Interventions for Comprehension
Sequencing events:
Skill- Comprehension: Sequence
Intervention Visualizing
Source or adapted from - Strategies That ork! "# Stephanie $arve# %
&nne 'oudvis
(aterials:
Paper divided into 4 boxes
Sentence strip divided into 4-5 sections
Pencil/crayons for student
books good for visualizing (see book list on Balanced Literacy ebsite!
Instructions for administration:
Proficient readers create a "ovie in t#eir #eads as t#ey read$ %evieing t#is
"ovie afterards is #at #elps t#e" to recall specific events in se&uence #ile
retelling t#e story$ So"e students do not naturally visualize as t#ey read and
"ust be explicitly taug#t #o to do so$ '#ese students benefit fro" a teac#er
"odeling #o good readers stop periodically #ile reading( close t#eir eyes( and
create "ental i"ages t#at include #at t#ey see( #ear( s"ell( and feel in t#eir
"inds as t#ey read$ Several options for explicitly de"onstrating visualizing are)
*$ %ead aloud a book it# good descriptive passages or action se&uences
(see t#e visualizing page of t#e Balanced Literacy ebsite for suggested
book titles!$ +on,t s#o t#e student t#e pictures as you read$ Stop after
eac# page (or paragrap#( if reading a c#apter book! and de"onstrate #o
to visualize$ -fter several de"onstrations allo t#e c#ild to close #is/#er
eyes and talk about t#e "ental i"ages #e sees$
.$ %ead aloud a good book for visualizing( again it#out s#oing t#e
pictures$ -llo t#e student to periodically stop and dra or /ot key ords
describing #at t#ey see( #ear( s"ell( and feel (taste is a less co""on(
but e&ually i"portant sense used for "ental i"ages 0 feel free to include it
if it fits it# t#e book!$
1$ 2#ile reading aloud a text( again it#out s#oing t#e pictures( periodically
stop and allo students to dra t#e scene t#ey visualize on a section of a
sentence strip$ Stop strategically at places #ere t#e setting or c#aracters
or actions #ave c#anged$ Students s#ould end up it# a 3co"ic strip4 by
t#e end of t#e text$ -fter students see" co"fortable it# t#is strategy(
begin alloing t#e" to create t#ese co"ic strips it# texts or passages
t#ey read independently$
4$ Practice t#ese sa"e tec#ni&ues it# nonfiction texts as ell$ 2#en
reading nonfiction texts readers don,t alays #ave a 3"ovie4 in t#eir
#eads( but t#ey do for" pictures t#at create a sort of 3slide s#o4 based
on t#e facts t#ey read$ 5ncourage kids to orally discuss and dra t#ese
3slides4 it# nonfiction texts$
5$ 6or students #o struggle it# t#e strategies above( it "ay #elp to
practice visualizing at t#e ord level( t#en t#e p#rase level( and t#en t#e
sentence level$ 6or instance( #ave t#e student dra #at t#ey t#ink a
clon looks like$ '#en #ave t#e" close t#eir eyes and try to see t#at
picture in t#eir #eads$ Pro"pt t#e" to describe t#e ob/ect,s size( color(
s#ape( if it,s "oving( #ere it is( and any sounds t#ey #ear$ +o t#e sa"e
for several ords$ '#en try introducing a descriptive p#rase( suc# as 3t#e
"all at 7#rist"as ti"e4$ 8ave t#e" dra and visualize t#is p#rase$ 9nce
t#ey see" successful( t#ey can begin visualizing descriptive sentences(
and t#en "ove on to so"e of t#e strategies above$ (This strategy is from
Visualizing and Verbalizing by Nanci Bell!
Skill- Comprehension: Sequence
Intervention )etelling Checklist
Source or adapted from - )evisit* )eflect* )etell! "# +inda $o#t
(aterials:
%etelling c#ecklist
Instructions for administration:
'#e c#ecklist belo is to #elp guide students #o #ave difficulty re"e"bering
t#e ele"ents t#at s#ould be included in a good retell$ '#e c#ecklist s#ould be
used in a specific se&uence) "odel( guided practice( independence$
*$ (odel: #o to use t#e c#ecklist by reading aloud a s#ort text to t#e
student/s and t#en retell t#e story( using t#e c#ecklist to revise your
retelling as needed$ 8ave t#e c#ecklist visible to yourself and t#e students
as you retell$
.$ 'uided ,ractice: %ead aloud a s#ort text to t#e student/s and t#en #ave
#er retell( using t#e c#ecklist to "ake sure all ele"ents are included$ '#is
first ti"e t#e teac#er s#ould read t#e text to allo t#e student,s entire
focus to be on t#e retelling$ :n later sessions( #ave t#e student/s read a
text on t#eir instructional level and use t#e retelling c#ecklist$
1$ Independence: -fter several sessions( begin asking t#e student to retell
it#out looking at t#e c#ecklist( to see if s#e,s internalized t#e list$ :f s#e,s
unable to( go back to alloing #er to use t#e list and try again after several
"ore sessions$
- '#e introduction in t#e retelling c#ecklist is si"ply a one-sentence su""ary of
t#e story$ 6or instance( 3'#is is a story about a boy #o escapes fro" a giant in
t#e oods$4
)etelling Checklist
;a"e) <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< +ate) <<<<<<<<<<<<<
Story) <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
.pening)
<< : began "y retelling it# an introduction$
Setting:
<< : included #en and #ere t#e story #appened$
Characters:
<< : told about t#e "ain c#aracter$
<< : told about t#e ot#er c#aracters$
,ro"lem:
<< : told about t#e proble" of t#e story$
Solution:
<< : told #o t#e proble" as solved$
<< : told #o t#e story ended$
&uthor/s message:
<< : s#ared "y ideas about t#e aut#or,s "essage$
'#e best part of "y retelling as <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
'#e next ti"e : retell : need to re"e"ber <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
01positor# )etelling Checklist
;a"e) <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< +ate) <<<<<<<<<<<<<
Book) <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
<< 2#at is t#e topic=
<< 2#at are t#e "ost i"portant ideas to re"e"ber=
<< 2#at did you learn t#at you didn,t already kno=
<< 2#at is t#e setting for t#is infor"ation=
<< 2#at did you notice about t#e organization and text structure=
<< 2#at did you notice about t#e visuals suc# as grap#s( c#arts( and pictures=
<< 7an you su""arize #at you learned=
<< 2#at do you t#ink as t#e aut#or,s purpose for riting t#is article=
'#e best part of "y retelling as <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
'#e next ti"e : retell : need to re"e"ber <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Skill- Comprehension: Sequence
Intervention Teaching concept of sequence
Source or adapted from - $and"ook for )emediation of )eading
2ifficulties! "# 3err# +4 3ohns
(aterials:
ob/ects for ordering
pictures for ordering
sentences strips
reading passages
Instructions for administration:
*$ >at#er a series of ob/ects t#at can be put in an order$ So"e exa"ples
include)
a$ pencils of varying lengt#s
b$ stras of different lengt#s
c$ balls of various sizes
d$ paper of different sizes
e$ books of various sizes
f$ c#alk of varying lengt#s
.$ ?se a series of ob/ects (suc# as 1 pencils of varying lengt#s! and #ave
students arrange t#e" fro" longest to s#ortest and t#en s#ortest to
longest$ 'ell students t#ey are arranging t#e pencils in a particular order or
se&uence$ %epeat t#is process it# ot#er ob/ects$ 8ave students give
directions for arranging t#e ob/ects in a particular se&uence$
1$ 'ransfer t#e notion of se&uence by using a series of t#ree pictures (i$e$
planting a seed( baking a cake( as#ing a dog!$ 8ave students arrange
t#e pictures in se&uence and t#en discuss t#e rational for a particular
se&uence$ 8ave students "ake a brief oral story t#at explains t#e
se&uence$
4$ 8elp students beco"e aare of se&uences in t#eir daily activities by
discussing t#e order of t#e letters in t#eir na"es( #o a book is read (left
to rig#t and top to botto"!( eating (breakfast( lunc#( dinner!( getting
dressed (socks before s#oes( s#irt before coat( etc$!( and co"ing to
sc#ool$ Stress t#at t#e se&uence or order observed in t#ese activities also
occurs in reading "aterials$
5$ ?se an activity like brus#ing teet# and #ave students list t#e "a/or steps
in t#e se&uence$ 2rite t#ese steps on t#e c#alkboard and encourage
discussion$
@$ 'o begin t#e transfer to reading( present sentence strips t#at relate to a
particular se&uence and #ave a student arrange t#e" in t#e proper order$
Aary t#e nu"ber and co"plexity of t#e sentences it# t#e group being
taug#t$ +iscuss t#e arrange"ent$ 'ell students t#at during reading t#ere is
often a se&uence or order to t#e story$
B$ %etell several fa"iliar stories (i$e$ 3'#ree Little Pigs4( 3S#rek4! and ask
students &uestions about t#e se&uence of events$ ?se ords t#at #elp
signal se&uence (for instance( first( t#en( later( next( finally!( and #ig#lig#t
suc# ords t#roug#out t#e discussion$
C$ >ive t#e students a brief passage at t#eir instructional level t#at contains
several events and a list of t#e "a/or events in scra"bled order$ -fter
students #ave read t#e passage( #ave t#e" nu"ber t#e events in t#e
order t#at t#ey #appened( or #ave t#e" p#ysically cut t#e" out and
rearrange t#e" in order$ +iscuss t#eir ansers$
Skill- Comprehension: Sequence
Intervention Sequencing practice and reinforcement activities
Source or adapted from - Improving )eading: Strategies and )esources!
"# 3err# +4 3ohns and Susan 2avis +enski
(aterials:
paper
pencils
stories it# clear se&uence of events
co"ic strips
Instructions for administration:
*$ Prepare sentences or brief passages t#at #ave a se&uence of events or
activities$ 8ave students anser t#e &uestions posed and t#en discuss
#o t#ey arrived at t#eir ansers)
5ill took out the gar"age after he cleaned his room4
2#at did Bill do first=
2#at did Bill do next=
2#at #elped you decide on t#e se&uence=
3essica left home "efore 6atie4
2#o left last=
2#at #elped you decide on t#e se&uence=
.$ 8ave students list step-by-step directions for cooking( "aking so"et#ing(
doing a "agic trick( and so on$ 9t#er students can follo t#e directions as
ritten in se&uence$
1$ %ead stories to t#e students t#at #ave a clear se&uence of events$ 7reate
story cards of t#e events and place t#e" in rando" order on t#e table$
-sk students to place t#e events in t#e order of t#e story$
4$ Provide co"ic strips or stories told t#roug# pictures t#at are represented
in "ixed-up order$ 8ave t#e students arrange t#e pictures in t#e order in
#ic# t#ey #appened and retell t#e story$
5$ 8ave students develop lists of ords t#at "ay give clues to se&uence
(suc# as later, soon, tomorrow, yesterday, in the future, in the evening!$
+iscuss t#ese ords and #ave students rite s#ort selections t#at include
so"e of t#e"$ Students can also rite or ask &uestions t#at focus on
se&uence$
@$ Provide an oral set of directions for students to carry out several specific
actions$ ?se ords to #elp signal se&uence (first, then, last!$ 9t#er signal
ords include yesterday, today, and tomorrow$
B$ -fter a selection #as been read( students can dra pictures to illustrate
t#e order of "a/or events or rite sentences t#at describe t#e"$
