60 Strategies for Improving Reading Comprehension in Grades K-8

In her 40 years as an educator, Kathleen Feeney Jonson, Professor Emeritus, has been a teacher, taught director of staff development, principal, director of curriculum and instruction, and university faculty. She conducted numerous workshops for teachers and administrators on such topics as reading comprehension strategies, writing process, portfolio assessment, peer coaching, and beginning teacher assistance programs. Until her retirement in summer 2009, Jonson was professor of education and coordinator of the Master in Arts in Teaching Reading program at the University of San Francisco's School of Education. She published three books with Corwin Press, including The New Elementary Teacher's Handbook (1st edition 1997, 2nd edition 2001), Being an Effective Mentor: How to Help Beginning Teachers Succeed (1st edition 2002, 2nd edition 2007), and 60 Strategies for Improving Reading Comprehension in Grades K-8 (2006).

Preface About the Author Strategy 1: ABC Book Strategy 2: Anticipation Guide Strategy 3: Bio Poem Strategy 4: Book Box Strategy 5: Brainstorming Strategy 6: Bumper Stickers Strategy 7: Central Story Problem Strategy 8: Character Bag Strategy 9: Character Mapping Strategy 10: Creating Chapter Titles Strategy 11: Crossword Puzzle Strategy 12: Cubing Strategy 13: Directed Reading Thinking Activity Strategy 14: Double-Entry Journal Strategy 15: Exclusion Brainstorming Strategy 16: Fishbowl Strategy 17: Found Poem Strategy 18: Four-Corners Debate Strategy 19: Gallery Walk Strategy 20: Grand Conversation Strategy 21: Guided Imagery Strategy 22: Hot Seat Strategy 23: Interior Monologue Strategy 24: Jigsaw Strategy 25: K-W-L Chart Strategy 26: Learning Logs Strategy 27: Life Experience Strategy 28: Literacy Quilt Strategy 29: Literacy Sociogram Strategy 30: Literature Circles Strategy 31: Mind Mapping Strategy 32: Open Mind Character Analysis Strategy 33: Paired Retellings Strategy 34: Pick-A-Pal Strategy 35: Plot Profile Strategy 36: P-M-I Evaluation (Pluses-Minuses-Interesting Aspects) Strategy 37: Quaker Reading Strategy 38: Question-Answer Relationships Strategy 39: Questioning the Author Strategy 40: Quickwriting Strategy 41: Readers' Theater Strategy 42: Read-Pair-Share Strategy 43: Reciprocal Questioning (ReQuest) Strategy 44: Response Log Strategy 45: Semantic Mapping Strategy 46: Sketch-to-Stretch Strategy 47: SQ3R (Survey-Question-Read-Recite-Review) Strategy 48: Stop-and-React Strategy 49: Storyboard Strategy 50: Story Frame Strategy 51: Story Mapping Strategy 52: Story Prediction Guide Strategy 53: Story Pyramid Strategy 54: Summary Hand Strategy 55: Tableau Strategy 56: Tea Party Strategy 57: Think-Aloud Protocol Strategy 58: Think-of-Three Strategy 59: Venn Diagram Strategy 60: Yellow Stickies Resource I: Strategies Recommended by Grade Level Resource II: Elements Addressed Through Strategies Resource III: Strategies Used Before, During, and After Reading Resource IV: Meta-Strategies Addressed Index

"This book is a comprehensive, well organized guide to teaching reading comprehension. The clear, consistent layout of the lesson plans makes it easy for the teacher to locate and implement appropriate lessons quickly. The examples are very helpful and the templates allow a teacher to begin lessons immediately. The wide variety of lesson plans makes this guide truly useful for all grade levels." -- Myra Gamble, Reading Specialist "This is one of the most practical and comprehensive resources for teaching comprehension in the elementary classroom. It bridges the gap between theory and classroom practice. The 'what', 'why', 'when' and 'how' to teach is addressed in every lesson." -- Mary E. Niesyn, Elementary School Teacher & Literacy Consultant The practical ideas and clear explanations in this book will support our new and expierenced teachers create a strong comprehension component in their balanced literacy programs. The strategies will help students reach their highest potential in reading and writing comprehension. 60 Strategies for Improving Reading Comprehension in Grades K-8, is a gift for our teachers and students." -- Kathy Rosebrock, National Board Certified Teacher, New Teacher Coordinator "Finally, someone has written a practical book filled with easy-to-read comprehension strategies. I will definitely use this book with teachers in my district to teach about and review comprehension strategies. The section on 'How Can We Learn More' is also fantastic. Thank you, Kathleen Jonson." -- Hazel Brauer, Literacy Coordinator