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Reciprocal Teaching
From Kindergarten to Year 6, small group instructional reading plays a critical role in developing reading skills. Children are grouped according to needs, based on reliable classroom-based assessment procedures. Guided Reading is a popular choice but Reciprocal Teaching is an excellent alternative for developing comprehension skills.
Factual texts work well with Reciprocal Teaching although other texts may be used. This strategy takes the form of a dialogue between the teacher and students as they use and develop the processes of predicting, clarifying, questioning and summarising while reading small sections of the text. The teacher models the four processes prior to commencing the strategy.
It is important to provide texts that are at an instructional level suitable for the small group of students participating. Reciprocal Teaching helps readers learn to internalise the strategies which effective readers employ, therefore developing comprehension skills.
Once familiar with the strategy and the processes of predicting, clarifying, question-generating and summarising, the students can take turns as group leader. The teacher remains in the group as a group member to ensure high-level discussion and to monitor student involvement.
Predicting
When predicting the child is anticipating what will come next in the text, based on appropriate prior knowledge, and on the structure and content of the text. Predicting sets the purpose and encourages learners to think ahead. Predictions should be thoughtful and develop as the group moves though the text.
Clarifying
When clarifying, students are asking questions about, and problem-solving, unfamiliar vocabulary, text that is structured or set out in an unfamiliar way, and new or difficult concepts.
Question-generating
When question-generating, the students explore the meaning of the text in depth. This process gives students opportunities to frame questions, and seek possible solutions by finding relevant information to answer the question, with the support of the group.
Summarising
When summarising, the student is identifying and integrating important information presented in the text. To be successful, the student identifies the most important content in the section and expresses it in a way that indicates understanding. It is important that the student does not do a simple retelling.
Like to know more?
Creenaune, Tish and Rowles, Lorraine (1996) What’s Your Purpose? Reading Strategies for Non-fiction Texts. PETA, Sydney.
This book describes a range of strategies to use with non-fiction texts. The core processes of predicting, clarifying, question-generating and summarising can be developed through many of the strategies it describes.
Chambers, Aidan (1992) The Reading Environment. PETA, Sydney.
Aidan Chambers describes the critical role of the teacher as the ‘enabling adult’ when working with small groups.
Raison, Glenda (1998) ‘Reading in the Later Years’ in Getting Started: Ideas for the Literacy Teacher. PETA, Sydney.
This chapter gives ideas for organising the classroom in order to run effective small-group sessions.
This information is available as a PDF Teaching Tip Sheet. Download Reciprocal Teaching
© Primary English Teaching Association 2006. PO Box 3106 Marrickville NSW 2204 Tel 61 2 9565 1277. This page may be photocopied for the purposes of professional development but may not otherwise be reproduced without the publisher’s permission.