Re-read

Strategy 8: Re-read
(after reading)

Sometimes students will have to re-read the passage in order to summarize it well. Perhaps the first reading of the section didn’t trigger connections to the reader’s prior knowledge. Or perhaps their attention wandered and they lost their focus. Sometimes the mental concentration needed to process complex text becomes momentarily overwhelming. When this happens, re-reading the text is very helpful.

See the amazing example of a student’s work at comprehending the Gettysburg Address just through re-reading. The example comes from Kylene Beers, author of //When Kids Can’t Read: What Teachers Can Do.// It's important to note that the student in the example was given some questions to think about prior to his reading, and questions to answer during his reading and rereading. This helps to establish a purpose for reading, which also helps with engagement and comprehension. A blank three-column sheet with those questions is in the handouts.


 * Assignment:** Use the blank three-column sheet with questions to guide students through a re-reading of a difficult passage, page or chapter. Send a copy of exemplary student work to have posted on this site. (You can scan it and send it as a pdf, or mail it to the instructor at Ingham ISD. We'll remove the student's name.)