Clarifying Text, Clarifying Talk; Helping Readers Deal with Difficulty, Learn New Words, and Graph Information

[Notes from a session with Lindsay Mann]

Focus on nonfiction informational texts and addressing the big work that is called for with the standards.

Determine what kids already do and say (assessing)

• Determine the big skills your readers need (Where are they going?)
• What does [insert word] mean? How do you know?
• Listen in during read aloud, partnerships, club conversations and as you confer
• Collect post-it notes to capture student thinking! (Independent reading, but also during read aloud)
• Take notes! (During read aloud too!)
• Notice the strategies that your kids use (What strategies are they already doing to try to figure out the main topic and main idea)
• Ex: Are they naming the distracting/interesting fact that they

Then Figure Out the Next Steps!

Standard: Using Domain Specific Words
If... a reader is trying to figure what a new word means but is having a hard time, then... You want to try to teach them domain-specific words

• Use the pictures to see if they give clues
• Use the glossary
• Think of other words you know that the word reminds you of
• Think of what you already know about the topic
• Look for clues hidden int he words that surround the new word
• Use NEW WORDS that you have learned when talking about the text

Standard: Identify the main topic

-Main topic

-Main idea (authorial purpose)

Listen to a section of a text through read aloud. Ask: What is the main topic of this chapter/topic? In other words, what is this part mostly about? How do you know? You can also give some examples.

If... a reader is struggling to hold on to the main idea, then...

• Use repeated words/phrases/ideas across the page
• Notice how the words connect to the pictures
• Connect the text back to the heading or title (How does it fit with the heading? How does it fit with the title of the book?)
• Be ready to explain the clues used to determine the main topic

Standard: Using Pictures to Clarify Text (Kindergarten)

Read a page or part with picture support. Ask: What does this picture teach us?

If...  a reader does not notice what can be learned from the picture, then...

• Look at the picture and say how it connects to the title of the book or the topic on the page
• Notice all of the details in each picture to see what new facts you can learn! Stop and notice how the picture supports the words on the page, and then ask "Does it teach me anything else?"
• How does the picture relate to the big topic? What details do you notice that connect to the big idea
• Notice pictures that seem to teach and talk about what you notice with a partner