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Having students read a selection while considering different perspectives encourages active reading and helps students consider ways of thinking other than their own (Buehl, 2001). This strategy can be used with students in upper elementary grades through high school.
1. Students read the story/selection silently for comprehension.
2. Have them think of different ways to look at the material they read. For elementary students, the teacher should discuss how ideas can be considered from different perspectives and identify those perspectives.
Example: (older students) The article is about a big box store, Super Value Mart, that wants to build a big box store at the edge of town next to a residential community. They would have to clear the land of a large forested area. The students should identify the perspective of different community groups such as, neighboring home owners, nearby schools, environmental advocates, Chamber of Commerce, etc.
Example: (elementary students) The story is about a boy who wants Mom and Dad to buy him a puppy. They live in an apartment and his parents say ‘no’ to a dog.
3. Students may work in small groups, with a partner, or independently. Assign each group a different perspective.
4. Students discuss their assigned perspectives and develop a chart explaining what the perspective is and why.
5. Have students reread the selection to gain more information/insight into the perspective they have been assigned.
6. The groups reconvene and add or revise the information on their chart. Then they write a statement(s) on the bottom of their chart summarizing the perspective.
7. Students share their work with the other groups and discuss each perspective. |
