INSERT strategy in English classroom
The implementation of some strategies in high school proves to be highly effective. Today the students of grade 10-4 are trying out a new activity that provides opportunities for reflection a critical thinking.
Using INSERT (Interactive Notation to Effective Reading and Thinking) students make connections between prior knowledge and the text content.
INSERT is a strategy that students can use during the Guided Reading phase of class work. It employs a set of symbols that help them monitor and comprehend a new text easier. During reading the students constantly make decisions about their reactions to the text. Marks can be erased periodically after completing study of the reading or use a strip, of paper folded over the margin and then numbers the lines of the reading for students to match their marks to the line of the text. The INSERT symbols make an excellent basis for class discussion following the reading.
The teacher (Nelly Gevorgyan) gets her students to think about what they already know about the topic and the new information they are learning in class.
As they read, she wants them to make some decisions about the text and their understanding of what they are reading. Marks and symbols that indicate different reactions could also be placed on a wall poster for easy reference.
Notations are written using the following codes:
X I thought differently.
+ New information.
!!! Wow! Very important!
?? I don’t understand.
= This reminds me of something.
It is possible to use other symbols for specific purposes. As with any strategy, it is important that teachers model its use and give students ample opportunities to practice it.
The INSERT strategy calls upon students to use higher order thinking skills such as assessing, discriminating, and comparing. It, therefore, fits into a classroom with a rigorous curriculum.
The students benefit from this strategy because when they want to refer back to a text for any reason, they don’t have to struggle with reading the entire thing all over again but simply look for the marks that they have made. The teacher combines different activities focusing on the vocabulary. After reading comprehension she asks the students to highlight the key words by using colored markers.
The colors they use also have the following codes:
Red-I don’t know the word
Yellow- The word sounds familiar, but I can’t remember
Blue- I know the word
Green -for collocation
Purple-for idioms
The effect of using insert strategy and motivation on the reading comprehension go beyond expectations.
Teacher-Nelly Gevorgyan
Grade 10-4
21.10.2021
