Thinking Strategically: Using Strategic Questions and Techniques

When reading a book I ask myself a lot of questions in an effort to better understand a storyline. "In what time period was the book written and what is the author's background? Did the author have an agenda? Knowing these things helps me to understand why an author has written the way he or she has. Sometimes, depending on the book, I try to put myself into the story. Doing that helps me see it from a firsthand point of view and I can know the characters better. If I'm reading something for school, I also ask myself to read it aloud or to re-read, and that also seems to help.
        ―Home-schooled high school student

Students in Ann Ballinger's fifth grade class were asked about the strategies they use in reading. Below are some of their responses. Their answers include references to a list entitled "Strategic Thoughts and Questions" that hangs in their classroom. You can see the list at the end of Ann Ballinger's article, "Using Strategic Thoughts and Questions―A Great Antidote."

The strategies help me understand the stories because they give me an idea of what to ask about the story or to think what will happen next in the story.

It helps us understand the story by being able to predict what's going to happen later in the story. It's better when we can connect to the story or visualize what we read in our heads.

I use notes and I look back in the book to help me find my answer. I also memorize the most important parts and not the small details. I use connections when there is a word in the sentence and I can find similes that help me to compare to something else.

We visualize and connect ourselves by imagining ourselves in the story, in the position of the character that symbolizes us.

I reread to find out more about something I don't understand. When Miss Ballinger asks us questions about the story she is having us make connections and helps us to predict about what would happen next in the story.

The strategies help me visualize the story a lot better and help me understand the story. They make me want to go on in the story.

When the teachers use connections I can understand a story more clearly. Visualizing helps me too because when I picture something I can think what it would be like in illustrations. Rereading helps too if I did not understand and predicting allows me to think what will happen next.

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