READING POINTERS

Inspired  by a colleague's suggestion, 3rd grade pupils made reading pointers for their English books during a collaborative lesson in the subjects of Art and English. The activity was fun, enjoyable and creative. 

Here are some key  benefits of using reading pointers to develop foundational reading skills in emerging readers.

• They enhance focus and attention by preventing from skipping lines or losing place 
• They support word recognition and decoding skills
• They develop hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills

The TAG feedback strategy

 TAG 

The TAG strategy is a quick and effective way to implement peer feedback in the classroom. It fosters communication skills, positive interaction and critical thinking. TAG stands for:  

T - Tell something you like 

Learners make a positive comment about their peer's work.

A - Ask a thoughtful question

Learners ask a question related to their peer's work. 

G - Give feedback

Learners give feedback to their peers in order for them to improve their work. 

The following worksheets can be used for this strategy.

Group edition worksheet

Watch a video about the implementation of this strategy in the classroom by visiting the following link.

edutopia

The Frayer Model

 The Frayer Model

The Frayer Model is a strategy that helps learners to define and understand new concepts or words.It encourages vocabulary development, critical thinking and active  participation. In the center, learners have to write the concept or word under investigation. Then, they provide a definition in their own words. They also, fill in the key characteristics and traits of the concept. Finally, they give examples and non-examples to illustrate the term or concept. Here is a template to use for the strategy. 

To read more about the Frayer Model strategy, visit the link below.

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THE RAFT MODEL STRATEGY

 THE RAFT MODEL

The Raft Model is a strategy that enhances writing skills and encourages students to write from various perspectives. It integrates creativity and critical thinking into writing assignments. The acronym RAFT stands for: 

R - Role (Who are you as the writer?)

A - Audience (Who is your audience?)

F - Format (In what format are you writing? A letter, a report, a diary entry etc.)

T - Topic (What are you writing about?)

The following worksheet can be used while implementing the strategy in the classroom.

Read more about this strategy in the following link.

readingrockets

K-W-L CHART

 K-W-L CHART

A K-W-L chart is a graphical organizer that helps students to connect new information to what they already know. Moreover, it encourages inquiry, it sets a purpose for learning and  facilitates reflection on what has been learned. Additionally, it enhances engagement and makes learning interactive and student-centered. The acronym KWL stands for: 

K (Know): what students already know about a topic. 

W (Want to know): what students want to know about the topic.

L (Learned): What students have learned after the lesson. 

To read more about the use of KWL chart in the classroom, you can visit the following link.

readwritethink

Think-Pair-Share Strategy

 THINK-PAIR-SHARE

The "Think-Pair-Share" strategy is collaborative learning technique. The teacher poses a question or a problem that learners have to think about individually. Then,  they pair up with a partner, discuss their thoughts and exchange ideas. Finally, they share their insights with the whole class or a larger group. This strategy fosters independent thinking and communication skills, encourages active participation and enhances understanding through peer discussion. The worksheet below can be used for the implementation of the strategy in the classroom.

To read more about this strategy you can visit the following links.

readwritethink

reading rockets

EXIT SLIPS

Exit slips or tickets are tools for implementing formative assessment in the classroom.  They are very useful for teachers in order to get immediate feedback from their learners at the end of a lesson or class. They also enhance critical thinking  and metacognitive skills as they encourage learners to reflect on their own learning. Here is an example of an exit slip worksheet.

Exit slips can also be used for a whole class feedback activity after the end of a lesson or a unit. The traffic light exit slip is a nice idea to implement. The red light indicates that learners struggle with concepts or topics, the yellow light means that they have understood a topic but still need some clarifications and the green light indicates the topics that learners have understood well. Here is a colored and a black & white version of a traffic light exit slip worksheet. It can be printed in A3 size and learners can stick post-it notes on it.

To read more ideas about exit slips and  how to implement them in the classroom, visit the following link.

readingrockets