Clarification


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40 Best-practices
Instructional Strategies
Procedures: Help students learn how to clarify information by asking questions: “What do you think the author meant when he/she wrote....” “What do you think the word, meant in this paragraph/selection?” “How was the word, used in this paragraph?”

Examples: Words with multiple meanings can often confuse a reader. In manatee selections, some students may be confused by the use of the word, run, based on their background knowledge. Asking questions that encourage students to identify how a word is used in a selection helps clarify information to build understanding.

Variations: Use clarification questions before reading to connect with students’ prior knowledge about a topic and related vocabulary. Use clarification questions during a revisit session to help students go back through a text. Invite them to underline confusing words or sentences. Have students pose clarification questions to solve their comprehension dilemmas: “What does this word mean?” “I don’t get this part. What is the author trying to say in this paragraph?”

Reading Strategies: Identify Main Ideas and Support Details, Summarize Information, Paraphrase Ideas, Synthesize Information, Make Generalizations, Make Connections, Build Vocabulary, Draw Conclusions, Activate Prior Knowledge