Instructional Focus January 2015
ISSUE 5
V OLUME 2
JANUARY, 2015
MPS
PROVIDING INFORMATION AND RESOURCES AS WE MOVE INTO THE FUTURE WITH MUSKOGEE SCHOOLS
MPS HABIT OF THE MONTH READ AROUND THE TEXT Read Around the Text (R.A.T.) is a pre -reading strategy that leads students through a visual preview of the text. R.A.T. can be an effective str ategy for both fiction and informational texts. It can also be used in all content areas. Prior to reading a chosen text (article, chapter from a text book, novel, etc.), the teacher takes students on a text tour by “ratting out the text.” Teachers lead this tour by using a series of steps. To R.A.T. out the text, ask students to: 1. Look at the pictures within the text or on the cover. What ideas ar e being pr esented? 2. Look at the captions and read them. What do you know so far? 3. Look at maps, charts, and graphs. What information do they present?
4. Look at the titles, headings, and boldfaced words. What’s the big idea? Make a prediction. 5. Read the first and last paragraphs of the selection. What do you now know about the text we’ll be reading? 6. Ask questions. Give yourself a reason to read. What do you think we will learn from reading this text? What might be our purpose for reading this text? Teachers may choose to R.A.T. out the text as a whole gr oup with students talking to partners and then sharing with the entire class. Reading Around the Text can also be done by students individually using a graphic organizer to record their ideas for each of the six steps of R.A.T. Either way, Reading Around the Text develops the skills of using text features, predicting, questioning, and setting a purpose for reading. Used consistently across content areas, students will begin to internalize these skilled reading practices.
VIDEO RESOURCES . . . https://www.pd360.com/#resources/videos/5433—This secondary teacher uses text preview strategies to prepare students for reading about WWII. https://www.pd360.com/#resources/videos/5496—Second grade students learn about the importance of text features as they prepare to read informational text about wolves.
Teacher Trainers, MPS
HABIT OF THE MONTH, MPS, 2014-2015 Talking to Learn Reading to Learn Writing to Learn August: Talk to Your Partner Nov/Dec: Reading with a Pencil March: September: Powerful Questions January: Read Around the Text April: October: Providing Focus February: May:
V OLUME 2
JANUARY, 2015
MPS
PROVIDING INFORMATION AND RESOURCES AS WE MOVE INTO THE FUTURE WITH MUSKOGEE SCHOOLS
MPS HABIT OF THE MONTH READ AROUND THE TEXT Read Around the Text (R.A.T.) is a pre -reading strategy that leads students through a visual preview of the text. R.A.T. can be an effective str ategy for both fiction and informational texts. It can also be used in all content areas. Prior to reading a chosen text (article, chapter from a text book, novel, etc.), the teacher takes students on a text tour by “ratting out the text.” Teachers lead this tour by using a series of steps. To R.A.T. out the text, ask students to: 1. Look at the pictures within the text or on the cover. What ideas ar e being pr esented? 2. Look at the captions and read them. What do you know so far? 3. Look at maps, charts, and graphs. What information do they present?
4. Look at the titles, headings, and boldfaced words. What’s the big idea? Make a prediction. 5. Read the first and last paragraphs of the selection. What do you now know about the text we’ll be reading? 6. Ask questions. Give yourself a reason to read. What do you think we will learn from reading this text? What might be our purpose for reading this text? Teachers may choose to R.A.T. out the text as a whole gr oup with students talking to partners and then sharing with the entire class. Reading Around the Text can also be done by students individually using a graphic organizer to record their ideas for each of the six steps of R.A.T. Either way, Reading Around the Text develops the skills of using text features, predicting, questioning, and setting a purpose for reading. Used consistently across content areas, students will begin to internalize these skilled reading practices.
VIDEO RESOURCES . . . https://www.pd360.com/#resources/videos/5433—This secondary teacher uses text preview strategies to prepare students for reading about WWII. https://www.pd360.com/#resources/videos/5496—Second grade students learn about the importance of text features as they prepare to read informational text about wolves.
Teacher Trainers, MPS
HABIT OF THE MONTH, MPS, 2014-2015 Talking to Learn Reading to Learn Writing to Learn August: Talk to Your Partner Nov/Dec: Reading with a Pencil March: September: Powerful Questions January: Read Around the Text April: October: Providing Focus February: May:
