Probable PassageReading to learn in all content areas

Phonics Humor

My five-year old son is learning to read. Yesterday he pointed at a picture in a zoo book and said, “Look at this! It's a frickin' elephant!”

I took a deep breath, then asked... “What did you call it?'

“It's a frickin' elephant! It says so on the picture!”

And so it does...

African Elephant

NRP, 2001

Largest meta-analysis of reading research

Reading Cycle

Reading Cycle

Before• Set a purpose for

reading• Prior knowledge-

What do you already know?

• What questions do you have?

Reading Cycle

Before• Set a purpose for

reading• Prior knowledge-

What do you already know?

• What questions do you have?

During• Answer

questions you formulated

• Analyze what you have read

Reading Cycle

Before• Set a purpose

for reading• Prior

knowledge-What do you already know?

• What questions do you have?

During• Answer

questions you formulated

• Analyze what you have read

After• Did you answer

your questions?• Review and

summarize what you learned

• Connect to course content

Reading Cycle

Before• Set a purpose

for reading• Prior

knowledge-What do you already know?

• What questions do you have?

During• Answer

questions you formulated

• Analyze what you have read

After• Did you answer

your questions?• Review and

summarize what you learned

Reading Cycle

Before• Set a purpose

for reading• Prior

knowledge-What do you already know?

• What questions do you have?

During• Answer

questions you formulated

• Analyze what you have read

After• Did you

answer your questions?

• Review and summarize what you learned

If you want your students doing this…

Instead of this…

You need to be doing something like this:

Probable Passage

Before• Set a purpose

for reading• Prior

knowledge-What do you already know?

• What questions do you have?

During• Answer

questions you formulated

• Analyze what you have read

After• Did you

answer your questions?

• Review and summarize what you learned

Probable Passage

Probable Passage

Before Reading1. Quotation: Distribute quotations to teach class member

2. Mingle: Class members move around the room, reading and discussing each person’s quotation.

3. Probable Passage: In small groups (3-4), write a sentence summarizing what you think the passage may be about

4. To Discover: Write what you hope to learn/discover in reading the passage

Probable Passage

During Reading5. Monitor: As students read the passage, direct them to be aware of the quotes as they arise in the text.

Probable Passage

After Reading6. Revise: Does your summary sentence reflect what the text actually says? If not, revise so it does.

7. Answer: Identify which “To Discover” questions were answered. Brainstorm where more information could be found

Procedures

1. Choose 8-10 important sentences/phrases2. Analyze meanings/relationships of quotations3. Write probable passages and questions 4. Revisit questions and summaries

List-Group-Label

1. List: Examine the terms

2. Group: Categorize the terms into groups based on meaning

3. Label: Designate a name for each group of terms

4. Share/Compare: Share labels with small groups or whole class

5. Discuss: Talk with class about the different ways terms were grouped and labeled.

Probable Passage

Variations• Students select terms before/during/after reading

• Students group terms• Teacher groups terms (modeling/think aloud)

• Teacher supplies group labels before/after reading• Teacher supplies terms and groups• Students attempt to create as many groups as possible• Students use terms to create graphic organizers

FlexibilityProbable Passage can be used with any kind of text, including:

FlexibilityProbable Passage can be used with any kind of text, including:

FlexibilityProbable Passage can be used with any kind of text, including:

FlexibilityProbable Passage can be used with any kind of text, including:

FlexibilityProbable Passage can be used with any kind of text, including:

FlexibilityProbable Passage can be used with any kind of text, including:

What can go wrong?

Your students don’t have enough background knowledge to make accurate predictions• Again, a great pre-

assessment!• Revisiting questions

and predictions is crucial!

Assessment• Use as a formative

assessment• What do they know?• Where are the gaps in

their understanding?• What do I need to

reteach?

Assessment

Give students participation points/credit

Probable Passage should take almost no time to grade!

Assessment

Skim students’ writing for content• Don’t assess

conventions! (spelling, punctuation, grammar)

Your turn

Think about the texts your students will be reading during the first four weeks of school. Choose at least one text to support with Probable Passage. If you have the text here, begin selecting the 10-15 students will use.

Share with neighbors/group.