Inside the ELA Classroom
Cold Reading - August 2018
It is not about the Cold Read - It is about the Comprehension.
Reading comprehension is one of the most complex skills to teach. Because reading directly impacts all content areas, we could say it is one of the most important skills students must learn. Setting expectations for what reading looks like is imperative to ensure students understanding what reading and true comprehension looks like.
The 'cold read' occurs when students read text independently for the first time without instruction or support. Cold reads can be used to determine students' instructional levels for fluency and comprehension. Remember "cold reading" is an assessment tool - not a daily instructional tool. In order to strengthen comprehension, we build and activate prior knowledge about topics, genres.and vocabulary.
Once the cold reading activity has been completed the work begins. Comprehension strategies are designed to help students be purposeful, strategic, active readers. Below are a few strategies to help students inform their reading.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
"...With reading, every revision results in some additional layer or dimension of understanding, whether that is an additional question or new connection or sudden clarification... Viewing reading as revision is a powerful way to understand reading..." (p. 119).