Guest post by Jessica from Astute Hoot.
Using picture clues or detecting, is a key strategy for beginning readers. Pictorial clues can serve as a bridge to decoding strategies such as sounding out and blending and also compensate for weak decoding skills in struggling readers. Pictures can also increase comprehension by providing elaboration for a text explanation and improve recollection and retention. Teaching students to use the detecting strategy will help support other reading strategies as they learn how to read fluently and accurately.
From Picture Clues to Textual Evidence
Teach the detecting strategy in a fun, engaging way using Dexter the Detecting Deer. Dexter is one of the 10 reading strategy animals from Hazel’s Reading Roost. His rhymed strategy poem and Picture Clue Windows tool teaches students how to use picture clues to determine unknown words and make meaning. Dexter the Detecting Deer can be incorporated into various components of literacy lessons. Here are some specific examples of how to teach students to use picture clues successfully:
Whole-Group:
• Introduce Dexter the Detecting Deer and read Dexter’s poem to the class:
- “My name is Dexter the Detecting Deer.
Now let me tell you why I’m here.
I’ll help you look for picture clues,
So you don’t get the reading blues.
Look at the pictures to figure out
What the words are all about!”
- Explain that Dexter helps readers use picture clues from the text to read unknown words.
- Model using the Picture Clue Window to locate pictures in the story that could help students read unknown words. For example, cover up the following words with Post-Its in the book, The Mixed-Up Chameleon; page 2: sand, page 3: green, page 6: tongue, page 7: animals, page 9: polar bear. Encourage students to use the illustrations in the book to determine the covered up words. Practice this together until students understand how the Picture Clue Window works.
Guided Reading:
- Read aloud your selected guided reading text and model using the Picture Clue Window to read unknown words in context and/or determine meaning. Distribute text and Picture Clue Windows to each student. Call on individual students to use the Picture Clue Window with additional words. Activate engagement using a turn and talk to allow students to discuss how they use Dexter and compare their selected picture clues.
- As an extension, have students use the Picture Clue Windows to identify key story elements in the pictures to make connections between text and illustrations. In addition, Picture Clue Windows can be used as an introduction to citing evidence when answering text-dependent questions. Students can use the Picture Clue Windows to show the illustrations that help them answer the questions. Encourage students to use Dexter Detecting Deer’s strategy when they are reading independently as well.
Reading Centers:
Create a portable reading center: Place a Picture Clue Window, a book with engaging pictures with key words covered up with small Post-Its, and a pencil in a large manila envelope with a copy of the Dexter Detecting Deer Poem glued onto the front. Instruct students that during center time they are to take an envelope to their desks and use the Picture Clue Window to practice using picture clues to read unknown words. Create several portable Detecting Deer reading centers using a variety of illustrated, leveled texts.
Using the picture clues strategy is a great way to boost independence with decoding and comprehension in emerging readers!
About the Authors
Jessica Murphy and Jennifer Zoglman are founders of Astute Hoot: Tools for the Wise Teacher. With a combined total of almost 30 years experience in early childhood and special education classroom teaching, early literacy research, and teacher coaching, they joined forces with Jennifer’s sister, Tina, an award-winning graphic designer, to create a dynamic cast of reading and math strategy animals. The strategy animals made their way into a group of targeted teaching and learning tools that have contributed to the creation of proficient readers and mathematicians in classrooms across the country! Check out their blog: www.astutehoot.com to see how they awaken the joy of learning in all students!