Developing Meaning when Reading with ELL/ESL Students
Tobey Bassoff

When reading a book, a quick way to increase student success in discovering the meaning of the story is to have the student read a short passage and then tell you the main idea of what was just read. If the story has just a sentence or two on a page, the student can read that page. If the passage is a bit longer, you can break it up into manageable chunks.  

As the students read, you will find that they will want to use the book to support them when they retell. Let them do this for the first couple of times you use this new strategy. Then, tell them that you're going to challenge them by having them turn the book over, or cover up the text with their arm, so that the picture is still visible; then have them tell about the page or the passage. This strategy forces students to really think about what they're reading as they read. It’s a great strategy for them to use when they reach more advanced levels. 

Good Luck and Happy Reading!

Questions or comments? E-mail Tobey.