Secondary Content Teachers COMPREHENSION SQ3R Study Strategy   Reading Services Center

SUBJECT:	Comprehension: SQ3R Study Strategy
COURSE OR GRADE:	Content Area/Classroom Teachers
GOAL:	This strategy assists students in comprehending content text and building good study practices. Supports the Learner Characteristic: Uses study skills to organize and manage learning tasks.
WHO:	Students who have reading skills but can benefit from guidance in strategic reading and effective study practices. Content Area Teachers/Classroom Teachers
WHEN:	Use this strategy when introducing any new reading materials or assignments.
TEACHING PROCEDURES:	SQ3R Survey Question Read Recite Review Model the following strategy with students using a chapter from the textbook. SURVEY Think about the chapter title. After reading the title ask yourself these questions: What do you think this chapter will be about? How do you think this chapter will relate to the chapter we have completed? What do we already know about this topic? Read all subtitles and relate each to the above questions. Scan all graphic supports such as pictures, maps, graphs or charts. Read all chapters. Many content area chapters have a short introduction, usually written in italic form. Read the introduction. Read the end-of-chapter summary. Read everything the author has written in bold print. QUESTION: Make up guided reading questions by turning chapter headings/subheadings into questions. Example: The subheading, "The Exploration of the Mississippi River", could generate: "Why was the Mississippi River explored?" or, "Who explored the Mississippi River?" Read the "check point" questions at the end of each subsection within the text before reading the subsection. These questions are usually printed in italic form. Review the questions at the end of each chapter before reading the main body of the text. Clues: The questions usually follow the text structure; i.e. the initial third questions are usually answered within the beginning of the text, the next third within the mid-section of the text, and the last third within the last part of the text. Many questions relate closely to the information found within the subtitles. READ: Read to answer the questions. Pay careful attention to key words within the questions. Pay close attention to dark, bolded words or words in italic form. Reread all captions under any maps, charts or graphs. RECITE: Once again, think of all titles and subtitles as questions. Go back and try to answer all of the questions that were generated. "Say" the answers to the questions in your own words. Write down your answers making short notes to yourself. Write down just enough information to make you remember the important details. Note any important names or dates. REVIEW: Review your own questions and answers. Review the questions at the end of each chapter. Try to recite the answer. If you cannot remember the information, review the notes you have written. If you have completely forgotten an important detail or section, review that section, NOT the entire chapter or unit.
PRACTICE:	Students should apply the strategy to any chapter, unit, novel, etc.
CHECK UP:	Introduce new reading materials. Have students: recall the steps in SQ3R explain how to apply each step
FOLLOW-UP:	Provide students with copies of the texts they are to read or study. Using a partner or subgrouping approach, have the students explain to each other how they use each step of SQ3R with the given materials. Any questions that individual partners cannot resolve should be shared in large group discussions.
EXTENSION:	It will be important to have classroom study guides that follow this format to limit confusion. The students should not have a study guide that is inconsistent with this strategy.
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