Procedure Guide: KEEPING TRACK

Purpose: To assist in developing students' personal strategies by teaching them to predict, confirm/revise, and reinforce target word meaning.

Preparation

• Prepare a transparency of a short text for modeling the procedure.

Before

• Explain the purpose of this strategy, emphasizing the following:
• Good readers are active readers.
• Good readers monitor their comprehension by recalling information that they understand, questioning when they don't understand, and making note of important information.
• Model the procedure using the transparency of the short text.

During

• Have students read silently, marking the text, using the symbols below to monitor their comprehension.
• Place a checkmark by paragraphs that they understand. √
• Place a question mark by paragraphs that they don't understand or that are confusing. ?
• Place an exclamation point by paragraphs that contain important information. !

After

• Have students discuss their notations and. associated thinking with a partner.
• Encourage students to work with their partner to clarify any questions or confusion.
• Discuss in whole group what was understood, what was considered important, and answer any questions or clarify confusion that still remains.

Assessment

Amount of the passage-comprehended as indicated by notations

Accurate identification of important points

Appropriate collaboration with a partner, including helping to answer the questions