Reading Comprehension Strategies

Make Connections
What connections do I make as I read? Good readers notice pieces of text that relate to or remind them of: Their lives, past experiences, and prior knowledge ther !ooks, articles, movies, songs, or pieces of writing "vents, people, or iss#es Tips:

Visualize
Good readers create pict#res in their minds while the% read& While reading, note places where %o# get a clear pict#re in %o#r mind that helps %o# #nderstand the text: I can pict#re$ I can see the$ I can vis#ali'e$ The movie in m% head shows$ (se %o#r senses to connect the characters, events, and ideas to clarif% the pict#re in %o#r head& I can taste)hear)smell the$ I can feel the$

Ask Questions
Good readers ask *#estions !efore, d#ring, and after reading to !etter #nderstand the a#thor and the meaning of the text& +sk *#estions of the a#thor, %o#rself, and the text: What is the a#thor tr%ing to sa%? What is the message of this piece? ,o I know something a!o#t this topic? What do I think I will learn from this text? -ow co#ld this !e explained to someone else? What predictions do I have a!o#t this reading?

That reminds me of$ This made me think of$ I read another !ook that$ This is different from$ I remem!er when$

Infer
-ow do I read !etween the lines? When the answers are .right there,/ good readers draw concl#sions !ased on !ackgro#nd knowledge and cl#es in the text& Ask yourself: I wonder wh%$ I wonder how$ I wonder if$ 0ind information from the text that might !e cl#es to the answers and #se these with %o#r !ackgro#nd knowledge for possi!le answers&

Determine Importance
What1s the !ig idea? So what? Good readers look for things that help them identif% !ig ideas and wh% the% are important& 2ook at text feat#res for cl#es: Titles and headings 3old print 4ict#res and captions Graphs and charts Chapter o!5ectives and *#estions Tips: The !ig idea is$ 6ost important information is&&& So far I1ve learned$ The a#thor is sa%ing$ This idea is similar to$

Synthesize
-ow do I #se what I1ve read to create m% own ideas? Good readers com!ine new information from their reading with existing knowledge in order to form new ideas or interpretations& S%nthesis is creating a single #nderstanding from a variet% of so#rces& Tips: Compare and contrast what I1m reading with what I alread% know or other so#rces of information& Think of new wa%s to #se this information& Can connections I make across this text help me to create new generali'ations or new perspectives?