Specific

Think Literacy Strategy

 R

W

O

Brief Explanation

Location in various Think Literacy Documents

1    A-B-C Brainstorm

Information and Template

W

O

Using letters of the alphabet, students brainstorm as many ideas relating to a topic as possible.

1    Adding Content: Pass It On!

W

(Generating Ideas)    Designed to provide students feedback before their first draft.  Students exchange their brainstorming and notes to help them draw out more details for their rough draft.

TLC-CA p. 104

H.& P.E. Gr.7-10, p.80

Fam. St. Gr.9,10, p.44, 66

H.& P.E. Gr.11,12, p.44

Int. Lang. L1,2. p.134

Rel. St. Gr.7-12, p.56

Vis.Arts Gr.9-12, p.46

1    Adding Details

W

(Developing and Organizing Ideas)    Ask questions to support and elaborate on main ideas from a first draft of a piece of writing. 

TLC-CA p.118

English Gr. 10-12, p.42

H.& P.E. Gr.11,12, p.32

Int. Lang. L1,2. p.174

Rel. St. Gr.7-12, p.70

1    Affinity

R

In this activity, students find similarities, or affinities, by brain-storming details from a reading, and then work as a team to organize the details by main ideas.

1    Analyzing Features of a Text

R

Familiarize the main features of a textbook with attention to organization patterns.  Develop strategies to locate information.

TLC-CA p.16

H.& P.E. Gr.11,12, p.12

Math Gr. 7-9, p.6

Math Gr.10-12, p.8

Rel. St. Gr.7-12, p.12

Science Gr.9P, p.125

1    Anticipation Guide

R

A type of study guide that forecasts the major ideas of a passage through use of statements that activate students' thoughts and opinions.  Includes strategies to “Develop Keyword and Search Plans.”

TLC-CA p.20

Fam. St. Gr.9,10, p.2, 14

H.& P.E. Gr.7-10, p.10

Library Gr.7-9, p.12

Math Gr. 7-9, p.10

Rel. St. Gr.7-12, p.4

Technology Gr. 9, p.50

1          Asking Questions to Revise Writing

W

(Revising and Editing)    Students ask each other questions and provide specific feedback about other students’ writing.  A sense of personal responsibility for one’s writing is gained.  Includes strategies of writing with precision (improving clarity) and approaches to spelling (spelling reminders).  Strategies include “Sentence Starters,” “Modeled Writing” and “The Verb To Be.”

TLC-CA p.128

English Gr.7-9, p.44. 48

English Gr. 10-12, p.46, 50, 56

Fam. St. Gr.9,10, p.74

H.& P.E. Gr.7-10, p.92

Math Gr. 7-9, p.82

1    Both Sides Now

R

(Making Judgements)  Students read, review and reflect on a text before asking significant questions.

TLC-CA p.74

H.& P.E. Gr.7-10, p.42

1          Cause/Effect    (or Problem / Solution)

R

Helps students see connections between causes and their effects and/or problems and their solutions.

1    Chunking the Text

R

Breaking the text into smaller, manageable sections by sense, by numbering, by drawing boxes.

1    Cloze Procedure

R

W

This activity makes predictions about words. Selected words are left out of a text so the reader uses various cueing systems to predict the missing words.

1    Comparison-Contrast Charts

RW

A way to compare 2 or more concepts by looking at similarities and differences.

1    Concept Map

R

A graphic organizer that helps students learn key concepts and develop new vocabulary. Students learn meaning of terms from their text by asking questions about the terms to find meaning, details, comparisons, and characters in the text. The maps then serve as study guides and memory aids.

TLC-CA p.48

Bus. St. Gr.9-10, p.12

Fam.St. Gr.9,10, p.22,26

H.& P.E. Gr.11,12, p.12

Int. Lang. L1,2. p.38

Math Gr.10-12, p.16

Rel. St. Gr.7-12, p.24

Vis.Arts Gr.9-12, p.88

1    Cornell

R

A graphic organizer that helps students identify the main idea and important details from a reading. It's also a way to take notes on reading assignments and to use in reviewing for tests or class discussion.

1    Determining Key Ideas

O

(Small-Group Discussions)    Students work individually to determine three to five key ideas.  In pairs, they share ideas and streamline them to a list of two to four.  Finally, they find another pair and streamline to one or two ideas.  Can also be achieved through “Concept Attainment using Data” strategy.

TLC-CA p.168

English Gr. 10-12, p.84

Fam. St. Gr.9,10, p.78

H.& P.E. Gr.11,12, p.42, 78

Vis.Arts Gr.9-12, p.50

1    Directed Reading/ Thinking Activity

R

The DR/TA is similar to a K-W-L but has four sections. The first 3 are filled out before reading (What I Know, What I Think I Know, What I Think I'll Learn), the fourth is done after reading (What I Know I Learned).

1    Discussion Etiquette

O

(Whole-Class Discussions)    Students work together to form a list of rules for discussion etiquette to ensure shared ownership of the classroom environment.

TLC-CA p.176

F.S.L. Int. Core, p.2

H.& P.E. Gr.7-10, p.132

H.& P.E. Gr.11,12, p.60

Rel. St. Gr.7-12, p.118

1    Discussion Web

O

(Small-Group Discussions)     Share in pairs and build to larger groups.  Web provides practice in reading, writing and speaking.

TLC-CA p.172

Bus. St. Gr.9-10, p.62

Bus. St. Gr.11, p.20

H.& P.E. Gr.7-10, p.128

H.& P.E. Gr.11,12, p.56

1    Face-to-Face

O

(Small-Group Discussions)    Peer-learning exercise where students discuss then write.  Also referred to as “Speaker’s Corner.”

English Gr. 10-12, p.80

Tea.-Lib. Gr.7-9, p.24

1    Finding and Supporting the Main Idea

W

(Developing and Organizing Ideas)    Students learn to select the better of two main ideas to use as a topic sentence in an informational paragraph.

TLC-CA p.112

English Gr.7-9, p.38

Fam. St. Gr.9,10, p.48

1    Finding Signal Words and Organizational Patterns

R

Identify signal words and phrases and their purpose in order to make connections between reading and writing tasks in   texts.

TLC-CA p.24

English Gr. 10-12, p.2, 6

Fam. St. Gr.9,10, p.10

Int. Lang. L1,2, p.20

Library Gr.7-9, p.12

Math Gr. 7-9, p.16

1    Fishbone (or Herringbone)

R

O

A graphic organizer strategy that helps students identify and organize relationships between causes and effects. The key event (or the effect) is the "head" of the fishbone, and the causes of the event make up the "bones" or categories.

English Gr. 10-12, p.60

1    Fishbowl Activity

O

A method of class discussion over readings or topics.

1    Four Corners

O

(Whole-Class Discussions)    Students individually consider an issue and then move to the corner of the room with students who share the same opinion.  For example, the room is divided into corners of strongly agree, agree, disagree, strongly disagree.

TLC-CA p.182

Bus. St. Gr.9-10, p.66

Bus. St. Gr.11, p.14, 20

Fam. St. Gr.9,10, p.80, 130

F.S.L. Int. Core, p.18

H.& P.E. Gr.7-10, p.138

H.& P.E. Gr.11,12, p.86

Math Gr. 7-9, p.106

Math Gr.10-12, p.72, 78

Rel. St. Gr.7-12, p.122

Vis.Arts Gr.9-12, p.84

1    Frayer Model

R

A graphic organizer which contains four compartments for recording information related to a concept. The four are: essential characteristics nonessential characteristics, examples, and non-examples.

Math Gr. 7-9, p.38

Math Gr.10-12, p.22

1    Gist

W

The task is to write a summary of the problem in 12 words or less. The student identifies the 12 most important words needed to solve the problem. The words capture the "gist" of the problem.

1    Graffiti

R

(Reacting to Reading)    A collaborative learning strategy where each group of students has a different colour marker and writes their answer on chart papers with questions placed around the classroom.

TLC-CA p.66

English Gr. 10-12, p.28

H.& P.E. Gr.11,12, p.18

Int. Lang. L1,2. p.98

Math Gr.10-12, p.26

Rel. St. Gr.7-12, p.32

1    Graphic Organizers

RW

A way of visually organizing information. Can take many forms, depending on the topic and purpose.

Science Gr.9,10, p.22, 40

1    Group Roles

O

(Small-Group Discussions)    Divided into groups, students gather around a piece of chart paper and share ideas to discover common elements.

TLC-CA p.162

F.S.L. Int. Core, p.8

H.& P.E. Gr.7-10, p.112

H.& P.E. Gr.11,12, p.50

Rel. St. Gr.7-12, p.106

Tea.-Lib. Gr.7-9, p.18

Technology Gr. 9, p.64

1    I Read/I Think/ Therefore

R

(Drawing Conclusions)  Students use a graphic organized to read one or more texts to analyse, infer and draw conclusions.

TLC-CA p.70

H.& P.E. Gr.11,12, p.24

Rel. St. Gr.7-12, p.36

1    Identifying Most / Least Important Ideas and Information

R

Unblocking information presented in a text, separating and representing the information in an alternative format  (ie. Creating a visual representation)

TLC-CA p.44

Bus. St. Gr.11, p.2

Fam. St. Gr.9,10, p.10, 32

H.& P.E. Gr.7-10, p.26

Math Gr. 7-9, p.44

Science Gr.9,10, p.18

1    Inquiry Charts (I-Charts)

R

Students examine multiple sources of information and use data charts to record what they know, what they want to know, and what they found from their readings. It allows students to get information from multiple sources and organize it for summary, comparison, and evaluation.

1    Jigsaw

O

(Small-Group Discussions)    Pieces or topics of study are researched and learned by students within groups and then put together in the form of peer teaching between groups.

Bus. St. Gr.9-10, p.56

Bus. St. Gr.11, p.14

Fam. St. Gr.9,10, p.114

F.S.L. Int. Core, p.26

H.& P.E. Gr.7-10, p.122

H.& P.E. Gr.11,12, p.82

Rel. St. Gr.7-12, p.114

Vis.Arts Gr.9-12, p.102

1    K-W-L Chart

R

An instructional strategy to find out what the students know, what they want to know, and ultimately what they have learned as a result of their study.

Math Gr.10-12, p.52

1    Learning Logs

W

(Journal Writing) A way for students to reflect on what they read, discussed or experienced by writing in a notebook short responses to a question or topic presented.

Math Gr.7-9, p.90

Math Gr.10-12, p.34, 40, 56

1    Marking the text

R

Highlighting, underlining and/or annotating the text to focus students on reading for specific purposes.

1    Minute Paper

R

Students have one minute to write on significant points, unanswered questions, and new connections from reading. A good way to focus students to see what they have learned about major concepts and to make text-to-self and text-to-world connections.

1    Mix and Mingle 

O

(Small-Group Discussions)    Enjoyable way to introduce a new concept by having students consider different pieces of connecting text in order to determine predictions, key ideas and connections.

English Gr.7-9, p.56

1    Pairs Read

R

Helps students summarize main points and details from reading. A student takes turns with a partner reading aloud, then the other student paraphrases what was just heard.

1    Paraphrasing

R

A strategy to improve recall of main ideas and specific facts. Students read a short passage and rephrase the content, including main ideas and specific facts, in their own words.

1    Peer Editing

W

(Revising and Editing)    Students engage in important conversations about how a piece of writing is being constructed and whether it’s achieving its purpose.

TLC-CA p.132

Fam. St. Gr.9,10, p.78

H.& P.E. Gr.7-10, p.98

H.& P.E. Gr.11,12, p.38, 60

Library Gr.7-9, p.28

Math Gr. 7-9, p.86

1    Place Mat

O

(Small-Group Discussions)   A group of students gather around a piece of chart paper and right their own reflections on the edge of the paper.  Common elements between individuals are then written in the middle of the chart paper to represent the group’s thoughts and ideas.

TLC-CA p.170

English Gr. 10-12, p.106

Fam. St. Gr.9,10, p.74

F.S.L. Int. Core, p.22

H.& P.E. Gr.7-10, p.116

H.& P.E. Gr.11,12, p.66

Math Gr. 7-9, p.102

Math Gr.10-12, p.66

Rel. St. Gr.7-12, p.110

1    Point, Proof, Comment

W

(Supporting the Main Idea)    Students learn how to choose details to support chosen ideas for a topic sentence.

TLC-CA p.112

English Gr.7-9, p.38

1    Presentation Modelling

O

Teachers model both effective and ineffective presentations for clear definition.  Designed to help students plan an oral presentation.

TLC-CA p.194

Bus. St. Gr.9-10, p.70

F.S.L. Int. Core, p.30

H.& P.E. Gr.7-10, p.152

Library Gr.7-9, p.32

Rel. St. Gr.7-12, p.126

Technology Gr. 9, p.72

1    Previewing a Text

R

Examine and discuss the layout and features of a textbook.

TLC-CA p.8

Bus. St. Gr.11, p.2

Fam. St. Gr.9,10, p.2, 6

H.& P.E. Gr.7-10, p.2

H.& P.E. Gr.11,12, p.8

Math Gr. 7-9, p.2

Rel. St. Gr.7-12, p.8

Tea.-Lib. Gr.7-9, p.2

Vis.Arts Gr.9-12, p.38,56

1    Pro/Con Chart

RW

An organizer for looking at both sides of a persuasive topic.

English Gr. 10-12, p.98

1          Proofreading Without Partners

W

(Revising and Editing)    Students build independence as writers as they develop strategies to proofread their own work.  “Reading Backwards” one word as a time, for example, helps students identify one word at a time any difficulties or spelling errors.  Reading front to back slowly is a final step.

TLC-CA p.136

Fam. St. Gr.9,10, p.56

1    Questioning (QAR and Recipricol Teaching)

General Information

R

Question-Answer-Relationships is a strategy designed to clarify the questioning process. Four levels of questions are used: “Right There”, “Think and Search”, “Author and You”, and “On My Own”. Reciprocal teaching helps students monitor their reading comprehension, practice and internalize four cognitive strategies important to reading: questioning, summarizing, predicting, and clarifying.

1    Questioning the Author

R

Helps students examine how well an author has communicated his/her ideas.

1    Questions Only

R

Students formulate questions to guide reading.

1    R.A.F.T.S.

W

Stands for Role, Audience, Format and Topic. Asks students to take on a role as a writer, speaker, and/or to problem solve. Makes Text-to-world connections to show understanding of reading.

English Gr.7-9, p.32

1    Rapid Writing

W

(Generating Ideas)  A timed brainstorming activity to set students ideas into motion.

TLC-CA p.98

Bus. St. Gr.9-10, p.28 Bus. St. Gr.11, p.12, 14

Fam. St. Gr.9,10, p.40, 60

Int. Lang. L1,2. p.126

Rel. St. Gr.7-12, p.64

1    Read Aloud

R

Builds fluency and a shared repertoire of stories, poems, songs, etc. as students participate in partner-reading with larger bodies of text.

English Gr.7-9, p.28

Tea.-Lib. Gr.7-9, p.6

1    Reader’s Theatre

O

Interactive strategy that provides multiple opportunities to improve oral skills via practice of non-verbal communication skills combined with speaking.  Attention to “Speaking for a Specific Audience” is applicable.

English Gr. 10-12, p.122, 126, 130, 140

1    Reading Between the Lines

R

(Inference, Prediction, Visualization, Summarizing)  Deciding what is most important in a text and putting it in your own words.  Includes “Reacting To Reading,” “Syntax Surgery” and “Rereading for Meaning” strategies.

TLC-CA p.40

Bus. St. Gr.9-10, p.8

English Gr.7-9, p.2, 8,14

English Gr. 10-12, p.20

Fam.St. Gr.9,10, p. 20, 24, 36,40

Int. Lang. L1,2. p.66, 80

Library Gr.7-9, p.18

Rel. St. Gr.7-12, p.20

1    Reading Circles 

O

(Small-Group Discussions)    Students are divided into small groups, each is assigned a specific role to carry out during small-group discussions.

English Gr.7-9, p.64

1    Reading Different Text Forms

R

(Informational, Graphical, Literary, Instructions)  Familiarizing oneself with the elements and features of informational texts.  Explore a process for reading informational texts using a range of activities before, during and after reading.

TLC-CA p.80-92

Bus. St. Gr.9-10, p.24

Bus. St. Gr.11, p.2, 8

Fam. St. Gr.9,10, p.30, 36, 44, 48, 54

Geography Gr.9, p.2,12, 24, 28, 34, 42, 50

H.& P.E. Gr.7-10, p.48,60

H.& P.E. Gr.11,12, p.18, 30

Rel.St. Gr.7-12,p.40,49,52

Science Gr.9P, p.125,131, 137

Science Gr.9,10, p.32, 40

Tea.-Lib. Gr.7-9, p.14

Vis.Arts Gr.9-12, p.44, 60, 76, 92

1    Reciprocal Teaching

R

(Summarize, Question, Clarify, Predict)   Students work together or individually to understand the content of a selection. Students take on roles as summarizer, questioner, clarifier or predictor.

1    Rock Around the Clock

R

Helps students focus on the main idea, significant points, new insights and key terms in reading. Students work in teams to read then prepare a presentation for the class on their findings.

1    Save the Last Word for Me 

O

(Small-Group Discussions)    Students consider the important ideas in a body of text.  Then, they come together in smaller groups to share and discover common elements.

English Gr.7-9, p.60

1    Semantic / Mapping / Word Sort

R

A visual tool that helps readers activate and draw on prior knowledge, recognize important components of different concepts, and see the relationships among these components.

1    Setting the Context: What Do My Readers Want to Know?

R

(Generating Ideas)  Anticipating information that readers need to know, imagining and considering possible questions that may need to be addressed for an intended audience.

TLC-CA p.102

H.& P.E. Gr.7-10, p.74 H.& P.E. Gr.11,12, p.26

Library Gr.7-9, p.8

Rel. St. Gr.7-12, p.68

Vis.Arts Gr.9-12, p.40,66

1    Silent Sustained Reading

R

When everyone (including the teacher) reads silently for a given period of time.  Ex. D.E.A.R. program.  It is designed to encourage students to become regular readers.

1     Story Maps

R

A way for students to outline the major features of a reading selection.

1    Structured Notetaking

R

(Making Notes)  Incorporates graphic organizers and helps students take notes so as to select, organize, and remember key points from reading.

TLC-CA p.60

English Gr.7-9, p.22

H.& P.E. Gr.7-10, p.34

Rel. St. Gr.7-12, p.28

1    Survey, Question, Read, Recite (SQ3R)

R

A study strategy that helps students construct meaning while reading, using the elements of questioning, predicting, setting a purpose for reading, and monitoring for confusion. SQ4R adds reflect as a last step.

1    Take Five

O

Students take five minutes to orally review a concept and present it to the class usually at the beginning or end of a period.

TLC-CA p.154

Fam. St. Gr.9,10, p.106

1          Think / Pair /

          Share

O

A discussion strategy to involve students.  Students consider an issue individually and then share with a  partner in order to reflect on a subject content on a deeper level.

TLC-CA p.152

Bus. St. Gr.9-10, p.52

Bus. St. Gr.11, p.20

Fam. St. Gr.9,10, p.72

H.& P.E. Gr.7-10, p.104

H.& P.E. Gr.11,12, p.70

Math Gr. 7-9, p.96

Math Gr.10-12, p.60

Rel. St. Gr.7-12, p.92

Vis.Arts Gr.9-12, p.70

1    Think Aloud

Sample

R

Explicit modeling in which teachers share with students the Cognitive processes and thinking they go through as they read.

1    Timed Retell

O

Students divide into pairs and take turns speaking, listening and retelling information in timed-steps. 

TLC-CA p.156

Fam. St. Gr.9,10, p.120

H.& P.E. Gr.7-10, p.106

Math Gr. 7-9, p.100

Rel. St. Gr.7-12, p.96

1    Triangle Debate

O

(Whole-Class Discussions)    All students involved in an informal, whole-class debate.  Debating in a comfortable setting.  Includes the “Plus Minus Interesting” strategy.

TLC-CA p.186

Bus. St. Gr.11, p.26

English Gr. 10-12, p.116

H.& P.E. Gr.7-10, p.144

1    Venn Diagram

R

A graphic organizer to help students organize information by comparison and contrast.

1    Visualizing and Word Map

R

The process of students creating pictures in their mind of what they are reading.  Word Map is a vocabulary strategy for visually mapping key elements associated new vocabulary to improve focus and attention to detail.

TLC-CA p.56

Bus. St. Gr.11, p.8

English Gr.7-9, p.18

Fam. St. Gr.9,10, p.16

Math Gr. 7-9, p.52

Vis.Arts Gr.9-12, p.72

1    Vocabulary in Context

R

Builds on knowledge of signal words in a text (i.e. "for instance", "in other words", "similarly") to use as cues in figuring out unfamiliar words.

1    Webbing, Mapping, & More

W

(Developing and Organizing Ideas)    A visual tool that helps students activate and draw on prior knowledge, recognize important components of different concepts, and see the relationships among these components. 

TLC-CA p.108

Bus. St. Gr.9-10, p.32

Bus. St. Gr.11, p.20

Fam. St. Gr.9,10, p.52, 74

H.& P.E. Gr.7-10, p.86

H.& P.E. Gr.11,12, p.50

Int. Lang. L1,2. p.156

Library Gr.7-9, p.2, 24

Math Gr. 7-9, p.76

Math Gr.10-12, p.30

Rel. St. Gr.7-12, p.60

Technology Gr. 9, p.58

Vis.Arts Gr.9-12, p.80

1    What it is and what it’s not

R

Evidence based reading and researching to determine facts in various forms of text

Library Gr.7-9, p.18

1    Word Wall

R

(Extending Vocabulary)  Identify unfamiliar vocabulary and create visible reference of these words for the course of a Unit.

TLC-CA p.30

Bus. St. Gr.9-10, p.2

English Gr. 10-12, p.16

Fam. St. Gr.9,10, p.6, 18

H.& P.E. Gr.7-10, p.16

H.& P.E. Gr.11,12, p.4

Int. Lang. L1,2. p.2

Math Gr. 7-9, p.22

Math Gr.10-12, p.12

Science Gr.9P, p.109

Science Gr.9,10, p.10, 14, 26, 48

1    Writing for a Purpose: Using Templates

W

In order to get the “picture,” students use a template or framework as a skeletal structure for writing to organize their thoughts, researched information and purpose as they write their first draft.  Ex. Essay maps, writing maps, etc.

TLC-CA p.140

Bus. St. Gr.11, p.6, 8, 10, 12

English Gr. 10-12, p.72

Fam. St. Gr.9,10, p.62, 66, 84, 92, 98

Geography Gr.9, p.6, 18, 38, 46

H.& P.E. Gr.11,12, p.64

Math Gr. 7-9, p.90

Math Gr.10-12, p.46

Rel. St. Gr.7-12, p.74, 80, 84

Vis.Arts Gr.9-12, p.96