Reading Comprehension Strategies

R.A.C.E: Connecting Reading Comprehension and Writing

Reading Comprehension and Writing Beyond ELA

Transfer Skills from R.A.C.E.

It is relatively clear that future state assessments will continue to expect students to answer constructed response questions that ask for analysis and synthesis of rigorous text. Beginning at a young age, students must receive direction instruction and continue to build on these skills so that they are college level ready. In many situations, adults must be ready to read and understand text that is unfamiliar, but important to understand. As this is the focus in new career settings, our students must become comfortable at a young age with developing strategies that can help them understand texts, identify important sections, and apply their new knowledge to the situation.

Implementation of the R.A.C.E. strategy – along with annotation and close reading strategies – is a concrete, focused way that asks students to read a question and respond by restating and answering the question, citing evidence, and explaining that evidence. R.A.C.E will help students improve comprehension because they will know and identify the question being asked and review their responses to check if an adequate answer has been provided.

Adopting a program that offers constant feedback for students when using this strategy will provide students with the practice and experience necessary to become experts at constructed response questions and analysis of text. As students achieve a complex level of understanding of different texts, they will be encouraged to engage in more rigorous text independently because of their newfound expertise in applying reading and writing strategies for comprehension and analysis.

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