I Used My Own Words! Paraphrasing Informational Texts

Overview

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From Theory to Practice

 

OVERVIEW

Paraphrasing helps students make connections with prior knowledge, demonstrate comprehension, and remember what they have read. Through careful explanation and thorough modeling by the teacher in this lesson, students learn to use paraphrasing to monitor their comprehension and acquire new information. They also realize that if they cannot paraphrase after reading, they need to go back and reread to clarify information. In pairs, students engage in guided practice so that they can learn to use the strategy independently. Students will need prompting and encouragement to use this strategy after the initial instruction is completed. The lesson can be extended to help students prepare to write reports about particular topics.

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FEATURED RESOURCES

• San Diego Zoo: Animal Bytes
  
  
• National Geographic Kids: Creature Features
  
  
• Australia Zoo: Amazing Animals

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FROM THEORY TO PRACTICE

Kletzien, S.B. (2009). Paraphrasing: An effective comprehension strategy. The Reading Teacher, 63(1), 73–77.

• Paraphrasing helps readers monitor their comprehension.
  
  
• Paraphrasing encourages readers to make connections with prior knowledge.
  
  
• Paraphrasing helps readers remember what they have read.

 

Pressley, M. (2000). Comprehension instruction in elementary school: A quarter-century of research progress. In B.M. Taylor, M.F. Graves, & P. van den Broek (Eds.), Reading for meaning: Fostering comprehension in the middle grades (pp. 32–51). New York: Teachers College Press; Newark, DE: International Reading Association.

• In effective strategy instruction, the teacher explains the purpose of the strategy, how to use it, and when and where to use it
  
  
• In effective strategy instruction, the teacher models strategy use for students and provides guided practice before expecting students to use the strategy independently.

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