Reading to collect information is a different strategy than reading literature. Use this tried method that is adjustable to teacher, to students, to time, and to resources. Best to start the School Year with this routine.

1. Teaching Reading
within
Subject Content Areas
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2. Reading to collect information
requires a different thought process
than reading literature for enjoyment…

3. Reading to collect information
requires a cognitive process
that begins before decoding text…

4. SQRRR
Reading to Collect Information
PRE-READING
Survey… 1-5 minutes with collective oral participation;
Question… 1-5 minutes with collective, oral participation;
preRead …3 minutes if collective, guided

5. SQRRR
Teacher determines
appropriate allotment of time for:
traditional Reading
Reciting
Reviewing

6. Appropriate Time
is determined by
Length of material vs. students’ abilities;
Critical nature of the content vs. students’ level of independence;
Density of content material or level of vocabulary;
Clock and calendar time.

7. Once the SQRRR method
is routine in your classroom,
you may accelerate the process
and encourage students to work more independently.

8. Step One
Survey
Get students’ minds
set on the topic

9. Students survey the features in the target text:
Have students check out
the pictures, maps, charts, drawings,
bold print words, titles, subtitles,
captions, timelines, etc…

10. “Check out”
means to label, to name, to list,
to talk about, to stare at, to point to…

11. Dependent upon teacher style,
the time available, student momentary need…
determine this activity to be:
written or verbal,
independent or partnered,
90 seconds or 5 minutes…

12. Choose
Written if you need student accountability and classroom calm.
Verbal if you need students to model for each other or to conjure enthusiasm.
Independent if this is students’ first time so you can see they each “get it”.
Partner when students need social or talk time, but need to stay on target.
Quick survey time if time is short or if students are already engaged.
Belabor time to lock in the skill, and to streamline the theme and topic.

13. Remember…
The purpose of the
SURVEY
is to establish the students’ mindset…

14. Step Two
Question
Magnetize
students’ minds
to collect information.

15. Build student curiosity about upcoming
reading and information.
Have students…
…show each other what is most interesting.
…ask questions about what they see.
…tell what they see that makes them curious.

16. Curiosity is education’s natural fuel…
You want students to remain curious.
Curiosity magnetizes the student mind…
Readies the mind to collect information.

17. Remember…
the purpose of
QUESTION/CURIOSITY
is to build engagement

18. Once curiosity engages…
QUICK!
Use student curiosity to move forward.

19. Step Three
Read
Reading includes decoding of text
AND following the pattern of text organization
as students absorb the
vocabulary, information, and concepts.

20. At first,
Instruct the students to read only
the introduction,
the summary,
the lesson questions.

21. (Introductions and summaries
include almost 80%
of the critical information.)

22. The lesson’s
questions and culmination activities
forewarn students
what they need to remember
from the reading.

23. Reading now has purpose.
Desire to read has been piqued.
Reading itself has momentum.

24. Assign limited sections of independent reading
OR
Include all students in guided reading or
guided note-taking
Decide how students will record or collect information.

25. Independent reading can be assigned
in sections, with a finite purpose,
with momentary deadlines,
with or without a graphic organizer.

26. Supported
Reading
Assists
acquisition of content information
and concept formation.

27. Remember…
READING
is for collecting target information.

28. Step Four
Recite
Students recite
what they know
via teacher prescribed
questions and assignments.

29. Teacher prescribes
a focus on core objectives,
allotting ample time
and the appropriate materials
that accommodate the modality preferences of students.

30. “Modality” refers to any of
the five senses or the emotional sense used to intake information,
multiple media used in presenting information, and
multiple methods or modes allowed to record learned information.

31. Remember…
RECITE
is the critical opportunity
for students to synthesize and process
the information that is being learned.

32. Step Five
Review
review,
reread,
revisit
as necessary.

33. Instruct students to self-evaluate
what they have done and not done
toward learning the forewarned objectives
and where their work qualifies
on the grading rubric, so far…
and if they want to improve their grade.

34. Teacher prescribes that students…
…compare what they know to what they still need to find out.
…compare what information they have to what they still need to find out.
…decide how and where and when to find the missing information.
…decide when and how they will study.

35. Review
is the last opportunity
for students
to gather and process information.
Remember…

36. SQRRR + EECH !
The effective teacher completes the learning sequence:
Examine
Enrich
Celebrate
Highlight

37. EXAMINE
Schedule an exam while the information is still fresh.
Use an exam that allows expression of multiple student modalities.
Clarify the appropriate and correct answers ASAP after the exam.
Correct and distribute exams ASAP.

38. ENRICH
Extend and explore the information as found in the students’ world…
Add to experience in the senses: add food, add art, add culture…
Assign a culmination project: a report, a play, a commercial…
Keep the emotions in the positive realm!

39. CELEBRATE
Congratulate students on their learning.
Speak in terms of what they did that was appropriate and on target…
(Ignore the other stuff…)
Be specific about the behaviors and activity that promoted success.

40. HIGHLIGHT
Highlight student work…in your room, in the hall, in the office…
Highlight your satisfaction with products, efforts,
Highlight any approximation of task…
Highlight positive comments heard in class and out during the process…
Highlight the positive momentum and positive emotions…

41. SQRRR+EECH
Student Learning Activities:
Survey Question Read  Recite  Review
Teacher have-to- build-classroom-culture Activities:
Examine  Enrich  Celebrate Highlight

42. Congratulations!
You have reached a SQRRREECHing Halt!

43. Ten Minutes of Information
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Teaching Reading within Subject Content Areas
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