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Comprehension
Strategy – Synthesis / Summarization / Concluding
What is Synthesis?
– Guided Reading the Four Blocks Way, pages 44-45 states,
“As you read, your brain synthesizes information from the words to comprehend
the sentences, information from the sentences to comprehend the paragraphs,
information from paragraphs to synthesize sections, and so on, as you
move through the text. The text tells you some things, you drew conclusions
that pulled together information you had read and what you knew from your
own life experiences. As you read, you constantly accumulate information,
and you keep this information in mind by subsuming smaller facts into
larger generalizations. You summarize, conclude, infer, and generalize,
and then your read some more, incorporate the new information, and draw
even bigger conclusions.”
Strategies That
Work, chapter 10 Synthesizing Information
“Synthesizing is the
most complex of the comprehension strategies. Synthesizing lies on a continuum
of evolving thinking. Synthesizing runs the gamut from taking stock of
meaning while reading to achieving new insight. Introducing the strategy
of synthesizing in reading, then primarily involves teaching the reader
to stop every so often and think about what she has read. Each piece of
additional information enhances the reader’s understanding and allows
her to better construct meaning (Strategies That Work ,page 144).”
“We need to explicitly
teach our students to take stock of meaning while they read and use it
to help their thinking evolve, perhaps leading to new insight, perhaps
not, but enhancing understanding in the process. To nudge readers toward
synthesis, we encourage them to interact personally with the text. Personal
response gives readers an opportunity to explore their evolving thinking.
Synthesizing information integrates the words and ideas in the text with
the reader’s personal thoughts and questions and gives the reader the
best shot at achieving new insight (Strategies That Work ,page
144-145).”
Readers…
- Maintain a cognitive
synthesis as they read. They monitor the overall meaning, important
concepts, and themes in the text as they read and are aware of ways
text elements fit together to create that overall meaning and theme.
They use knowledge of these elements to make decisions about the overall
meaning of a passage, chapter or book.
- Retell or synthesize
what they have read. They attend to the most important information and
to the clarity or synthesis itself. Readers synthesize in order to better
understand what they have read.
- Capitalize on opportunities
to share, recommend and criticize books they have read.
- May respond to
text in a variety of ways; independently or in groups of other readers.
These include written, oral, dramatic, and artistic responses and interpretations
of text.
- Synthesis is likely
to extend the literal meaning of a text to the inferential level.
Lesson Ideas:
GIST
Someone Wanted But
So
Think writing
Written Conversation
Written Responses
Say Something
Two Column Notes Form
Headed Content / Process
Exit Slips
Literature Circle
Job Descriptions
A summarization strategy
GIST
The group will write
a summary in 20 words.
Explanation: The GIST
of something is the main idea. Sometimes we don’t need to remember all
the details but read just to get the GIST of the material.
Procedure:
Draw 20 word sized
blanks on the chalkboard.
After reading a short
section of text (one-two paragraphs), the students will assist the teacher
in writing a 20 word summary to give the gist of what they read.
Now, read an additional
section of text (one-two paragraphs). Information from both sections must
be incorporated into a new 20 word summary.
It is possible to
read a third section and condense the summary one more time.
Take from pp 130-131,
Developing Readers and Writers in the Content Areas k-12, Third Edition,
(Moore, Moore, Cunningham, and Cunningham, 1998)
A summarization strategy WHO
WANTED TO BUT SO
WHO
WANTED TO
BUT
SO
For example, after
reading chapter one from The Jacket by Andrew Clements
WHO Phil
WANTED to get his
brother’s jacket back from the black kid named Daniel
BUT Daniel claimed
it was a birthday present from his Grandmother
SO they ended up in
the principal’s office
Summarization Strategy THINK WRITING
Before
reading
WHO
needs THINK WRITING?
This activity is appropriate
for:
- Readers who refuse
to become actively involved with text.
- Readers who bark
at print.
- Readers who say
reading is boring.
WHY do THINK WRITING?
Readers learn more
if they become actively involved with written material. Think writing
requires the reader to react to what the author is saying on an ongoing
basis. Think writing requires the reader to note reactions to the text.
Think writing requires the reader to note when meaning breaks down. Think
writing requires the reader to note when personal connections are made.
This strategy personalizes the learning situation and encourages readers
to develop a point of reference with the writer by trying to interpret
the words and meaning they read.
During
reading
WHAT
does the teacher do to get ready?
- Duplicate a page
of the reading assignment
- Allow wide margins
on both sides of the selection
- When duplicate
pages aren’t available, post it notes may be used.
MATERIALS - almost
any narrative or expository text
HOW do I teach THINK
WRITING?
Use an overhead to
demonstrate think writing:
- Begin to read the
text aloud.
- As you read, react
to the text by writing comments in the margin.
- Talk to the author
about his/her ideas. Write to him/her in the margin if you don’t understand
a concept. If you agree with him/her tell him/her so.
- Guess at meanings
of words which are unfamiliar to you. Write your guesses in the margins.
- Distribute the
text to readers and ask them to continue THINK WRITING in the margins.
Encourage them to respond frequently.
After
reading
- When
readers have completed the reading guide, help them realize their
talk represents true understanding of their reading. The reader can
then identify those ideas which are clear to him/her and those which
remain fuzzy.
DEVELOP A CODE FOR
QUICK THINK WRITING
MI = main idea T-S
= text to self char = looking at character
D = detail T
– T = text to text Q = questioning or wondering
ID = important detail T
– W = text to world
S = summary DI
= determining importance
HUH? = I don’t get
it! I = inference
Summarization Strategy Written Conversation
Before
reading
WHY
should we do WRITTEN CONVERSATION?
Readers often benefit
from sharing their comprehension of a passage with other readers. Such
exchanges help readers to:
- Confirm that their
understanding are accurate,
- Clear up confusing
points, and
- Extend comprehension
when other readers have different responses.
Carrying on written
conversations allows readers to begin using writing to explore their understandings.
Conversation provides a format / genre for the writing that is both informal
and familiar. Written conversation also provides students who do not reread
with authentic reasons for doing so.
WHO needs WRITTEN
CONVERSATION?
Readers whose comprehension
is poor or who do not reread to clarify understanding will benefit from
this strategy. With expository material, it also supports readers beginning
efforts to write about factual material using a very familiar oral form
conversation.
During
reading
MATERIALS
- almost any narrative or expository text will work
HOW do I teach WRITTEN
CONVERSATION?
- Introduce the passage
to students and have them read it
- The teacher may
want to share an example of a written conversation as a model or engage
in one with a student volunteer on an overhead.
After
reading
- After
reading, pair students to engage in a written conversation about what
they have read. The pair takes turns writing back and forth on the
same piece of paper, initialing their entries so the teacher may later
assess the content and fluency of the conversation.
- After students
have written for a predetermined period of time, have pairs read their
conversations to other partners.
- Collect written
conversations. The teacher may comment further in writing about conversations
or use them to guide follow-up teaching.
Summarization Strategy Written Responses
Before
reading
WHY
should we do Written Responses?
Responding to reading
and writing experiences is a key element to the successful synthesis of
new information and literary experiences. Written response in simple literature
logs offer specific opportunities for readers to reflect on their reading
and at the same time, offer a format for teachers to respond directly
to those reflections.
WHO needs Written
Responses?
This strategy is an
especially effective tool for assessing, tracking, and extending readers
comprehension, reading tastes, and reading metacognition.
During
reading
While
you are reading today… (teacher can give a prompt, see below for ideas)
After
reading
WHAT
do I need for Written Responses in my classroom?
Daily opportunities
to read.
A response log, writer’s
notebook, or journal.
HOW to I teach a Written
Response?
On a regular basis,
readers spend time composing responses / reflections pertaining to their
book experiences and impressions. Written responses can either be self-generated,
free-flowing and open-ended, or can reflect a direct teacher request or
prompt.
Keys to successful
written responses:
- multiple teacher
demonstration on effective uses and content of written responses.
- regular two-way
response between the teacher and readers.
- readers keeping
in mind the following suggestions:
- write honestly
- give reasons
- expand on the
author’s thinking
- admit confusion
- think on paper
Nonfiction Prompts General
Prompts
I learned… I
began to think of…
I never knew… I
know the feeling…
I already knew that… I
love the way…
I was wrong to think… I
don’t really understand…
I wonder why… I
can’t believe…
I still don’t know… I
realized…
An important date
is… I wonder why…
The confusing thing
is… I noticed…
This helped me explain… I
was surprised…
I like learning… I
think…
I would recommend
this book to… If I were…
I would like to share
my learning by… I’m not sure…
Some interesting facts
are…
I want to learn more
about…
This book answered
my questions about…
Summarization Strategy
Say Something
Proficient readers
often carry on a running monologue in their heads while reading. The self-conversation
may include what the readers understand, what they agree / disagree with,
what they do not yet understand, and what they wonder about as the text
unfolds. Teaching developing readers to carry on this type of active,
ongoing response to their reading will increase and deepen their comprehension
of the texts they read.
WHAT materials do
I need?
Multiple copies of
almost any narrative or expository text
HOW do I do Say Something?
- Put your readers
in partners. Each partner pair should have either two copies of the
same text or one text they can both read from.
- Explain the process
that they will be trying out. The partners need to decide how much of
the text they will read at a time (paragraph, ½ page, a column, a page).
The more unfamiliar or complex the text, the smaller the chunk.
- After your readers
read the designated passage, invite each to take turns making one significant
comment about what they have read; this might be a statement of agreement
or disagreement; this might be a statement of what the reader finds
most interesting or important in the passage; this might be a comment
on how the passage makes the reader feel or a question or request for
clarity.
- The pair then continues
on reading the next passage. When they complete that passage, the readers
switch readers. BOTH the listener and the reader should say something.
- Initial teacher
might suggest that readers begin using statements in the beginning:
Summarization Strategy Two Column Notes Form Headed Content /
Process
See Strategies
That Work, chapter 10 Synthesizing Information, pages 159-163
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Content
(Facts)
|
Process
(Thinking)
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Content reading demands
that readers pick up factual information as they read. We want our students
to become aware of their thinking process as well so they can call up
a strategy to access content, particularly in difficult, more challenging
text.
Materials Needed:
The most compelling piece of expository text you can find.
Procedure:
Give each child a
form with the above headings.
Choose material and
place the text on the overhead.
Students ask questions
and make statements in the process (thinking) column.
Teacher should ask
the students to pause after each paragraph and tell any factual information
they’ve learned.
Conversation helps
the students to build answers to questions, clear up misconceptions, and
immerse themselves in the content.
Teacher leads for
several paragraphs.
Teacher then releases
the students to work in small groups of two-three for about twenty minutes.
Reading and understanding
requires a great deal of ongoing thinking. This form gave us a window
into that evolution of thought.
Summarization Strategy Exit Slips
When readers / writers
are encouraged to reflect on their learning, they come to understand and
value the content and process in new and deeper ways. Exit Slips are a
simple way to help students reflect on what they have learned and to identify
areas that need further exploration. Exit Slips work well after any learning
experience, or at the end of the school day, as a way of prompting students
to review what they have accomplished.
Basic Procedure
If this is the first
formal use of a reflective strategy, talk about the importance of thinking
about what is learned (content) and how people go about learning things
(process). Teachers should demonstrate by highlighting their own decision-making
within a simple context; for example, writing a letter, deviating from
a recipe, deciding what to wear, thinking about how to approach a friend
about a problem, discovering what route to take to an unfamiliar destination,
and so on. Students may need to talk through some of their processes before
using this strategy.
- Following the initial
demonstrations and at the end of a school day, or any important learning
activity, distribute one 3 x 5 card to each student.
- Ask students to
write one thing they learned during the day, or from a particular activity,
on one side of the card. On the other side students are to write one
question they still have. Present this part of the strategy in an open
ended manner so students are free to consider content or process issues
in their responses.
- Collect the cards
for review.
- Select several
questions to use in a whole group setting the following morning or during
the class meeting. Questions can be answered directly by the teacher,
orally or by writing on the card, or students can be invited to respond.
Selected questions can be put aside for future study or be used to inform
the teacher about topics from Mini-lessons.
- Exit Slips can
be used throughout the reading of a text, much like a written Say Something.
The first part of the strategy, then serves as a reflection of what
has been learned; the second part, a reader-generated question.
- RAPID REFLECTION
– is a verbal form of Exit Slips. Throughout the school day at the
end of important discussions, demonstrations, mini-lessons, or any learning
engagement students can be asked to reflect on the experience quickly
and at random, call out a response. Responses can be focused by asking
open-ended questions before Rapid Reflection begins:
- What was surprising
for you?
- What were you thinking
about the most?
- What was one question
that you have?
- What is one idea
you are excited about?
Various forms of this
strategy have been developed by Kittye Copeland, Jerry Harste, and Carolyn
Burke from Whole Language: Getting Started, Moving Forward by Linda
Crafton
Summarization Strategy
Literature Circle Jobs
Discussion Director
Your job is to develop
a list of at least eight questions that your group might want to discuss
about this part of the book. Usually the best questions come from your
own reactions and concerns as you read.
Word Wizard
You are ready to bring
out the magic in the author's words. You'll be searching of 5-7 new, interesting,
strange, puzzling, or unfamiliar words. You'll especially be looking for
words that members of your group might want to talk about and learn. You
should jot down such words while reading then look them up in the dictionary.
When done, write an original sentence using the word.
The Connector
Your job is to help
everyone make connections to other ideas: stuff we've done in class, stories
we've read, and especially to experiences you have had. Be sure to explain
your connections clearly, telling how you and the character are alike,
or how a situation that you have been in is similar to one in the book.
Passage Picker
You pick several passages
or paragraphs from the assigned reading that you find especially interesting
or meaningful. You are to share them with the group so you'll need to
practice reading them aloud. Be sure to explain your reasons for picking
the passage. (Remember: you need to be specific comments such as
"I found it interesting" are not enough! What did you find interesting
and why?)
Time Liner
Your job is to record
at least 5 major events from the pages you read. You may do this in a
couple ways. A timeline may be drawn to show the events, or you can "bullet"
events in an outline form. Whichever method you choose, it must be accurate
and neat. Additionally, you need to write down a prediction for the upcoming
chapters based on the events you wrote down.
Prediction Person
I think that in the
next chapter the robbers will somehow get into the attic. Sally and Betsy
seem to be clever girls, so I believe that they will find a way to escape.
Hopefully they will manage to take the mystery chest with them. I'm anxious
to find out what is inside and why the robbers want it!
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