- STEP 1 – Read for Vocabulary: The first read strategy involves skimming the text to find words that are unfamiliar. Have students highlight the word, look up the definition, and write the definition in the margin of the text. If you are working out of a text that cannot be written on, have students use post it notes that can be removed. This first read allows students to find all new words and provide a definition in the margin thereby allowing them to read without constraint and broaden their own personal vocabulary.
- STEP 2 – Read for Section and Claims: The second read offers students the chance to “chunk” information making the text easily digestible and less threatening (this is especially helpful with longer texts). Have students section the text by main idea, use a highlighter to create section breaks, and write the “topic” of the section in the margin or on a post it. Remember, sections are not necessarily the paragraphs; multiple paragraphs can be centered on one specific topic or main idea. Next, have students identify and highlight the claim(s) made by the author, and then rewrite the claim in their own words on a post it.
- STEP 3 – Read for Dinner: This gives the reader a chance to interact with the text and converse with the author. Students need to read each section and answer the following questions (per section not paragraph):
- What does it say?
- What does it mean?
- Why is it important? (this question can be altered based on the purpose of the article, or the experience you want them to have with the article; such as, why is it important to… our dance program, dance in the 21st century, dance on TV, commercialized dance etc.)
- STEP 4 – Read for Assignment: The purpose of the final read is to complete an assignment. Be sure that each text is accompanied by an activity or task that allows for students to draw on Depth of Knowledge level 4, which requires students to design, connect, synthesize, apply concepts, critique, analyze, create, and/or prove.
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