6 - 8 Check and Line Method

Enhancing Reading Comprehension Through the Check and Line Method

Teacher: Renee Bacon

Grade Level: 6 – 8

Time Allotment: 30 minutes

Source:

Singleton, Cammie. (n.d.). Using the Check and Line Method to Enhance Reading Comprehension.

ReadWrtieThink. July 23, 2007.

http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view_printer_friendly.asp?id=164

Wisconsin’s Model for Academic Standards in Information and Technology Literacy:

• B.8.1 Define the need for information

• B.8.2 Develop information seeking strategies

• B.8.5 Record and organize information

• B.8.6 Interpret and use information to solve the problem or answer the question

• C.8.1 Pursue information related to various dimensions of personal well-being and
  academic success

• C.8.2 Appreciate and derive meaning from literature and other creative expressions of
  information

Goals

The goal of this lesson is to give students some tools they can use on their own to read more thoroughly, completely, and critically. Showing the students a way to actively read at their own pace will lead to their higher retention of knowledge from reading materials.

Student Objectives

Students will:

• Complete assigned reading

• Relate prior knowledge to the reading

• Comprehend the reading

• Retain new information
  

Resources

• Dictionary.com or a print version of dictionary

• Butcher paper or computer equipment for K-W-L chart

• Computers with Internet access

• Grade-appropriate article for assigned reading

• Interactive Stapleless Book (for extension)

• Pencil

Instructional Plan

Preparation

Before beginning this lesson, determine a reasonable amount of text for students to read independently. The assigned text should relate to the topic that you are currently teaching. Also, prepare and post up a sheet of butcher paper or a computer-generated spreadsheet for the K-W-L chart.

Instruction and Activities

1.	Begin the lesson with a whole-class discussion on how students can read textual information to assist them in understanding a new topic. (Lead students to understand that reading their texts can help them further understand the subject matter that teachers are required to cover during the course of the school year.)
2.	Relate this discussion of the purpose of reading texts to a current topic that you are covering in class.
3.	Point to a section of text related to the current topic and have students skim the selection. Ask them to point out what types of information are covered in the text. For example, some students may notice a graphic explanation, while others may point out the boldface definitions.
4.	Begin a K-W-L chart on the topic presented in the reading. Complete the first two columns by asking students, "What do you know about ?" and "What do you want to know about ?"
5.	Introduce the check and line method to students. As Dunn states, "This system allows students to monitor their comprehension line by line by placing a light pencil check in the marginal white space beside the line if they fully understand it and a dash or line if they do not. They then continue reading to the end of the paragraph and return to the lines that stumped them for rereading" (p.169). If students are still confused after rereading, they can seek help from an outside source such as a peer buddy, a teacher or parent, or a print or online resource, such as Dictionary.com. The key is for them to become mentally aware of their reading and learn how to monitor their own comprehension.
6.	Model the check and line method with a small section from the text to show students exactly how it works. When you finish going through the text the first time, introduce the acronym GMR, which stands for go back, motivate your brain, and reread. This method can be used as a reminder when returning to the "-" marks in the margins. Display the acronym and its meaning somewhere in the classroom where all students can easily see it from their desks.
7.	Assign students to independently read the remainder of the assigned text selection and apply the check and line method while reading. Circulate the room while students are reading to assist those students who are struggling or need further instruction. Make sure that students are also applying the GMR method, and encourage them to go back, motivate their brain, and reread the parts that they originally marked with a line. Assist students in using alternate resources or a peer buddy to clarify meaning.
8.	Return to a whole-class discussion and record the "L" section of the K-W-L chart by asking students "What did you learn about ?

Extensions

During the next class period, have students record any new information that they learned from the text using the interactive Stapleless Book. As part of their stapleless book, have students also reflect on how the check and line method helped them to learn and understand this new information. The printed version of the book serves as a good reference for student's later study, as well as an easy way for teachers to assess the student's comprehension of the reading and understanding of the check and line method.

Have students use the check and line and GMR methods when reading other content-area texts independently. Continued use of these methods will help students incorporate them as a standard practice when reading their texts.

Student Assessment/Reflections

• Teacher observation during whole-class discussion and independent reading

• Anecdotal records

• Stapleless Book to ensure that the student completed the reading and applied the check and line method

• Teacher-made test (fill in the blank, multiple choice, true/false, written response) following the reading to assess comprehension of the information