In the last section, you examined the habits of mind and authentic texts that define what it means to read like a scientist, historian, mathematician, artist or professional in your field. This section builds on that work by focusing on strategy instruction. Explicit instruction helps students connect the big disciplinary habits of mind to concrete strategies they can practice. By naming, modeling and scaffolding these strategies, you help build students’ toolboxes to tackle and engage in reading challenging texts.

Step 1: Read

To read like a professional in your discipline, students need explicit instruction. This includes modeling, guided practice and structured opportunities to apply strategies within authentic texts.

Explicit instruction involves:

Introducing a Strategy

Model the strategy for students by sharing what it is and how it can be used, pointing to the specific place in the text that you use this strategy and explaining how it supported your comprehension.

Providing Opportunities for Practice

Ask students to practice using the strategy as they grapple with complex texts. Encourage metacognition in students.

Gradually Reducing Supports

Start by using checklists or graphic organizers that prompt students to use strategies. Over time, decrease reliance on these supports.

Effective strategies for teaching reading actively support building comprehension of disciplinary texts. Strategies include building students’ world, vocabulary and text knowledge; supporting students’ active comprehension of both print and digital texts; and providing opportunities for extended discussion, interpretation and application.

Choose one or more categories for reading strategies to explore further.

(PDF) - Explicitly Teach Knowledge of the World and Vocabulary
(PDF) - Explicitly Teach Comprehension Strategies
(PDF) - Provide Opportunities for Extended Discussion
(PDF) - Planning a Think-aloud

Step 2: Reflect

Respond to the following questions. You may wish to capture your thinking in your journal space.

What possibilities do you see for how explicit strategy instruction could help your students engage more deeply with texts in your discipline?
What challenges or questions do you anticipate as you bring this explicit strategy instruction into your classroom?
How might an intentional focus on disciplinary reading shift students’ confidence, independence or sense of belonging in your subject?
What is one next step you can take? This could include trying the strategy with students, talking it over with a colleague or simply watching for moments when your students are already using this move.

Try It Out!

Pick one of the strategies you read about and make a plan to try it in your classroom. Consider the following questions to help you implement the strategy. You may wish to capture your thinking in your journal space.

What strategy do you want to focus on?
What text will the students read?
When will you introduce and model the strategy?
Where in the lesson will students have the opportunity to practice the strategy?
How can you build in repeated opportunities for students to practice?