SharpReading Stage 4 ONLiNE Course
Rationale for this Course
This course introduces 'The Deep 4' - Strategies to Enhance and Deepen the Construction of Meaning in Sentences.
Please note: Stage 3 is a prerequisite to this course.
Moving on from Comprehension Skills
Our first port of call (Stage 3) was to develop the 'in-the-moment' understanding of text as the reader is reading it. We want to move students on from just reading words and skating over the ideas presented, making them aware that sentences contain a collection of ideas that must be extracted and then combined to decipher the message that the author has intended. That means being more consciously active and engaging with the message WHILE they are reading.
Time for Comprehension Strategies
We now want to turn our attention to comprehension strategies, These are 'stop-and-think-about-it' intentional actions that the reader can employ to deepen and enhance their understanding and aid in the transfer of knowledge to the long-term memory for use in later learning.
Many studies – hundreds actually – have shown that teaching comprehension strategies has a significant impact on achieving that desired outcome. (Filderman, Austin, Boucher, O’Donnell, & Swanson, 2022; National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, 2000). That’s a pretty strong argument for teaching strategies.
What do I get from this Stage 4 Course?
The course methodology is the same as for Stage 3.
12 months access to the course allows for at-your-own-pace learning. This is particularly useful for this Stage as you will want to spend several weeks on each unit before moving on to the next strategy.
Each unit provides a complete learning step. This is carefully set out in the Course - a brief statement of theory behind each strategy, teacher scripts to ensure the implementation is SO easy to follow, video modeling of all the routines.
UNIT 1: Theory and Resources
An explanation about the introduction of strategies (deliberate 'stop-and-think-about-it metacognitive actions) that heighten the active reading habit resulting in better understanding and retention of the text.
UNIT 2: Creating Mental Images - 'I have a picture...'
Creating mental images, sometimes referred to as ‘seeing with the mind’s eye’, is a very common result when reading text. The brain is stimulated by words and language which generate images from prior experiences or the imagination. Making students aware of this occurrence and providing many opportunities to practice doing it supports the capacity for quick accurate comprehension.
The unit includes:
An Explicit Teaching Routine for introducing this strategy - student text & teacher script
Independent Practice Routine - An expansion of the Stage 3 Routine - detailed Teacher Script
UNIT 3: Making Connections to Prior Knowledge - 'I know that because...'
It is widely understood that making connections to our prior knowledge is fundamental to the act of comprehension. As you read your prior knowledge or experiences can be triggered to confirm you have got the message right and you are on the right path. Connecting to our prior knowledge helps us to remember information, engage with the text, and as a result, motivates us to read on.
This unit includes:
An Explicit Teaching Routine for introducing this strategy - student text & teacher script
Independent Practice Routine - An expansion of the Stage 3 Routine - detailed Teacher Script
UNIT 4: Asking Questions - 'I wonder why (how, what)...?
Questioning is different in that it forces us to think deeper about the text by exploring possibilities. The use of these strategies means that the reader is unable to glibly allow words to pass them by. They are, by default, forced to interact with the text and so become active readers.
The unit includes:
An Explicit Teaching Routine for introducing this strategy - student text & teacher script
Independent Practice Routine - An expansion of the Stage 3 Routine - detailed Teacher Script
UNIT 5: Forming and Revising Hypotheses - ' Maybe it's because...'
Here we are forcing the reader to use what they already know from the story or text, to infer the possible next step, and to form a hypothesis (defined as "a supposition or proposed explanation made based on limited evidence as a starting point for further investigation). As more information comes along this hypothesis will be affirmed by the reader or quickly modified. Most readers do this intuitively. When we make them conscious of it and force the practise of it, we are strengthening the reader’s ability to process text.
The unit includes:
An Explicit Teaching Routine for introducing this strategy - student text & teacher script
Independent Practice Routine - An expansion of the Stage 3 Routine - detailed Teacher Script
UNIT 5: Deep 4 Fluency
Once students have had some practice at using each of the Deep 4 strategies, they have the chance to choose the most appropriate strategy for the sentence they are unpacking.
This unit includes:
Independent Practice Routine - An expansion of the Stage 3 Routine - detailed Teacher Script
Certificate of Course Completion
On completing the course you can download a certificate.
Choose the Training Option that suits you best
BASIC
Stage 4 ONLiNE Course
12 months access
At-your-own-pace and
in-your-own-time training
BASIC PLUS
Stage 4 ONLiNE Course
12 months accessStart-Up Webinar (2-hr)
An event to get you going Sign up below
Choose from our list or Book On-Demand
PREMIUM
Stage 4 ONLiNE Course
12 months accessStart-Up Webinar (2-hr)
Sign up below
Choose from our list or Book On-DemandVirtual observation
To be arranged when
you are ready
Credit Card Purchase
ALL OPTIONS: Click on BUY NOW links above. You will get instructions for access to the ONLiNE Course as part of the purchasing process.
BASIC: That's it. You are done!
BASIC PLUS and PREMIUM: Select a Start-Up Webinar
If you have purchased BASIC PLUS or PREMIUM you need to select an option from the list of scheduled Stage 4 Start-Up Webinars listed below.
If the dates and times don't suit then go to BOOK ON-DEMAND.
We will email you to confirm your webinar and provide a Webinar Invitation.
Want to PAY on INVOICE?
Fill in the form and SUBMIT.
BASIC only - We will email you instructions for accessing the ONLiNE course.
BASIC PLUS & PREMIUM - Remember to select a Start-Up Webinar option.
We will email you access instructions AND a webinar invitation.
CONDITIONS OF SALE: Each ONLiNE course is purchased as a 1 User Licence with 12 months access via the internet.
GST will be added at checkout or to your invoice for NZ customers.
Course Writers - Your Tutors
Hilton Ayrey
We are very passionate about teaching reading and we are always looking for ways to make reading programs easier and more enjoyable. It has to work for students AND the teacher.
Although this course is stand-alone training we are always available to discuss your training during your 12 months access to the Stage 4 ONLiNE Course. For face-to-face start-up for this course, you can register for our webinars (BASIC PLUS) and also negotiate in-school support (PREMIUM).
Brian Parker
