Many assessments used today check reading comprehension by asking students to summarize text. Students often score poorly on questions that require summarization, not because of their lack of comprehension, but because they have never been explicitly taught how to write a summary.

 

Give your students some practice in this important skill using the following read-aloud books.

 

Raising Dragons by Jerdine Nolen lends itself easily to summarizing fiction since it has a distinct beginning, middle and end.

Use the three-part topic sentence that identifies the book or article and states the big idea of the story (Name it, Verb it, Big Picture). Allow students five jot dots for the body of their summary. With fiction, put a "B" (Beginning) by the first dot, an "E" (Ending) by the last dot, and an "M" (middle) by the other three dots. Following the Rule of 5, have students fill in the first and last dot, then the middle dots. Filling in the "B" and "E" dots first really helps struggling students. 

If you have English language learners in your class, be sure they turn and talk it through using their plan before they begin to write. Actually, this oral rehearsal is a good idea for all students.

One more thing before they begin to write - have them take a second look at the Big Picture part of their topic sentence. By the time students have completed their summary planner, they often can articulate the big picture more clearly and concisely. Let them go back and revise that part.

For Level 1 writers, Piggy and Dad Go Fishing by David Martin is a good choice, using only one middle "M" jot dot. This book is easily summarized and fun to read aloud.

 

Sincerely,