- English Language Arts and Reading
- Grade 7
- Comprehension skills
generate questions about text before, during, and after reading to deepen understanding and gain information;
Have students create a three-column chart of questions they generate before, during, and after reading a text. Provide examples of questions as well as specific concepts (main idea, connections, predictions, author’s purpose) for students to focus on as they develop questions.
Before Reading |
During Reading |
After Reading |
What questions would I like to ask the author before reading this text? What am I wondering about as I look at the cover and back of the text? Why am I reading this? What predictions can I make? |
What do I understand from what I just read? What is the main idea? What picture is the author painting in my head? What connections am I making to the text? What questions do I have about what has happened so far? |
Which of my predictions were right? What did I read that tells me I am correct? What were the main ideas? What is something I would ask the author? What else would I like to know about this topic? |
This assessment directs students to think beyond the text and look for specific ideas or sections they do not understand. They should be able to use strategies to gain information and deepen understanding. Considering questions before, during, and after reading can lead the students to pay particular attention to the details in the text.
1. Maniotes, L. K. (2019). Getting to great questions for inquiry and research. Teacher Librarian, 46(3), 17–20. Retrieved from: https://www.gale.com
Summary: This article provides an overview on how to use Guided Inquiry Design as a means to increase students' capacity to comprehend a text. However, Guided Inquiry Design is more often used as a road map to conduct research. Additional online resources are embedded in the article to provide further support.
2. Joseph, L. M., & Ross, K. M. (2018). Teaching middle school students with learning disabilities to comprehend text using self-questioning. Intervention in School and Clinic, 53(5), 276–282. doi: 10.1177/1053451217736866
Summary: Self-questioning before, during, and after reading a text is an important process for all students, but especially for middle school students with learning disabilities. In this article, self-questioning is presented as an effective, evidence-based instructional strategy that requires scaffolding. The reader will learn more about instructional scaffolding that promotes middle school students with learning disabilities generating their own questions before, during, and after reading. A discussion of how to monitor the students' progress in reading comprehension is included.