PARAGRAPH SHRINKING

This strategy can be used to monitor reading comprehension during and after the lesson, with two or more students.

How to use paragraph shrinking:

1. Introduce the topic/reading to the students.

2. Pair up students who require help on specific skills with students who have learned those skills.

3. Model the procedure to ensure that students understand how to use the strategy.

4. Have each student take turns being "Coach" and "Player."

5. Ask each student to read aloud for 5 minutes without rereading a text. After each paragraph, students should stop to summarize the main points of the reading.

6. Then, ask students to then summarize the following information:

• ​​The who or what of the paragraph

• The most important thing about who or what

• The main idea

Focus on the passage until students have an accurate understanding of the reading material, and challenge each pair to accurately summarize the main idea in 10 words or less. Reward the students for successfully completing the activity. This handout provides a concise routine for teaching paragraph shrinking.

Download a blank template:

• Paragraph shrinking cards