Before Reading Strategies - Reading Instruction Handbook

Before they begin to read, effective readers quickly perform certain interrelated tasks. As a result of previewing or surveying the selection, they set a purpose for reading, they activate their background or personal knowledge of the topic, and they anticipate or predict the information to be read in the selection. Teachers need to employ techniques to foster the independent development of these behaviors by their students.

Previewing/Surveying
Previewing/Surveying is an important strategy because it helps readers anticipate meaning. This strategy can be performed quickly to identify the general idea of what a selection is about or it can be a more thorough process to ascertain the major ideas and organizational structure of the material.

Explain and model for the students the steps in previewing/surveying. Demonstrate how the process varies according to the type of material. Previewing/Surveying is most effectively used with informational text or narrative and procedural texts with illustrations.

Have students practice previewing/surveying by seeking answers to questions such as:

Setting a Purpose for Reading
Meaningful reading cannot occur without a purpose. Even though proficient readers may not always consciously state their reasons for reading particular selections, they always have a purpose. A purpose influences the strategies that readers use and what they will remember from their reading If no specific purpose exists, reading tends to be haphazard and may lack any real value.

Traditionally, teachers provide students with a purpose for reading whenever an assignment is being made. Sample statements that typically precede the reading of a narrative or informational selection are "Read to find out what happens when...;" and "As you read look for three major reasons why..." Although this type of activity is of some help to students, they need to develop the habit of setting their own purposes for reading. Ineffective readers wait for purposes to be set for them, and too often only read to find the information requested by that purpose statement. Intrinsic or internalized purposes are preferable to those that are externally provided by the teacher. When students set their own appropriate purposes for reading, greater interaction occurs between them and the text, and better comprehension results.

In order to set a purpose, a reader must determine the type of material to be read, gain a sense of what the material is about, and based on that information and the needs that the reader has at that moment, select the best of several possible purposes. Essentially, setting a purpose requires a reader to respond to three questions. These questions are similar to the questions posed during previewing/surveying.

Explain to the students that quickly previewing/surveying a reading selection will give them some information about the topic and that knowing this makes reading much easier. Describe for them and model how reading the title and looking at any accompanying illustrations usually is sufficient to provide a general sense of the selection. For example, as you begin a new reading assignment say

"I notice that the title of this article (or story) is _______________. Now that could mean that it is about _______________ or it could be about _______________

As I glance at the pictures on this and the next page, however, I see that they include _______________ and _______________ so I'm pretty sure this is going to be about _______________

The best way to demonstrate and ensure the development of this objective is to incorporate, on a daily basis, authentic materials representing a wide range of literary genres and subject matter into as many classroom activities as possible. Historical fiction and mystery stories as well as other types of fictional writing can be used at times during the school day other than that specifically designated for reading class. Non-fiction selections need not come just from textbooks. By using newspapers and magazines, teachers can engage students in the reading of informative articles, editorials, essays, letters and advertisements.

Each time a reading selection is introduced, the teacher should guide students in identifying the type of material that it is and talk informally about its main characteristics. Periodically, formal presentations and/or discussions need to be held to compare and contrast the characteristics of the types of texts most recently read by the students.

It is important for students to realize that people read different materials for different purposes. Too often reading may be viewed only as a school-related activity that is done to acquire the information or to master skills that will be tested. Class discussions, however, can be used to focus students' attention on the wide range of other possible reading purposes.

Create a detailed list of reading materials that may include such diverse texts as an encyclopedia, newspaper, novel, television schedule, medicine bottle label, recipe, billboard, comic book or telephone directory. Use this listing to discuss why people read each type of material. Among the common reasons students will cite for reading include: for fun, for escape, for information, to solve a problem, to write a report, and to learn how to do something. Create a chart of "Purposes for Reading" to display conveniently in the classroom. Students can refer or add to the chart as necessary.

Extend and enhance students' understanding of reasons for reading by discussing with them:

As a natural follow-up, regularly hold purpose setting discussions, and provide as many opportunities as possible for the students to experience reading different texts for different reasons.