Two strategies to improve reading in elementary school students

In recent years, studies have shown that Quebec students are lagging behind in reading compared to those in other provinces. Fortunately, the situation is improving, according to other studies! Question of doing our part, here are 2 strategies for improving reading.

A study conducted with Canadian students aged 4^e year of elementary school in 2011 (PIRLS) revealed that children read less well in Quebec than in the other provinces. That year, Quebec students even ranked second to last among all the provinces in terms of retrieving, interpreting and evaluating the information read. However, there are strategies that can help them better understand what they are reading and thereby improve their deficiencies. Here are two examples.

Reciprocal teaching

This strategy connects several students. The teacher divides the class into sub-groups that share their tasks. In each group there is a discussion guide, a person asking questions, etc. For this strategy, each group member tries to predict the upcoming reading and everyone discusses it. After reading, the guide ask questions, thus making it possible to exchange and analyze what has been read. Another student may ask questions about the meaning of certain words or even want to clarify more complex words. At the end of these discussions (and before continuing with the next reading), the guide quickly summarizes the part analyzed and the same process is repeated from section to section.

This strategy encourages interactive communication, the flow of information. The understanding of the text is then built during the whole process of reciprocal teaching, namely reading, questioning and group exchanges.

The transfer of responsibility from the teacher to the student

This alternate reading strategy is actually an isolated strategy, in that it applies to one student at a time. To explain it to the students, the teacher can even take himself as an example. He then shows them the attitude to recommend before, during and after reading. He mentions to them that he sets himself goals and goes over the text before reading, that he asks himself questions and makes sure to clarify his understanding of the text while reading to finally assess his objectives and summarize his ideas at the end of the reading. the activity. Then, the teacher invites the students to apply the method using a short text, in order to make them more independent in reading.

Obviously, these are simple and seemingly banal little things, but which will bring great benefits to the students. Fortunately, the 2013 report of the Pan-Canadian Assessment Program (PCAP) observed that between 2010 and 2013, there was a significant increase in reading scores across Canada, particularly in Quebec.