Topic > Comprehension Strategies - 844

To use this strategy, the teacher takes key words from the reading material and shows them to the students. The main topic is at the center of all the other words. The words are displayed in an interesting visual presentation, they can be placed in angel or slight U shapes, on the board or on handout sheets. Students then work in small groups using the words to create sentences that relate to the main topic. After students create their sentences, they complete the reading assignment. When students see the terms in the reading assignment, they check their sentences and make any necessary changes so that the words fit into the sentences correctly. This strategy encourages students to brainstorm while working in groups. My concentration is in science, so I'll give an example of how to use splash words for a biochemistry lesson. Please refer to Table 1, Word Splash handout at the end of this document to see the words that will be provided to students. After reviewing the words, students will create sentences such as: a) Symbols are used to represent compounds, b) Elements are the basic building blocks of all matter, or c) A chemical formula is a group of symbols. Once students have created their sentences, they will read the unit from the textbook and check their sentences to see if students can use the terms