The High 5!

Strategy for Enhancing Reading Comprehension

Why the High 5 strategy works:
There are between nine and five reading comprehension strategies that readers use. But it is
suggested that only five be taught to students because the human mind can only hold 4-7 pieces
of information for 10-20 seconds in working memory at any given time. The High 5! Strategy
composes that five most researched and supported teaching strategies. I think using this teaching
strategy in my classroom will enhance student comprehension on record time.
Components:
1) Activating background knowledge
This allows students to make connections between what they already know and new
concepts being learned. If a teacher asks questions about the book before reading it, it
allows students to analyse their prior knowledge. This can be done by simply asking
questions about the pictures on the cover.
2) Questioning
When students ask questions before, during and after reading it aids in comprehension.
There are three main types of questions that students should be asking: right there
questions, think and search questions and beyond the text questions. Right there questions
are factual such as, who is the main character? Think and search questions involve
making connections between the facts and the authors purpose. An example of a think
and search question would be how did the character save the princess? Beyond the text
questions are concepts only slightly talked about in the book that the student should
research.
The way I will implement this questioning strategy into the class is through modelling. I
will ask students right there, think and search and beyond the text questions as I read to
them. Parents can do this at home with their children as well by ask them questions about
what is being read in the book.
3) Analyzing text
This is an awareness of how authors organize information. There are two types of
structures descriptive structures and sequential structures. Descriptive structures focus on
the attributes of something. Some examples of this type of structure are a list, a web, and
a matrix. The other type of structure is sequential. A sequential structure presents a series
of events or stages that progress over time. Some examples of this structure are string
(which is a step-by-step description of events), cause-effect and problem solution.
4) Creating a mental image
Being able to visualize how texts are structured enhances reading comprehension. In my
class students will be encouraged to make diagrams of mental images they make while
reading. Drawing out a mental image makes it more concrete.
5) Summarizing

When students pick out main points of a text it enhances reading comprehension.
Students can easily produce a summary if they use high 5 strategy. First read the text.
Second, identify the text structure. Third, draw a picture of the mental image created.
Fourth, discard redundant information so that only key ideas remain.
References
Dymock, S.& Nicholson, T. (2010). High 5! Strategies to enhance comprehension of
expository text. The Reading Teacher, 64(3), pp.166-178