DECIDE WHAT'S

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DECIDE WHAT'S IMPORTANT Strategy 2
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• Readers of nonfiction have to decide and
  remember what is important in the texts they read
  if they are going to learn anything from them.
• Harvey Goudvis

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Decisions about importance are based on

• The readers purpose
• The readers schema for the text content - ideas
  most closely connected to the readers prior
  knowledge will be considered most important
• The readers sense of the aesthetic - what he or
  she values or considers worthy or beautiful

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STRATEGIES USED FOR DETERMINING IMPORTANCE
Before reading, determine the purpose for
reading.
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Reading for a Purpose
Students need to have an understanding of the
purpose for reading and viewing particular texts
before they begin. Teachers can assist students
to clarify the purpose of reading by asking the
questions Why are you reading this text? Are
you reading for enjoyment, to retell, to answer
questions, to gain information?
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Reading for a Purpose

• Once a purpose for reading is established,
  students can be directed about which method of
  reading will best achieve that purpose. These
  methods for reading include
• skimming reading to gain an overall
  understanding of the content of the text
• scanning reading to locate specific information
• rereading reading to confirm meanings and
  understandings and to clarify details.

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Determining The Purpose For Reading
ENGAGE STUDENTS IN THE PURPOSE FOR READING 1.
Establish one clearly stated purpose - For
example, Read pages 283-285 to find out what a
tide pool is. 2. Model and directly teach
students how to read for the stated purpose.
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It is critical to support learners through the
learning process and gradually release
responsibility to them. Keene Zimmerman -
Mosaic of Thought
Independent Application
Independent Practice
Guided Practice
Teacher Modeling
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Teacher Modeling
Teachers should model thinking aloud about their
own process of determining importance during
reading.
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Guided Practice
In small or large group mini- lessons, students
are invited to share their thoughts about what is
important.
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Independent Practice
Students may work individually, meet in small
groups, or work in pairs to compare ideas about
what is most important in text and how they came
to that conclusion.
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STRATEGIES USED FOR DETERMINING IMPORTANCE
Finding the Main Idea
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Main Idea
Main idea refers to determining what is
important. Main idea is often confused with topic.
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Main Idea is Difficult for Two Reasons
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Most main ideas are implied and are not directly
stated by the author.
Main idea is difficult.

• Must be determined by using the sum of the
  information provided
• Requires the reader to think about several pieces
  of information at once

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Main idea thinking is tentative. Readers alter
their thinking as they encounter new information
later in the text.
Main idea is difficult.
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Five SECRETS TO FIGURING OUT MAIN IDEA

• Rereading what the author has written and
  thinking about what the author wants us to
  understand is most important. Put yourself in
  authors place.
• Examine the words and phrases (the details) for
  clues to what is important.

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Five SECRETS TO FIGURING OUT MAIN IDEA
3. Ask questions about what, in your experience
(schema), the combined clues seem to say about
what is valued. 4. Decide what the main idea is
by saying, If I had written this and said things
this way, what would that say about what I
thought was important? 5. Remember your purpose
for reading.
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Five SECRETS TO FIGURING OUT MAIN IDEA - SUMMARY

• Reread (1 strategy independent readers use when
  something stumps them in the text.)
• Read to find the clues
• Put the clues together
• Put yourself in the authors place to figure out
  the main idea.
• Remember your purpose.

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NonFiction Text Conventions
Features that Signal Importance
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NonFiction Features
We must teach our students what nonfiction is.
Teaching our students that expository text has
predictable characteristics and features they can
count on before they read allows them to
construct meaning more easily as they read.
Debbie Miller
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NonFiction Features

• Labels
• Captions
• Comparisons
• Graphics
• Maps

• Fonts and Effects
• Table of Contents
• Index
• Glossary
• Appendix

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Another idea to help students
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Graphic Organizer (2 Column Notes)
Ladder Material
Main Idea
Supporting Details
Different ladders should be used for different
applications OR

• Aluminum is strong, light, and non-corrosive, but
  conductive of electricity
• Wood is nonconductive if kept clean and dry, but
  heavy and susceptible to rot
• Fiberglass is strong and non-conductive

You should consider your purpose and application
when choosing a ladder
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What does Determining Importance look like in my
classroom?

• FIRST and Second DAY Teacher gives students the
  reading assignment and explains the purpose for
  reading.
• Teacher reads aloud. Students read text silently
  along with teacher for 5 minutes. Teacher models
  his/her own determining importance in the reading
  assignment for students.

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What does Determining Importance look like in my
classroom? First and Second Day
Modeling Example

• Lets look at the title and the paragraphs.
• To decide what is most important (the main idea),
  I first have to get inside the authors head or
  put myself in the authors place to decide what
  the author values or considers important.

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What does Determining Importance look like in my
classroom? First and Second Day Modeling

• I reread the sentences and try to decide how the
  author is feeling.
• I look for details or clues such as aluminum
  ladders arent good around electricity and
  wooden ladders are heavier and susceptible to
  rot to help me know what the author thinks is
  important.

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What does Determining Importance look like in my
classroom? First and Second Day Modeling

• When I combine these detail or clues with my own
  experience of painting my gutters and painting my
  ceilings , I decide what all these words have in
  common all the words seem to convey the idea
  that different jobs require different ladders.
• With teachers direction, students fill in
  graphic organizer for main idea and supporting
  details.

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What does Determining Importance look like in my
classroom?

• THIRD DAY Teacher gives students the reading
  assignment and explains the purpose for reading
  (guided practice).
• Teacher and students read text silently for 5
  minutes, and teacher asks students for details or
  clues that help them know what the author thinks
  is important.
• As students offer examples, with the teachers
  direction, the class fills in the graphic
  organizers for supporting details.

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What does Determining Importance look like in my
classroom? Guided Practice Third day continued

• Teacher asks students to combine the details or
  clues with their own experience to decide what
  the authors main idea is.
• As students offer examples, with the teachers
  direction, the class fills in the graphic
  organizers for main idea.

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What does Determining Importance look like in my
classroom?

• Teacher gives students guided practice by
  following the Third Day format through the week
  ending 3/17/06.

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What does Determining Importance look like in my
classroom?

• From 3/20 to 3/30 Teacher gives students
  independent practice. Teacher gives students the
  reading assignment and students determine purpose
  for reading.

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What does Determining Importance look like in my
classroom? Independent practice

• Students maintain 5 minutes of silent reading.
• Students write supporting details and main idea
  on graphic organizer.
• Teacher asks for supporting details and main idea
  and discusses answers with class. Students may
  correct graphic organizers.

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What does Determining Importance look like in my
classroom?

• TWICE A WEEK -
• Teacher gives students the reading assignment.
• Students sustain 5 minutes of silent reading.
• Students fill in graphic organizers.
• The teacher asks for main ideas and supporting
  details.
• A system of distribution and collection of
  graphic organizers is in place.

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DECIDE WHAT'S IMPORTANT