GRASP: Reading Comprehension Technique
Adaptations for Multilingual Learners
Sometimes texts are difficult to understand or unengaging for students. I have used this technique for students from elementary to university level. The main difference is the difficulty of the text.
What does GRASP stand for?
G-Guided
R-Reading
A-and
S-Summarizing
P-Procendure
Here are the steps to do this activity:
Introduce the subject matter by assigning students to read a selection for the purpose of remembering as much of its content (based on goals or standards) as they can. Prepare a text handout of about 500-1,500 words. For WIDA levels 1 & 2, the text should be shorter with graphics if possible, or it could be in their dominant language (remember that content access is a priority). For more advanced students, you can add length and more complicated vocabulary. You don’t want to spend a lot of time adapting lots of texts, so think about length as a way to differentiate. You might prepare three different text lengths and ability levels with the same content for your class. You’ll develop the texts strategically based on your knowledge of each student’s reading levels.
Hand out the texts (or a specific section in a book) and ask the students to read silently. Let them know they are going to share everything they can remember about what they read. Put on a timer for 5-7 minutes.
Ask students to remember. Instruct the students to turn the text face down. Ask them to share all they remember about the text. As the teacher, you record all responses on the board exactly as they are given. I found it helpful to write the information horizontally across the board so there is room to add information underneath the original comment.
Back to the text. When it becomes clear that the students have given as much information as they can for one reading, instruct the students to read the selection again for purposes of correcting errors in their initial recollection and adding any significant information that may have been left out. Rereading takes place in order to complete the information needed and make corrections to the original list of comments the students shared. It’s lovely to see that students are usually excited to get back to the text at this point.
Photo by Thought Catalog on Unsplash Following this rereading, ask students to come to the board to add to the original statements or correct their recollection of the selection.
Photo by Melanie Deziel on Unsplash To facilitate this process, ask guiding questions such as, ”What is this section mainly about?”, “How does the information support this purpose?” and so on.
Photo by Artem Maltsev on Unsplash During the discussion, the teacher solicits students’ advice about which of the remembered information can serve as main headings or central notes, which would best serve as supporting details, and so on. Students can then start taking notes on a prepared graphic organizer or notebook.
Have you tried this technique before?
How did it work?
Any suggestions?
Questions for clarity?
