Reading for Understanding

This was the original lesson plan I created to help the students I was tutoring to remember what they were reading. One student was reading too fast and forgetting details while the other was getting stuck on words and struggling to connect everything. I thought this was a good activity to help both students. I ended up using two Shel Silverstein poems instead of stories, and it worked out really well! The students loved the activity and started using the skills we discussed! 

Activity 1 – Both students will be given the same story. They will be instructed to read the story as fast as they can. Once they have finished reading they will tell me and I will give them an envelope. Inside the envelope there will be story strips with main ideas of the story. I will instruct them to put the story in order without looking back at the passage. After both students have completed the task we will read what order they had their story strips in and discuss what they think the correct order is. This is meant to be a little difficult because I want them to see that they have to read and understand what is going on in the story.

Following this activity we will discuss what they think they need to work on and strategies for remembering. Some ideas I will give them are:

•         “Questions to Think About as You Read” *
•         Make sure you understand BEFORE you move on.
•         Using your finger as a pointer or highlighter as you read.
•         Using a paper to guide you line by line.

Activity 2 – Using the new skills just learned students will be given a new passage and have as much time as they need to read. After they finish reading they will be given another envelope and instructed to put the story strips in order. Upon completion of this task look at and compare the order of their story strips. Ask the students if they thought it was easier or harder this time to put the story in order. Discuss what hopefully made it easier (Was it an easier story? What new skill did you use? Did you remember more this time?).

Activity 3 – Each student will be given a copy of the handout “Questions to Think About as You Read”. As a group we will look over the three sections of the handout and read the questions that are under each category. I will also give the boys the opportunity to add any other questions they think fit. On the back we can write different skills that help us read (using the two learned and any others they think of – maybe underlining unknown words and moving on).

*See blog post "Tools to Help Struggling Readers" for this worksheet