Teaching Devices: General Reading Strategies

Pre Reading

Prior to reading any story with a group of children the teacher should preview the story to be read. This might include:

Anticipation Guides-write some true and false questions about the story and have the children identify which ones are true and which ones are false.
Story Maps-graphic organizers that "map" out the story. You could create sketch of something from the story and have the children think about "who, what, when, where, why and how" in the story. This would be completely filled in AFTER reading the story.
For younger children you could do a "picture walk." This is where you preview the story by looking at the title and the pictures and discussing what the story might be about.

Once the story has been previewed, decide how you will read the story. Will you do a:

Teacher Read-where the teacher reads the story and asks questions about unfamiliar vocabulary, pictures, recalling information etc.
Read To-the teacher puts a sticky note on a page and has the children read to that page and stop to discuss what they have read.
Partner Read-the teacher pairs up groups of students and has them read together. After they read they have to share ideas with the group.
Silent Read-the children generate questions prior to reading and then try to read to find their own answers. There could also be a class discussion about what was read.

After reading the story decide how to review what was learned. Will you:

Complete one of the activities from the pre-reading
Draw or write in response to the story
Act out the story
Make a craft to remind you of the story (souvenir)
Write questions on a beach ball and have the children play catch and answer the questions
Write mixed up sentences about the story and have the children put them in order
Use a felt board to act out the story
Have the children "prove" the information on the Anticipation Guides by finding the supporting information in the story