Strategies for Helping Readers

Previewing and Using Text Structure

Looking at the title, cover, book jacket information, graphic support, chapter titles, headings, embolden words, margin information, etc., then using this information to determine what is the predominant structure of the text. Knowledge of text structure is used as an aid to comprehension.

Watch a Video About This Strategy

Video Link

Joe Czarnecki

"One of the things that we're hoping that we alert teachers to is the importance of text structure for example. Many middle school teachers that I've worked with admit that in their professional training and in their in-service training following that they weren't alerted to the underlying structures of the materials they give students to read."

"So they haven't been aware of how powerful it would be for their students to while—to when they're reading access those structures. So one of the things we can tell teachers is here's what the predominant test structures are. Here's a heads up you could give children when they’re reading it."

"An example would be if the children were reading something that was mostly descriptive. Certainly we'd want to alert the kids to ask them to form a mental image of what was being described. Perhaps even focusing on the adjectives and the adverbs."

"Another popular structure in social studies texts and in science texts would be problem solution. Being able to tell students in advance what you're going to be reading is a problem solution scenario. So what might you be thinking of and looking for while you’re reading?"

"The students would most likely say I'm to look for the problem and I'm to look for the solution."

When Can It Be Used?

Before and during reading.

What You Can Do to Support This Strategy:

Choose materials that support this strategy. Identify texts or portions of texts that are clear and obvious examples of a particular text structure. Some common text structures include: Main Idea – Details; Cause/effect; Story; Descriptive; Problem/Solution; Compare/contrast; Sequential

Assess this strategy by observing students before and while they read for evidence of previewing. Does the student look through the book or immediately begin reading? Does the student appear to be looking at the pictures, charts, and other graphic information, before, during, and after reading?

Find Out More

Literacy Matters’ explanation of text structures and tips on helping students uncover them plus links to other information-rich sites

NEA’s explanation of ways to help students use text structure

 

Next Strategy: Setting a purpose for reading