N OTICE NOTE COMPREHENSION STRATEGY THE STRATEGY Notice

N OTICE & NOTE: COMPREHENSION STRATEGY

THE STRATEGY

“ Notice & Note is a reading strategy designed to guide students through a process of notetaking and finding textual evidence to support ideas in discussions and writings

Why Teach the Notice & Note: Signposts Strategy? ü It is a strategy that provides students with ü It improves student engagement and assists specific concepts to focus on as they read students in quickly determining meaning (or and encourages them to reread portions of theme) within a text, which subsequently the text to answer follow-up questions contributes to deeper levels of about meaning comprehension in more complex texts

How to Implement the Signposts Strategy? 1. Introduce the Notice & Note Signposts 3. (Fiction or Nonfiction) one at a time. With fiction, students develop their own habit of stopping and rereading to consider character, plot, and/or author’s craft, as 2. As students are reading and they notice well as determining overarching themes. one of the signposts, prompt them to stop and ask the provided question for the 4. With nonfiction, students consider: (1) What signpost (e. g. for Contrasts & surprised them? (2) What does the author Contradictions, students might ask, “Why think they already know? and (3) What would the character act this way? ” challenged, changed, or confirmed what they already knew?

The Basic Comprehension Signposts Memory Moments Contrasts & Contradictions A-Ha Moments Words of the Wiser Tough Questions Again & Again

THE SIGNPOSTS

Memory Moment

“Why Might This Memory Be Important? ” A memory interrupts the flow of the story, but reveals something important about the character or the plot Click the image to play the video link. (video file from Peterson, 2014, July 23 b)

Students look for times when: q the character suddenly starts remembering something, even right in the middle of some important event q a quiet moment when the character thinks back on something for his or her past What was happening when the character recalled the memory? What memory came to the character’s mind? Why do you think this memory is important to the character or to the story? (adapted from Beers & Probst, 2013)

Textual Example

“ “The night I saw my parents murdered… …was the night Bruce Wayne’s fate was decided. ” Click image to play a video link. Batman’s origin story, on film and in the comics, is repeatedly told through flashbacks. This moment is significant because it represents the defining moment when Bruce’s innocence is taken and his journey towards the Dark (Knight) begins. (video file from Timsen, 2012, May 28)

Contrasts & Contradictions

“Why Did The Character Act (Feel) That Way? ” The character acts in a way that contradicts how he or she has acted before or that contrasts with how we would act or that reveals a difference among characters Click the image to play the video link. (video file from Peterson, 2014, October 7)

Students look for ways the character acts that: q is contradictory (opposite or different) to how the character has acted in the past q contrasts with how you would act in that situation q reveal a difference among characters (a way that this character is different from another) What character action or feeling was unexpected? What was unexpected about the action / feeling? Why do you think the character acted / felt that way? (adapted from Beers & Probst, 2013)

Textual Example

“ “Your thoughts betray you, father. I feel the good in you, the conflict. ” After an intense battle against his son, Darth Vader (Anakin Skywalker) develops a conscience. Vader ultimately saves Luke Skywalker from his fate by killing Emperor Palpatine, the very person who forced Vader to attack Luke in the first place. Click image to play a video link. (video file from Ne. Ho. Ma. R, 2010, March 5)

A-Ha Moment

“Why Might This Realization Be Important? ” A character’s insight or sudden understanding reveals something important about the character or the plot Click the image to play the video link. (video file from Peterson, 2015, August 19)

Students look for the moment when: q the writer seems to interrupt the action, or perhaps puts a character off alone to think, and some realization occurs to him or her q “…I suddenly realized that…” q “…at that moment, I finally understood…” What words told you this was going to be an A-Ha Moment? What realization came to the character’s mind? How is this realization likely to be important in the story? (adapted from Beers & Probst, 2013)

Textual Example

“ “Light bulb!” Click image to play a video link. Following Gru’s defeat from Vector’s defense system, he comes to the recognize— literally by saying the phrase “light bulb”— that he can use the orphans (and their cookie deliveries) to steal the shrink ray. The significance of this moment is that later he has an even greater realization that he loves and needs the girls in his life. (video file from Klakek, 2010, December 12)

Words of the Wiser

“How Could This Advice Affect The Character? ” A wiser, often older, character shares his or her experience, wisdom, or leson about life with the protagonist, hoping to guid him or her through a difficult decision Click the image to play the video link. (video file from Peterson, 2014, July 23 d)

Students look for a scene in which: q a wiser character offers the main character advice that is helpful at this moment in the story, but could also be helpful throughout life What did you see that told you this was going to be a Word-ofthe-Wiser moment? What advice or insight did the wiser character share? How do you think this will affect the main character (or the one who received the advice)? (adapted from Beers & Probst, 2013)

Textual Example

“ “Let me give you one piece of advice. Be honest. He knows more than you can imagine. ” Click image to play a video link. Morpheus, inspired by the Greek god of dreams, is the inspirational leader and teacher in The Matrix Trilogy. When Neo first meets Morpheus he is skeptical of his counsel but over time, his advice helps free Neo from the confines of the Matrix. (video file from Freestyler, 2011, May 18)

Tough Questions

“What Does This Tough Question Make Me Wonder About? ” A time when the main character asks him- or herself, or someone else, a tough question, one that doesn’t have an easy answer Click the image to play the video link. (video file from Peterson, 2014, July 23 c)

Students look for the moment when: q a character is confused or uncertain and either asks himself (or someone else might ask him) a very hard question that will shape his life or tells us that he is wondering about something important q “…I realized that I was finally going to have to figure out…” q “…no matter how tough it will be, you’ll have to choose between…” How did you know this was going to be a Tough Question? How is this question important to the story and how do you think the character will answer it? How will his or her answer affect the events in the story that follow? (adapted from Beers & Probst, 2013)

Textual Example

“ “To be, or not to be—that is the question: …suffer the slings and arrows…or…by opposing end them. ” Despite having vowed to avenge his father’s murder, Hamlet begins to doubt his fortitude when he speaks his famous soliloquy. Often misinterpreted as a questioning of the righteousness of life over death, it is existence itself that is debated in this speech. Click image to play a video link. (video file from Scarabaeus 37, 2010, January 5)

Again & Again

“Why Might The Author Bring This Up Again And Again? ” A word, phrase, or idea is repeated, making us wonder about its significance Click the image to play the video link. (video file from Peterson, 2014, July 23 a)

Students look for anything like: q a single word that is repeated more often than you would expect, as if the writer is calling special attention to it q a situation that a character finds him- or herself in over and over again q an idea that keeps coming up What did you find that keeps coming up over and over again? Why do you think the author keeps repeating this word, phrase, image, idea, or situation? What does this Again and Again signpost lead you to think is going to happen later in the story? (adapted from Beers & Probst, 2013)

Textual Example

“ “As I told you, it would be absolutely, totally and in all other ways inconceivable!” Throughout The Princess Bride, Vizzini repeatedly (mis)uses the word “inconceivable” as a reactionary phrase of disgust for how the events unfold before him. Not only does this define his ineptness but also furthers the text’s theme of fantastical realism. Click image to play a video link. (video file from Aquiiasax, 2012, July 2012)

NONFICTION

“ Although the Signpost were designed for use with fiction pieces, they can be altered for use with nonfiction texts as well

“ Consider the following prompts when reading to comprehend a nonfiction text

MEMORY MOMENTS CONTRASTS & CONTRADICTIONS A-Ha Moments Record those moments when something you read triggers a memory—enables you to make a connection between the text and your life, or your experiences. Record those moments in the text when something contradicts what you think you already know or expect or seems contrary to what you know about the world. Record those moments when the big idea “clicks into place. ” The fact(s) or ideas(s) that enable you to make sense of the big idea. (adapted from Beers & Probst, 2015)

WORDS OF THE WISER How might you be affected by what you have read? What impact could it have on your life or the people you know? Tough Questions Ask yourself the tough questions—can I paraphrase what I have learned from this text? Again & Again Record those moments when a word, phrase, or ideas is repeated throughout the piece. How or why is it important to the main idea or supporting details of the text? (adapted from Beers & Probst, 2015)

“ At the same time, Beers & Probst offer four specific nonfiction signpost

ABSOLUTE OR EXTREME LANGUAGE When the author makes a statement that allows for no interpretation or seems unreasonable, STOP and ask, “Why did the author use this language? ” NUMBERS AND STATS When the author uses specific numbers or statistical information, STOP and ask, “Why did the author use these numbers? ” (adapted from Beers & Probst, 2015)

WORD GAPS QUOTED WORDS When the author chooses to quote someone, STOP and ask, “Why was this person quoted, and what did the quote add? ” When the author uses a word or phrase you don’t know, STOP and ask, “Does this look like a word that’s only used with this topic? Would I know this word in another place? Do I see any clues that might help me figure it out? ” (adapted from Beers & Probst, 2015)

REFERENCES

Print Resources v Beers, K. & Probst, R. E. (2015). Reading nonfiction: Notice & note stances, signposts, and strategies. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann. Retrieved from http: //www. heinemann. com/products/E 05080. aspx v Beers, K. & Probst, R. E. (2013). Notice and note. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann. Retrieved from http: //ecx. imagesamazon. com/images/I/51 BKb. Pm. OYJL. jpg v Ellery, V. , & Rosenboom, J. L. (2011). Sustaining strategic readers: Techniques for supporting content literacy in grades 6 -12. Newark, DE: International Reading Association.

Video Links v Aquilasax. [Aqulia 2 sax]. (2012, July 12). The princess bride inconceivable clips [Video file]. Retrieved from https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=qh. Xjc. Zdk 5 QQ v Freestyler. [Freestyler 365]. (2011, May 18). The matrix (1999) – the pill scene [Video file]. Retrieved from https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=z. Q 1_Ib. FFbz. A v Klakek. [Klakek]. (2010, December 12). Despicable me light bulb [Video file]. Retrieved from https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=QSHa. ERIv. FNE v Ne. Ho. Ma. R. [Ne. Ho. Ma. R G]. (2010, March 5). Star wars: Luke Skywalker vs Darth Vader vs Darth Sidious [Video file]. https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=YZ_j 3 s 5 xj 8 I

Video Links Continued v Peterson, B. [Brent Peterson]. (2015, August 19). Notice and note – aha moments [Video file]. Retrieved from https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=ZUuq. SKPG_3 M § (2014, October 7). Notice and note – contrasts and contradictions [Video file]. Retrieved from https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=PPpc 4 J 3 EXhk § (2014, July 23 a). Notice and note – again and again [Video file]. Retrieved from https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=Vn 31 z 6 NFSAA § (2014, July 23 b). Notice and note – memory moments [Video file]. Retrieved from https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=DLLjum. KKtgs § (2014, July 23 c). Notice and note – tough questions [Video file]. Retrieved from https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=Hd 2 Ug. Bjvy. AQ § (2014, July 23 d). Notice and note – words of the wiser [Video file]. Retrieved from https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=7 Po 39 Il 6 Ea. Q v Scarabaeus 37. [Scarabaeus 37]. (2010, January 5). Hamlet – to be or not to be [Video file]. Retrieved from https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=Rzu. EKk. PVe. BQ v Timsen, T. [Tim Timsen]. (2012, May 28). Batman: Arkham city – remembrance [Video file]. Retrieved from https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=S 1 Ut. Pw. Umi. Yk

Nathan Crosby University of New England Online EDU 742, Study Skills & Content Literacy Instruction, Module #7 Lesley Herschlag February 20, 2016