Building Comprehension in Adolescents

Powerful Strategies for Improving Reading and Writing in Content Areas

by Linda H. Mason, Ph.D. The Pennsylvania State University, Robert Reid, Ph.D. University of Nebraska, Lincoln and Jessica L. Hagaman, Ph.D. University of Wisconsin–Whitewater

Contents

I Developing Strategy Acquisition and Self-Regulation

1. Introduction
2. Effective Strategy Instruction
3. Teaching Self-Regulation

II Reading to Learn

4. Reading to Learn in Content Text
5. TRAP for Reading Comprehension
6. TRAP IDEAS for Summarizing
7. Thinking About Reading with TWA

III Writing to Learn

8. Writing to Learn
9. C-SPACE for Narrative Writing
10. STOP & DARE for Persuasive Writing
11. TWA and PLANS for Informative Writing
12. Quick Writes

IV Homework

13. Homework Strategies

Appendix: Reading to Learn: Instructions for Using Retells
Index

About the Authors

Linda H. Mason, Ph.D., The Pennsylvania State University, 213 CEDAR Building, University Park, PA 16802

Dr. Linda H. Mason has a joint appointment in the Department of Educational Psychology, Counseling, and Special Education...

Robert Reid, Ph.D., University of Nebraska, Lincoln, 202L Barkley Center, Lincoln, NE 68583-

Dr. Reid specializes in the education and treatment of children with learning disabilities and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder...

Jessica L. Hagaman, Ph.D., University of Wisconsin–Whitewater, Department of Special Education, 4045 Winther Hall, Whitewater, WI 53190

Dr. Hagaman received her Ph.D. in educational studies from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln...

Lesson 1

Introduce TRAP

LESSON OVERVIEW

The purpose of the first TRAP lesson is to introduce and describe the strategy, discuss current performance, obtain student(s) commitment to learn and use the strategy, and set an initial performance goal.

Student Objectives

Materials:
Poster/PowerPoint with TRAP steps; for each student: short reading passages to find main idea.

SET THE CONTEXT FOR STUDENT LEARNING

1. SAY, “I want to talk with you today about why it’s important that we remember what we read.”

2. SAY, “I am concerned that you may have a problem remembering what you read.”

3. SAY, “How many of you were happy with how much you remembered? How many of you would like to do better? Today I am going to teach you about a strategy to help you remember what you read.”

4. “The strategy is called TRAP. It’s like a trap because it will help you catch information and remember it.”

5. Show the TRAP poster.

D STEP 2: Discuss TRAP steps

1. Think about what you are going to read.
2. Read a paragraph.
3. Ask yourself what the main idea and two supporting details are.
4. Paraphrase the main idea and supporting details.

STEP 3: Obtaining commitment

1. SAY, “I want you to try using the TRAP strategy because it can help you to remember more of what you read.”
2. Get students’ commitment.

STEP 4: Set a goal

1. Discuss why goal setting is important...

STEP 5: Wrap-up

SAY, “For next time, I want you to be thinking about some places that you might use the TRAP strategy.”

Lesson 2

Model TRAP

LESSON OVERVIEW

In the lesson, the teacher and students will discuss the strategy and practice finding main idea and details...

Student Objectives

Students will be able to identify main ideas and supporting details and state the steps of TRAP.

Materials

For each student: reading passage with two to four paragraphs; goal chart; main idea and details worksheet.

Context for Student Learning

1. Review the strategy...
2. SAY, “Today, we are going to practice using the strategy.”

DEVELOPE THE STRATEGY AND SELF-REGULATION

STEP 1: Practice finding main idea and details

1. SAY, “One really important part of TRAP is finding the main idea.”
2. Practice on provided paragraphs...

STEP 2: Think-Aloud: Model use of TRAP

1. Model the first step using self-statements.

STEP 3: Guided practice

1. Students practice on remaining paragraphs using the TRAP strategy...

Wrap-up

SAY, “Tonight, I want you to think about the steps I taught you and how you can use the strategy...”

TRAP Mnemonic Chart

Building Comprehension in Adolescents: Powerful Strategies for Improving Reading and Writing in Content Areas by Linda H. Mason, Ph.D., Robert Reid, Ph.D., and Jessica L. Hagaman, Ph.D.