Appalachian State University / Boone, North Carolina



Instructional Strategies Resource List for Understanding Fiction

Character Quotes

Buehl, O. (2009). Classroom strategies for interactive learning. (3 ed., pp. 62-64). Newark, DE: Intl Reading Assn.

This strategy uses quotes from a character to learn more about their personality. After selecting a variety of revealing quotes, the teacher allows students to use come up character traits that would accurately describe the character whether it be fictional or a real life individual. Students should have opportunity to learn how multidimensional characters can be through the quotes selected by the teacher. Students can extend their learning by selecting additional quotes which contain insights into the character.

Since we are beginning our study of fiction and its different genres (realistic fiction, science fiction, and historical fiction) this strategy has applications for my sixth grade classroom. As part of this stud y, students will know how to attribute accurate character traits to a character. I could use the character quotes strategy to model an example from a book I will share with the whole class before reading. After a discussion about the strategy, I would ask students to choose quotes to match character traits of their main characters in the books they are reading independently.

Double-Entry Diaries

Buehl, O. (2009). Classroom strategies for interactive learning. (3 ed., pp. 79-81). Newark, DE: Intl Reading Assn.

Reader’s thoughts, feelings, connections, and questions are recorded on the right side of a vertical divide while the left side is used for specific information directly stated from the text. The strategy is used to help students monitor their comprehension of a text.

The first genre of fiction my students will be required to read is realistic fiction. Themes are a major component of this genre. I want my students to be able to identify themes and evidence from those themes to their novels. The Double-Entry Diary strategy will be an excellent way for my students to track their understanding of theme using specific examples from the text. The themes studied are friendship, cooperation, perseverance, honesty, kindness, compassion, responsibility, and courage. I will ask my sixth graders to record lines from their independent reading book they feel shows one of the themes studied on the left side of their notes and record why they think the quote is evidence of the particular theme.

Follow the Characters

Buehl, O. (2009). Classroom strategies for interactive learning. (3 ed., pp. 86-89). Newark, DE: Intl Reading Assn.

Using this strategy, readers analyze the elements of plot to determine the possible meaning and themes of a text. Students are asked to complete a Character Analysis Grid in which they follow the characters actions, thoughts and words, comments made by other characters, their role in the conflict, and the characters changes from the beginning to the end of the story. After examining the character and their changes, students are asked to make an inference about the author’s purpose and intended theme in the text.

Continuing thoughts about theme in my sixth grade classroom, this is another excellent way to have my students try to figure out the themes involved in their independent reading books. When students begin their second book, historical fiction, the Follow the Character’s strategy will be particularly useful when examining characters in historical context.

Quick-Writes

Buehl, O. (2009). Classroom strategies for interactive learning. (3 ed., pp. 141-142). Newark, DE: Intl Reading Assn.

This is a time for students to quickly write their thoughts and understandings about a topic on paper. Students are told a particular length of time in which they will have to informally write using a prompt to organize thoughts. This type of writing could be open ended or it could ask students to structure their thinking giving them a particular skill in which to write.

I have used this strategy many times in my reading classroom, but in thinking of how to use this strategy to help my students understand fiction is new to me. Independent reading is a focus in my diverse classroom this year. It may be interesting to ask my students to use key words related to a particular genre (realistic fiction for example) for their independent reading. Having students to write how they know their book is in fact realistic fiction using key phrases such as; events that could actually happen, true-to-life characters, and set in modern times.

Story Mapping

Buehl, O. (2009). Classroom strategies for interactive learning. (3 ed., pp. 141-142). Newark, DE: Intl Reading Assn.

This strategy provides a visual framework for students and can help them understand and remember a fictional text. After selecting a story with a simple story structure, the teacher will have students read the story. Each student will receive a blank Story Map for which they are responsible for filling. Students are asked to identify the who, what, when, where, why and how of the story.

When studying fiction, it is necessary to study the structure and story elements of fiction text. In order to make sure students understand this structure and the elements of plot, I am requiring they complete a plot map for all three works of fiction they are required to read independently. In doing this, the students will be able to monitor their comprehension and a common format and language will be provided enabling discussions with peers who are reading from different novels.

Talking Drawings

Wood, K. D., & Taylor, D. B. (2006). Literacy strategies across the subject areas. (2 ed., pp. 1-5). Boston, MA: Pearson Allyn and Bacon.

Prior knowledge is used in this strategy to improve comprehension and promote recall of text by creating mental images before and after reading. Students draw pictures of their mental images of a topic, character, or event before reading a selection and then discuss these with a partner. After reading a selection, the student selects another drawing that shows new information learned.

My sixth graders can use this strategy to extend their knowledge of theme and character. Before sharing a read aloud with students I could have them close their eyes and think about what someone who has courage might look like and have them draw that image. We would then discuss our hero drawings as a class. I could then read a book that has a protagonist who is an unlikely hero and have students develop a new drawing that represents the protagonist in the read aloud. Students could then write what changed from drawing one to drawing two. This lesson could also be an introduction to stereotypes.

Herringbone Technique

Wood, K. D., & Taylor, D. B. (2006). Literacy strategies across the subject areas. (2 ed., pp. 1-5). Boston, MA: Pearson Allyn and Bacon.

This strategy provides a structured outline to help students pay attention to important information in a text to help them organize for writing using this information. Students will follow six important questions Who? What? When? Where? Why? and How?

Main ideas are always difficult for students to pull. This becomes evident when I conference with them and ask them to tell me about their book. They choose to share some of the most insignificant details to share with me. Having my students complete the Herringbone Technique for their independent reading books would be an excellent way to structure our conference and is a way to ensure students are able to get the main idea from their independent reading.

Story Impressions

Wood, K. D., & Taylor, D. B. (2006). Literacy strategies across the subject areas. (2 ed., pp. 1-5). Boston, MA: Pearson Allyn and Bacon.

This strategy is used during the pre-reading stage of the lesson. Words (actions, themes, and main phrases) are pulled from a selection and presented in exactly the same order in which they appear in the story. Students use these key terms to predict the story line before reading. Students are encouraged to imagine and visualize the events and characters as key phrases are shared. Students are then asked to read the story and notice how key phrases were part of the plot.

This would be an excellent strategy for teaching students story structure and reiterating how the plot moves a story forward as well as an excellent tool for helping students understand sequence of events. After students are practiced at the structure of story impressions, my sixth graders would benefit from being able to pull these words and phrases from the text of their independent reading book. This could be an interesting assignment as well as center activity.

Hotseating

Wilhelm, E. D., & Wilhelm, E. (2002). Action strategies for deepening comprehension. (pp. 81-96). New York, New York: Teaching Resources.

Using this strategy, students are “put on the spot” at their ability to analyze characters, infer, elaborate, and think on their feet. The student assumes the role of a character and tells about that person as well as responds to questions and situations in that role. The other students can help to advise the character and connect the character’s situation to wider issues and suggest solutions to problems the character is facing. Hotseating brings characters to life since students become the character and therefore become part of the text.

This strategy would be excellent to adapt for literature circles. Having students choose a work of fiction to share with a group of readers automatically makes them more comfortable. I can see many of my students struggle to be “put in the hot seat” in front of the whole class. However, I think most of my students would enjoy this chance to role play in front of a small group of students reading the same book. I think I will use this strategy when we begin analyzing historical fiction since the historical context provides rich opportunities for questioning.

Tableaux

Wilhelm, E. D., & Wilhelm, E. (2002). Action strategies for deepening comprehension. (pp. 115-134). New York, New York: Teaching Resources.

This strategy utilizes visual and kinesthetic intelligences. It usually takes the form of a frozen scene or pose that captures a physical, psychological or emotional relationship it can include movement and speaking. Several scenes or poses could also be put together to form a type of slide show. This strategy helps students visualize the text and setting, scenes, situations, characters, relationships and meanings (subtext). Students first have to choose the story to share with an audience and then identify concepts or events that are important to the story. Students will then need to review the important ideas with the audience for each scene. Students will then work to find the best way to present these scenes visually that will communicate the important details to an audience.

I am excited to present this strategy to my sixth grade students. This is another excellent strategy to use in literature circles especially when books have a similar theme. Again, using this for historical fiction literature circles when we do our Word War Two study will help students share and learn about a variety of perspectives on the subject.

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