Pre-Reading Strategies

Goal: To establish purpose for reading primary source, to activate and build background knowledge, and address unfamiliar vocabulary words/concepts.

K-W-L-H Chart

The K-W-L-H chart helps students activate prior knowledge, identify areas of inquiry, and reflect on their reading / learning. This strategy was developed by Donna Ogle (1986) and is often used as a whole group activity where a large chart with four columns is made to record everyone’s ideas.

K - stands for what students already Know about the topic.

W – stands for what students Want to Learn by reading the primary source.

L – stands for what students have Learned while reading the primary source.

H – stands for ideas of How to Learn more.

Sample K-W-L-H Charts

Anticipation/Reaction Guide

The Anticipation/Reaction Guide helps students activate and evaluate prior knowledge. Students make predictions based upon background knowledge and evaluate these predictions after exposure to new information. (H.L. Herber, 1978)

Follow these steps to create an Anticipation/Reaction Guide:

  1. Identify major concepts or “big ideas” you want students to learn from the primary source.
  2. Create four to six statements that support or challenge students' beliefs about the topic.
  3. Share the guide with students and ask them to Agree or Disagree with the statements and be prepared to defend their opinions.
  4. Discuss with class.
  5. Have students read the primary source to find evidence to support or disprove their responses.
  6. After reading, students will confirm or revise their responses.

Sample Anticipation/Reaction Guide

Author/Creator Consideration

A discussion of the author or creator of the primary source can be helpful.  Students should identify the origins of the primary source (date, historical context, and background information about the author.)  Students should then carefully consider: What is the author/creator trying to say?  What is his/her viewpoint and purpose for creating the particular work?  (Adapted from Karla Porter, M.Ed.)

ABC or Alphablocks Brainstorming

ABC Brainstorming activates student’s prior knowledge by asking students to brainstorm a list of words, phrases, or sub-topics related to the primary source’s topic and match those to a letter of the alphabet.  A variation, Alphablocks, (credited to Janet Allen) speeds up the process by asking students to brainstorm items within alphabet groups (ABC, DEF, GHI, etc.)

Sample Alphablocks Chart

Semantic Mapping

Semantic Mapping uses the same techniques as Brainstorming, but ideas and associations regarding a primary source topic are organized either by the teacher or the students under headings (Masters,Mori and Mori, 1993).  In this way, relationships between items, themes, and big ideas are fleshed out and students are tuned into these relationships prior to examining the primary source.

Sample Semantic Mapping Graphic Organizer

Knowledge Rating

Charts that ask the student to assess their prior knowledge are called Knowledge Ratings (Blachowicz, 1986). The teacher presents students with a list of concepts or topics related to the primary source, and surveys their knowledge regarding these topics. A variety of headings where students indicate their knowledge and at times offer examples are possible.

Sample Knowledge Rating Chart (scroll through chapter)

Checking out the Framework

This strategy provides students with suggestions for previewing primary sources of different media formats, in order to read strategically. Students explicitly examine different aspects of a primary source’s “framework” or organization (i.e. title, captions, visuals, notations, table of contents, author’s notes, etc.) in order to engage them in reading it.

Sample Checking Out the Framework Guide

Frayer Model of Vocabulary Development

The Frayer Model of Vocabulary Development helps students attain new vocabulary and concepts essential for understanding a primary source by having them complete a chart with the definition, characteristics, examples and non-examples of the term to learn. 

Sample Frayer Model Graphic Organizer

Questions Only

The Questions Only strategy helps students become more reflective readers by asking them to generate only questions – not answers - about the primary source they are analyzing. Questions can be focused to provide answers to the lesson’s investigative question or focused to develop increasing insightful questions using Bloom’s Taxonomy.

Sample Questions Only Guide

Advanced Organizer

Advanced Organizers derive their name from the fact that students use the organizers before the learning process. Ausubel (1960) developed them to serve as a bridge between existing and new knowledge. Advanced Organizers come in four types: Expository (simply describing the new content), Narrative (presents new information in story format), Skimming Material before reading, or Graphical Organizers (using Venn Diagrams, KWL Charts, Pictographs, etc. to preview new material).

Follow these steps to use the Advanced Organizer strategy :

  1. State the objective of the lesson to preview instruction
  2. Provide students with the organizer in order to:
    1. Identify attributes
    2. Offer examples
    3. Provide context
  3. Prompt students to connect prior knowledge to new content

Advanced Organizer Examples and Information