Introduction to Summarizing

How Can I Support Students in Summarizing Text?

Use of Evidence-Based Practices

• Provide Clear Explanations
• Give Students Strategies and Models
• Provide Opportunities for Practice

Differentiated Instruction

• Plan instruction that considers students' readiness, learning needs, and interests.
• Use a range of technology tools to:
• engage learners at varying levels
• engage learners in multiple ways.
• offer students options for demonstrating understanding and mastery

Teacher-Dependent Ways to Differentiate

• By Content
• Different levels of reading or resource materials, reading buddies, small group instruction, curriculum compacting, multi-level computer programs and Web Quests, audio materials, etc.
• By Product
• Activity choice boards, tiered activities, multi-level learning center tasks, similar readiness groups, choice in group work, varied journal prompts, mixed readiness groups with targeted roles for students, etc.
• By Process
• Tiered products, students choose mode of presentation to demonstrate learning, independent study, varied rubrics, mentorships, interest-based investigations

Student-Dependent Ways to Differentiate

• By Readiness
• Options in content, topic, or theme, options in the tools needed for production, options in methods for engagement
• By Profile
• Consideration of gender, culture, learning styles, strengths, and weaknesses
• By Interests
• Identification of background knowledge/gaps in learning, vary amount of direct instruction, and practice, pace of instruction, complexity of activities, and exploration of a topic

Discussion Questions 2

• How do you explain summarizing to your students?
• Do you build practice in summarizing into your ongoing reading instruction?
• Over time, how could you increase the complexity of the reading materials that students have to summarize?