Tips for Tutors
(Reading Strategies)
Encourage your students to try the following strategies throughout
your reading lesson.
Before Reading
1. Preview the title, pictures, chapter names, and bold-faced words in order to
make a prediction.
2. Connect new information to previously learned information by talking about a
personal experience related to the theme.
3. Verbalize or write questions prior to reading the text.
4. Pre-teach themes or background information (i.e. historical context) for
reading fiction.
5. Explicitly teach “how to use” the table of contents, glossary, index, headings,
sidebars, charts, captions, and review questions in a text book.
During Reading
1. Model self-monitoring skills with the following questions: “Does what I’m reading
make sense?” “What do I think will happen next?” “Are there any words that I
don’t know?” “Can I figure out what the words mean from the sentences around
them?”
2. Encourage sub-vocalization of the text and self-monitoring questions.
3. Model active engagement with the text through visualization of the scene (i.e.
trying to make a “photograph” of the word in his/her mind’s eye while enhancing
visual features), highlighting, note taking, or jotting down a question.
4. Train students to silently read at various rates depending on the purpose; for
example, skimming to find a particular term or to get the main idea or gist vs.
reading more carefully for directions or comprehension of key concept.
5. Encourage multiple readings of a text.
6. Provide templates for students to jot down notes and key concepts as they read
(i.e. a story line, visual web, or list of WH-questions).
Encourage Independence
1. Ask your student to make a good "guess" while reading and then check it by rereading the sentence to see if it makes sense.
2. Encourage your student to re-read a sentence when stuck on a word and then try
the difficult word.
3. Ask your student to skip an unknown word, read the remaining words in the
sentence and then try the word again.
4. Show your student how to break a longer word into parts and then put it back
together to read it. (Example: in/ter/est/ing---interesting)
Supporting Vocabulary while Reading
1. Log unfamiliar words in a personal dictionary that includes the sentence that
contains the word, page number, a guess about the meaning, the pronunciation,
a dictionary definition, and a new sentence using the word.
2. Improve vocabulary for written and verbal expression by forming associations
between words, paraphrasing, and elaborating on an idea.
3. Teach prefixes, suffixes, and root words to students to improve spelling,
decoding, and comprehension.
4. Look up unfamiliar words with an electronic speller that has speech output (such
as the Franklin Speller) or a web-based dictionary. For example, Dictionary.com
provides the pronunciation and definition of a word.
After Reading
1. Verbalize or write the answers to any pre-written questions.
2. Compose an alternative ending for the story or write a sequel.
3. Act out key scenes from a text or give “How To” demonstrations for kinesthetic
learners.
4. Challenge your student to draw inferences from the text (i.e. "How do you think
the main character feels?" "Do you think it will be harder to stop a heavier or
lighter object traveling at the same velocity?").
Sources: http://dyslexiahelp.umich.edu/professionals/dyslexia-school/strategies-for-teachers
**2 Martin Luther King, Jr. reading passages follow.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
Pre-reading
Questions:
• What to you know about this holiday?
Definitions:
• Strive – to try or work hard; to make a great effort to do something
• Demonstration – a public display of group opinion
• Gathering – a coming together of many people; a meeting
Reading
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day celebrates the birth and life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
16 He was a young black minister from Georgia who worked for change. He gave of his time, energy,
34 and life striving to create equal rights for all.
43
For many years, black Americans did not have the same rights as white Americans.
57 Drinking fountains and rest rooms were labeled WHITE and COLORED. Black people had to sit
72 in the backs of buses. Many restaurants did not serve food to black people.
86
In some places, black children and white children did not go to the same schools. Many
102 black Americans could not vote. They also had a hard time getting good jobs.
116
Dr. King worked hard to make people’s lives better. He talked with many community and
131 government leaders. He gave speeches about equal rights to huge gatherings of people. He also
146 led many peaceful demonstrations. He showed people how to be heard without being violent.
160 Change took place because of Dr. King’s peaceful ways and words.
171
In 1964, Dr. King received the Nobel Peace Prize. This world-wide honor is given to only
188 a few people every year. People who work very hard for peace get this award.
203
In 1968, a white man killed Dr. King. Dr. King was only 39 years old when he died. He
222 was a husband and a father to three young children. He was a leader of peaceful change. He was a
242 martyr; he gave his life for his beliefs.
250
Dr. King’s dream of peace and better lives for all Americans is still alive today. In 1983,
267 his birthday became a national holiday. On the third Monday in January, many Americans
281 remember Martin Luther King, Jr. Students study about him. People listen to speeches and think
296 about equal rights. Many ask the question, “What am I doing to keep Dr. King’s dream alive?”
313
Adapted from Holidays in the U.S.A.
Level 5.5
Understanding
1. How do people celebrate this holiday?________________________________________________
2. How were black people treated differently than white people?_____________________________
3. What is a martyr?________________________________________________________________
4. Why did Dr. King receive the Nobel Peace Prize?_______________________________________
5. Why is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in January?________________________________________
6. How did Dr. King try to create equal rights for everyone?________________________________
7. What was Dr. King’s profession?____________________________________________________
Writing
Option A:
What did you learn about Martin Luther King, Jr. Day?
Option B:
Who do think deserves a national holiday in his or her name? Why?
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Martin Luther King, Jr.
Pre-reading
Questions:
• What do you know about Martin Luther King, Jr?
Definitions:
•
•
•
•
Content – something that is inside
Character – what a person is really like as shown through his/her
thoughts, words, and actions
Creed – a set of beliefs held by a person or group, often religious
in nature
Civil rights – the rights of a citizen
Reading
I Have a Dream
4
19
32
39
44
56
68
72
77
82
100
113
132
151
153
172
188
200
215
231
235
252
271
292
301
317
333
348
355
I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a
Nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin,
But by the content of their character.
I have a dream today!
I have a dream that one day… little black boys and girls
will be able to join hands with little white boys and girls
as sisters and brothers.
I have a dream today!
Martin Luther King, Jr. 1963
The dream of most Americans is a good education for their children. People with a good education get
better jobs and earn more money. They have more opportunities to be successful.
There are laws in the United States that promise an equal education for all children. These laws are for
children of all colors, creeds, and cultures. Children of both rich and poor families are to be given equal
educational opportunities.
People like Martin Luther King, Jr. fought for such laws. In the 1960’s Dr. King and other civil rights
leaders saw that poor black children were not receiving a good education. Their schools were separate.
Black children attended one school, while white children attended a different school.
The black children’s schools were inferior to the white children’s schools. The “white only” schools
had more money, more educational materials, and better facilities. White children had a better chance of
getting a good education.
This segregation was also happening in other public places. Black people had to drink out of different
water fountains than white people. Black people also had to sit in separate areas from white people on city
buses. Black people were told to sit at the back of the bus, while white people sat toward the front. Some
restaurants would not even serve black people a meal.
Dr. King and other civil rights leaders worked extremely hard to change these conditions. Through the
efforts of many people, change did happen. New laws were passed creating greater equality for all.
However, many parents throughout the country still think their children are not receiving an equal
education. The struggle for racial equality continues.
Level 7.0
Understanding
1. How many years ago did Martin Luther King, Jr. deliver his “I Have a Dream” speech? __________
________________________________________________________________________________
2. What is segregation? ______________________________________________________________
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3. Why do parents want a good education for their children? __________________________________
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4. What are two examples of segregation found in the reading? ________________________________
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5. What is an opportunity? ____________________________________________________________
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6. What was the peak decade of the civil rights movement? ___________________________________
7. What does the word inferior mean? ___________________________________________________
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8. What was Martin Luther King, Jr.’s dream? _____________________________________________
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Writing
Option A:
What did you learn about the civil rights work of Martin Luther King, Jr.?
Option B:
In your opinion, how much has the United States grown in the area of racial equality?
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