Guide
Name
DRTA (Directed Reading-Thinking Activity)
Description
DRTA is a comprehension strategy used to connect and guide readers through a text selection. The focus is on making predictions, formulating questions, and confirming or rejecting predictions and questions before, during, and after reading. Resources Class Checklist for Developing Inquiry Questions blm/ela/7/grade7p157 TBLM Comprehension Strategies for Narrative Text blm/ela/g/elablm76 SBLM Guiding Questions for Exploring a Book (K) blm/ela/k/guidingbook SBLM Guiding Questions for Exploring a Book Cover (K) blm/ela/k/guidingcover SBLM Previewing Questions blm/ela/g/elablm14 SI
Purposes
- [Statement] In order to plan for instruction and assessment think about your learners' needs and your goal. What is your purpose for using DRTA? [Cluster] - [Statement] To clarify and extend understanding (Clarify and Extend- Cluster 1.2): Students use DRTA to explain opinions and combine ideas about an assigned text. [Cluster] Cluster 1.2- Clarify and Extend - [Statement] To demonstrate ability to explore prior knowledge (Comprehending: Reading /Listening/Viewing- Cluster 2.1): Students seek connections between previous experiences, prior knowledge of texts, and the assigned text using step 1 and 2 of the DRTA. Strategy). [Cluster] Cluster 2.1- Comprehending: Reading/Listening/Viewing - [Statement] To demonstrate understanding of text forms (Comprehending: Reading /Listening/Viewing- Cluster 2.3): Students use step 3 of the DRTA Strategy to predict and ask questions about the characteristics of text forms before, during, and after reading. [Cluster] Cluster 2.3- Comprehending: Reading/Listening/Viewing - [Statement] To demonstrate responses to texts (Comprehending: Reading /Listening/Viewing- Cluster 2.2): Students use step 4 of the DRTA Strategy to develop the relationship between reading, thinking, and predicting when responding to text. [Cluster] Cluster 2.2- Comprehending: Reading/Listening/Viewing
Specific Learning Outcomes LICT Descriptors How To Do
- Set a purpose for reading. Activate students' prior knowledge by viewing pictures, titles, headings, and other cues in the reading selection. Elicit and record student predictions and questions about the content of the selection. Have students support predictions with reasons and evidence. Have students read a part of the selection to confirm or reject predictions and to answer questions by finding proof or supporting statements in the reading selection. Have students continue to read parts of the selection as outlined above until the reading selection is completed. Keeping the purpose for reading in mind, students review and modify their predictions, answering any remaining questions.
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Guide
Related Information
Use DRTA in content areas as a systematic process for approaching many kinds of text (e.g., oral, visual, media, print, etc.). Model the strategy process frequently with many types of fiction and non-fiction text. Use similar, familiar strategies to scaffold student learning (e.g., precede with BDA, etc.). Gradually release the responsibility for learning, considering how much support students need to develop skills before reading, during reading, and after reading.
Variations
BDA (Before, During, and After Reading) link to guide DLTA (Directed Listening-Thinking Activity) DLTA uses the DRTA format for viewing and listening purposes. DRA Directed Reading Activity is similar to DRTA but focuses on introducing vocabulary prior to reading to facilitate comprehension. New vocabulary is presented in written and oral contexts. The meaning of a word is determined and students note distinctive visual features that will help them to remember the word. No more than five words are presented at a time. Activities after reading are used to reinforce word recognition and meaning. During the silent reading phase, provide unknown and difficult words when asked, so reading may proceed. Later, plan appropriate activities to overcome the observed difficulties. Predict-Connect-Check link to info Pre-Reading Question Strips link to info QAR (Question-Answer Relationships) link to info
Assessment / Think Abouts
Record focused observations of predicting, setting purpose, confirming predictions, making inferences, and locating proof in text. Focused Observation Form blm/ela/kg/blm_5 TBLMFocused Observation Form Sample blm/ela/g/blm_5a TI Assess students' ability to use the process of DRTA independently when encountering unfamiliar text.
References
- Kindergarten to Grade 8 English Language Arts: A Foundation for Implementation, "Strategies that make a Difference" (pages 120-121)
Keywords
Š 2007 Manitoba Education, Citizenship and Youth Created with Curriculum Navigator, - Page 2 -