APPLYING READING COMPREHENSION STRATEGIES UNIT PLAN

Lesson Plan 4: Monitoring

English Reading Reading and Comprehension Strategies

Disclaimer: This Starter Sheet should be regarded as a guide only. Teachers should make adjustments in accordance with the individual learning
needs of their students.

INTRODUCTION
DURATION
A 60 minute lesson in which students will learn and apply the
60 min reading comprehension strategy of monitoring.

REQUIRED RESOURCES LESSON PLAN

Tuning In
Ask the students to stand in a large circle. Play a game of 'Telephone'.
Start the game by whispering a short sentence to one of the students
e.g. I ate three bowls of chocolate ice cream last night. Ask the
student to whisper the sentence to the next student, but only once.
Once the sentence reaches the last student, he/she must say the
sentence aloud. Compare the original sentence to that which reached
the final student.
TEACHING RESOURCE
Repeat the game. This time, the student receiving the whispered
Reading Comprehension Strategies
sentence may ask questions of the person whispering the sentence,
PowerPoint - Monitoring
until they are sure they understand what is being said. Once again,
A 14 slide editable PowerPoint template compare the original sentence to the sentence spoken aloud by the
explaining the reading comprehension final student.
strategy of monitoring.
Compare the two games of 'Telephone'. Ask the students:

Which sentence was closest to the original at the end of the

game - sentence one or sentence two?
Why do you think this happened?
How might asking questions in the second game have helped
to maintain the original sentence?

Explain to the students that we are constantly keeping track of our

understanding of the world around us. This same action can also help
TEACHING RESOURCE
us to better understand the texts that we are reading.
Monitoring Comprehension Worksheet
Teacher Instruction
A 2 page worksheet focusing on the
Revise the purpose of reading and the benefits of applying reading
reading comprehension strategy of
comprehension strategies to this process, as outlined on slides 5-6 of
monitoring.
the Reading Comprehension Strategies PowerPoint - Monitoring.
Display and discuss the definition of the reading comprehension
strategy of monitoring, as outlined on slide 7. Ensure that the students
understand the meaning of the term 'active reader'.
Display slide 8. Review the questions that can help the students to
monitor their understanding while reading a new text. Encourage the
students to suggest some additional questions that they could ask
themselves when using this strategy.
Discuss the strategy of annotating a text with symbols to monitor
understanding, as outlined on slides 9-11. Discuss when it might be
appropriate to use each symbol while reading.

Guided/Independent Learning

Monitoring Page 1 of 3

TEACHING RESOURCE
Reading Comprehension Strategies
PowerPoint - Monitoring
A 14 slide editable PowerPoint template
explaining the reading comprehension
strategy of monitoring.
TEACHING RESOURCE
Monitoring Comprehension Worksheet
A 2 page worksheet focusing on the
reading comprehension strategy of
monitoring.
CURRICULUM CODES
Australian Curriculum
ACELY1691 Read different types of texts by
combining contextual , semantic,
grammatical and phonic
ACELY1692 Use comprehension strategies to
build literal and inferred meaning
to expand content
ACELY1702 Navigate and read texts for
specific purposes applying
appropriate text processing
strategies
ACELY1703 Use comprehension strategies to
analyse information, integrating
and linking ideas from a
ACELY1712 Select, navigate and read texts for
a range of purposes, applying
appropriate
ACELY1713 Use comprehension strategies to
interpret and analyse information
and ideas, comparing content
New South Wales Curriculum
Monitoring
Display and discuss the class activity on slide 12, then read the text on
slide 13. After reading, annotate the text as a class using the
monitoring symbols. Discuss how each student's annotation of the
text would be dependent on their own personal experience and level
of understanding.
Display and discuss the independent activity on slide 14. Provide the
students with a copy of the Monitoring Comprehension
Worksheet. Explain to the students that, as they are reading, they
must annotate the text with the monitoring comprehension symbols
they have learned during the lesson.
Monitor and support the students as they complete the independent
activity. Once the students have finished, allow them to sit with a
partner to compare and discuss their annotations of the text.
Wrapping Up
Review and reflect upon the content of the lesson as a class. Ask the
students:
What does it mean to monitor your understanding while
reading a text?
How might you do this?
Why does this strategy enable you to be a more successful
reader?
DIFFERENTIATION
Extending Students
Allow fast finishers to identify new vocabulary on the monitoring
worksheet, then define these words using a dictionary.
Supporting Students
Allow students with lower literacy levels to complete the monitoring
worksheet in a small group with the guidance and support of an adult.
MONITORING STUDENT UNDERSTANDING
used strategic whole class or individual questioning
observed student participation during learning activities
recorded student progress on a checklist
annotated student work samples
collected and reviewed student work samples
facilitated whole class or peer feedback sessions
encouraged student self-reflection
administered formal assessment tasks.
Page 2 of 3
EN2-8B Identifies and compares different
kinds of texts when reading and
viewing and

EN2-11D Responds to and composes a range

of texts that express viewpoints of

EN3-3A Uses an integrated range of skills,

strategies and knowledge to read,
view

EN3-7C Thinks imaginatively, creatively,

interpretively and critically about
information and ideas and identifies

Victorian Curriculum

VCELY287 Read different types of texts for

specific purposes by combining
phonic, semantic

VCELY288 Use comprehension strategies to

build literal and inferred meaning
to expand content

VCELY318 Navigate and read imaginative,

informative and persuasive texts
by interpreting structural features

VCELY319 Use comprehension strategies to

analyse information, integrating
and linking ideas from a

VCELY347 Use comprehension strategies to

interpret and analyse information
and ideas, comparing content

Monitoring Page 3 of 3