Elementary Reading Comprehension & Vocabulary Strategies
In this set of video vignettes, Virginia elementary teachers demonstrate vocabulary and comprehension strategies that can be used in elementary classrooms to promote students’ vocabulary development and comprehension skills. Each of the strategies presented is taken from the Enhanced Scope and Sequence for English Standards of Learning. The strategies and activities presented in the vignettes may be adapted and used with students at all grade levels.
(The videos on this page link to Flash files which require the Adobe Flash Player plug-in. Download the free player.)
Introduction 1:32
Introduction by Dr. Mark R. Allan, previous director of the office of Standards, Curriculum & Instruction, Virginia Department of Education.
Read-Aloud 6:58
The teacher reads aloud materials that are interesting and engaging for the purpose of increasing students’ vocabulary knowledge and comprehension skills.
SOL: K.1K.81.82.73.44.45.4
Survey, Question, Read, Recite, Review 8:07
Survey, Question, Read, Recite, Review (SQ3R) is a study strategy that students may use throughout the reading process.
SOL: 1.91.102.93.53.64.54.65.55.6
Know, Want, Learn 12:01
Know, Want, Learn (KWL) is a framework that is used to connect students’ prior knowledge to what they are actively learning.
SOL: 1.102.93.64.65.6
Think-Pair-Share 6:00
Think-Pair-Share is a discussion strategy that can be used as a prereading activity, problem-solving strategy, or as a follow-up activity.
SOL: 3.53.63.94.54.64.75.55.65.7
Sticky Notes 6:50
Sticky notes are used to mark sections in a text that students would like to return to, difficult sections for which they require clarification, for instance, or powerful or clear passages they would like to share with others. These stopping places can be used to foster discussion and inspire writing.
SOL: 1.91.102.82.93.53.64.54.65.55.6
Think-Alouds 3:18
Think-Alouds help students understand the mental processes readers engage in when constructing meaning from texts.
SOL: 3.53.64.54.65.55.6
Question-Answer Relationships 10:34
Question-Answer Relationships (QAR) is the basis for three comprehension strategies, including 1) locating information; 2) determining text structures and how these structures may convey information; and 3) determining when an inference would be required or invited.
SOL: 3.53.64.54.65.55.6
Reciprocal Teaching 6:52
Reciprocal teaching uses the skills of predicting, questioning, clarifying, and summarizing to interact with challenging text.
SOL: 3.43.53.64.44.54.65.45.55.6
Anticipation Guides 8:07
Anticipation guides can be used to activate and assess students’ prior knowledge, to establish a purpose for reading, and to motivate students by stimulating their interest.
SOL: 1.91.102.82.93.53.64.54.65.55.6
Story Face 8:09
The Story Face is a graphic organizer that aids students’ comprehension of narrative text.
SOL: K.91.92.83.5
Two-Column Notes 13:46
Two-column notes help students think critically about text.
SOL: 1.91.102.82.93.53.64.65.6
Selective Underlining 10:40
Selective underlining is a study strategy that enables students to understand what the author is trying to say and to organize information in texts.
SOL: 1.91.102.82.93.53.64.65.6
Concept Sorts 7:43
Concept sorts are activities in categorization. Students can sort objects, pictures and/or words by concepts or meaning.
SOL: K.81.21.82.2
View VDOE's Expenses