Reading Skills

Teaching Students To Comprehend Using the 5 Step Reading Process

The Reading Process

INDEX

1. Introduction

2. Step 1: Preview the Text

3. Step 2: Access Background Knowledge

4. Step 3: Read and Think

5. Step 4: Respond to Reading

6. Step 5: Evaluate and Reflect

Introduction

If I were to ask you what the five steps of the writing process are, I’m pretty sure you would be able to tell me: brainstorm, draft, revise, edit, publish.But I’m wondering if you can also tell me the five steps of the reading process?When students are given a step-by-step reading process to follow they are more likely to experience success. A process gives them a starting point and a roadmap to follow when they get stuck.

Step 1: Preview the Text

• Notice the title (what is this text about? what might I learn in this text?)
• Study the cover and the illustrations (what clues might the author be giving me? what might I expect or anticipate to happen?)
• Look for illustrations or text-features in the text (can I start thinking about this topic or this story in a way that will help me understand it better?
• Is there a description written on the back of the book or an excerpt written at the top of the article? (are there any clues the author is leaving me that will help me understand the text on a deeper level?)

Step 2: Access Background Knowledge

• What do I know about this topic?
• What do I know about this genre?
• What do I know about this author?
• What do I know about this series?
• What do I know about this character?
• What do I know about the title?

Step 3: Read and Think

It can be helpful to give you an idea of the type of thinking you should be doing while reading. I typically encourage my students to do the following while they are reading:

• Ask Questions
• Apply Strategies
• Analyze Text Clues

Step 4: Respond to Reading

• Respond by organizing their thoughts in a graphic organizer
• Respond in writing – either in a reading journal, an exit ticket, a summary, or simply using a stop-and-jot sticky note
• Creative Response – let students give a book talk or create a piece of art work that shares their thinking about the text
• Respond by discussing what you read – talking can be just as effective as writing when it comes to responding

Step 5: Evaluate and Reflect

• What is my opinion about the book/text?
• Did I enjoy reading about the story/topic?
• Did I fully understand what this text was about?
• Did I like the genre?
• Did I enjoy reading from this author?
• Would I read another book by this same author?

That's all!