One comprehension strategy I've noticed I use often is to make predictions based on information I've already read and my understanding of text structure. Lately I've noticed this even more as I read work from ELL writers who have a harder time identifying the correct cues to add to their writing. I've also observed my students making predictions as I read to them during story time - some will predict based on pictures and others use past events in the story. I've been working with both my college-age ELLs and my young native speakers to help them anticipate what might happen (or how to signal to the reader what might happen) and then confirm their predictions, much like in Tompkins Directed Reading-Thinking Activity.
Also, when I read in Spanish, I'm much more likely to mentally or physically construct a graphic organizer to clarify what is happening, as Applegate, et. al recommend for "Politicians," students who answer questions with slogans that sound nice but aren't truly related to the question that was asked. For instance, to keep myself from forming only a passing understanding of the Buendía family in Gabriel García Márquez'Cien Años de Soledad (One Hundred Years of Solitude), I made a family tree identifying how characters were actually related and what nicknames were used for them. I haven't seen examples of this in my field placement, but I expect that I will as the year progresses and students begin reading more complex stories.
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I think your ability to make predictions is an excellent quality to have when working with ELL students! It’s great that you’re executing this skill in field as well. What other comprehension strategies do you see yourself using? I like that you’re constructing physical representations to facilitate your Spanish comprehension, too. This is a great self-monitoring device. Have you tried this with your ELL students? I imagine it would work well because art is a universal language. What other creative activities can you do to help students make predictions? Sometimes, do you think predicting can mislead students/lessen their motivation if their expectation is not satisfied?
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