Monitoring
Monitoring involves thinking about what you are reading.
1. Annotating (Notice and Note)
Annotating involves the process of writing down thoughts, questions, and ideas about a text. This practice allows readers to recall important relevant facts, and enrich their thinking by diving deeper into a text. There are multiple ways to annotate a text, and as a result each individual may have a different annotating process. If students are new to annotating, programs like Notice and Note (Kylene Beers and Robert E. Probst) may be beneficial in getting readers started. If you are unfamiliar with Notice and Note, it uses "6 Signposts". These signposts are noticeable points in the text that stand out as significant based on a set criteria. For example, the Contrasts and Contradictions signpost is when students note when a character does something that contrasts with what you might expect or contradicts his earlier actions. There are numerous other resources and programs that can be looked into in order to give students something to follow when annotating until they are comfortable annotating on their own.
Annotating involves the process of writing down thoughts, questions, and ideas about a text. This practice allows readers to recall important relevant facts, and enrich their thinking by diving deeper into a text. There are multiple ways to annotate a text, and as a result each individual may have a different annotating process. If students are new to annotating, programs like Notice and Note (Kylene Beers and Robert E. Probst) may be beneficial in getting readers started. If you are unfamiliar with Notice and Note, it uses "6 Signposts". These signposts are noticeable points in the text that stand out as significant based on a set criteria. For example, the Contrasts and Contradictions signpost is when students note when a character does something that contrasts with what you might expect or contradicts his earlier actions. There are numerous other resources and programs that can be looked into in order to give students something to follow when annotating until they are comfortable annotating on their own.
2. Making Connections
Making connections to a text can be difficult for students to do if the text is not current, or immediately relevant to their lives or interests. Giving students a bit more direction in this area can help. I like to ask to students to make connections in three ways: Text to Text Connections, Text to World Connections, and Text to Self Connections. I have used this strategy in a literature circle scenario where one student in a group acts as "the bridge builder" for a particular section of a text. I encourage students to start by making the obvious connections. It is often easier for students to start simple and then move to the complex. Once some connections are made, students can delve deeper through group discussions. I have included a making connections/bridge builder role worksheet that I have used in my own classes to help with this monitoring strategy.
Making connections to a text can be difficult for students to do if the text is not current, or immediately relevant to their lives or interests. Giving students a bit more direction in this area can help. I like to ask to students to make connections in three ways: Text to Text Connections, Text to World Connections, and Text to Self Connections. I have used this strategy in a literature circle scenario where one student in a group acts as "the bridge builder" for a particular section of a text. I encourage students to start by making the obvious connections. It is often easier for students to start simple and then move to the complex. Once some connections are made, students can delve deeper through group discussions. I have included a making connections/bridge builder role worksheet that I have used in my own classes to help with this monitoring strategy.
bridge_builder_role_sheet.pdf | |
File Size: | 63 kb |
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3. Chunking Texts
This strategy might seem obvious, but necessary when dissecting larger texts. As educators, we can highlight important aspects or sections of a text to allow students to practice close reading and critical thinking skills. If chunking does not occur, a text can seem overwhelming and intimidating to students reading it for the first time. You might consider chunking texts by topic, concept, chapter, paragraph, or even sentence depending on the level of reading required and the ability of the student(s).
This strategy might seem obvious, but necessary when dissecting larger texts. As educators, we can highlight important aspects or sections of a text to allow students to practice close reading and critical thinking skills. If chunking does not occur, a text can seem overwhelming and intimidating to students reading it for the first time. You might consider chunking texts by topic, concept, chapter, paragraph, or even sentence depending on the level of reading required and the ability of the student(s).