Inquiry-mindedness - The Critical Thinking Consortium

TEXT/VISUALSTRATEGYTEACHER RESOURCE #2Previewinganticipating the content of text before reading and accessing prior knowledge to create a mindsetfor readingObjectives: • Identify the major text features that provide clues about the content;• Anticipate the possible content of a piece of informational text prior to reading;• Understand the value of previewing informational text prior to reading.Use the following activities to introduce this strategy.Introducethe strategy➤➤➤➤Print the names of several movies relevant to students on the board. Ask students which of theones they have not already seen they would choose to see and why. Point out that students alreadyknow something about these movies, for example, the content, genre, actors, director, and music.Ask students the value of knowing something beforehand about a movie. Point out that moviesegments called “trailers” are also called “previews.”Explain to students that just as it is helpful to know something beforehand about a movie, it is alsohelpful to anticipate or know something about a book chapter or article before reading it. Explainthat “previewing” is a strategy that helps you get ready to read.Practisethe strategy➤➤Ask students what they think would be involved in previewingtext. What would they look at and what would they look for?Record students’ ideas on the board.Text sampleFrom: Looking at We ather by David Suzuki with Barbara Hehner.ACTIVITY SHEET #2A ELEMENTARY➤➤➤➤Distribute a copy of Text sample (Activity Sheet #2A EL-EMENTARY or SECONDARY) to each pair of students.Model the strategy by talking through the preview processand verbalizing your thoughts and connections (thinkaloud).Sample “think aloud” for ELEMENTARY STU-DENTS: “I notice there are two headings. One tellsme the unit and the other tells me what themes arein the unit. It looks like there will be a number ofthemes in each unit. What do I know about thistopic already?”Sample “think aloud” for SECONDARY STU-DENTS: “I notice there are two headings. One tellsme the unit and the other is the theme. It looks likethere will be a number of themes in this unit.The unit is 1922–1938. What do I knowabout this already?”Provide students with a copy of Previewingtext (Activity Sheet #2B). Suggest to studentsthe following criteria they can use to assesseffective previewing: notices lots of informationfrom a variety of clues; connects relevantprior knowledge to the content; clearly summarizeswhat the text might be about. Invitestudents individually or with a partner tofinish previewing the sample text.ACTIVITY SHEET #2BTools for Thought 2008-09:3 14 © The Critical Thinking ConsortiumTitleHeading andSubheadsVisual aidsChapter summary,conclusion or introductionTools for Thought 2008-09:3 15 © The Critical Thinking ConsortiumText features Observations Thinking: What relevant priorknowledge do I have? Whatdo I wonder?Hypothesis about the text. What main ideas, themes, perspectives will the text contain?Previewing textACTIVITY SHEET #2A SECONDARYText sampleTools for Thought 2008-09:3 16 © The Critical Thinking ConsortiumTools for Thought 2008–09:3 12 © The Critical Thinking Consortium