifications include: additional strategies, cue cards with pictures and scripts, group work interspersed with whole class follow-up, and an independent written component for individual student accountability.

elementary teacher in lively conversation with students who have hands raised

Reconsidering Silent Reading

It’s called lots of different things: Drop Everything and Read (DEAR), Sustained Silent Reading (SSR), and Million Minutes to name a few. Regardless of the different names, the intent is the same — to develop fluent readers by providing time during the school day for students to select a book and read quietly. Nearly every classroom provides some time during the instructional day for this independent silent reading. Despite its widespread use in classrooms, silent reading hasn’t enjoyed much support in the research literature.

elementary principal is school hallways with students rushing by

Roles of the Reading Specialist

Because reading specialists have advanced degrees in reading, they are in a position to prevent reading failure at their schools. This position statement describes the roles reading specialists can play in instruction, assessment, and school leadership.
Elementary teacher giving a student a high-five for encouragement

RTI and Reading: Response to Intervention in a Nutshell

RTI is not a particular method or instructional approach, rather it is a process that aims to shift educational resources toward the delivery and evaluation of instruction that works best for students. This article provides a quick overview of RTI as it relates to reading.
School Features That Support Effective Instruction

School Features That Support Effective Instruction

Effective school reading programs in schools share certain characteristics, from sound methods and materials to quality professional development and administrative practices. Learn about eight features of research-based school reading programs.

illustration of head filled with bookshelves and books

See Brain. See Brain Read: Reading Instruction Changes the Brain

Reading instruction changes the brain. New before- and after- images that show what happens to children’s brains after they get systematic, research-based reading instruction show that the right teaching methods can actually normalize brain function and thereby improve a child’s reading skills.

Group of elementary students and teacher discussing assignment

Seven Strategies to Teach Students Text Comprehension

Comprehension strategies are conscious plans — sets of steps that good readers use to make sense of text. Comprehension strategy instruction helps students become purposeful, active readers who are in control of their own reading comprehension. These seven strategies have research-based evidence for improving text comprehension.

kindergarten teacher helping students make the sounds in words

Speech Sounds: Suggested Activities

Children must understand how speech sounds work to be ready for instruction in reading and writing. There are many activities that you can do with your students to help them increase their knowledge of speech sounds and their relationship to letters.

Straight Talk About Reading

Straight Talk About Reading

Early experiences with sounds and letters help children learn to read. This article makes recommendations for teaching phonemic awareness, sound-spelling correspondences, and decoding, and includes activities for parents to support children’s development of these skills.

Strategies that Promote Comprehension

Strategies that Promote Comprehension

Based on research and effective practice, these strategies help students learn how to coordinate and use a set of key comprehension techniques before, during, and after they read a variety of texts.

Structured Literacy Instruction: The Basics

Structured Literacy Instruction: The Basics

Structured Literacy prepares students to decode words in an explicit and systematic manner. This approach not only helps students with dyslexia, but there is substantial evidence that it is effective for all readers. Get the basics on the six elements of Structured Literacy and how each element is taught.

Supporting ELLs in the Mainstream Classroom: Reading Instruction

Supporting ELLs in the Mainstream Classroom: Reading Instruction

You can and should use what you already know to be effective, research-based reading instruction to English language learners (ELLs). However, ELLs will need additional support in learning how to read, and the strategies here will help you to provide assistance in your everyday teaching, particularly for newcomers (students who have recently arrived in the U.S.).

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