How Would I Use This Strategy?

Introduction

A good way to introduce the DR-TA strategy in my lesson would be to emphasize it to students as a new approach to reading. Before actually applying the strategy in my classroom in my Social Studies lesson, I would give a hand out on DR-TA. This handout would include salient points regarding the strategy, and would focus on how DR-TA can be applied to my subject area. I will be using the strategy in my “Soviet war in Afghanistan” lesson. Before beginning this lesson, I would first go over the handout with my students to see if they had any questions or comments on the strategy itself. The following would be an interaction between my students and I.

T=Teacher

S=Students

S=This is a strange way to go over readings Mr. Sparrow!

T=It is a different approach, but I think you all will benefit from taking a new approach to learning with texts.

S=Why is stopping to talk about a text important?

T=It will allow you to increase your understanding and comprehension of what you are reading. Since your classmates are also participating, and asking questions, it becomes less likely that you will be lost or confused.

S=Even after reading this handout, I still do not really understand how making predictions helps, it seems like many times they turn out to be wrong…

T=That’s ok if your predications turn out to be incorrect, more importantly, using this strategy will guide you to correct answers regarding the text. Even if you are wrong in your predictions, you will be writing and discussion why they were wrong. This will help solidify your overall understanding.

Demonstration of DR-TA

Dialogue Between Teacher and Students

T: Today you are going to read a passage in your textbook about the Soviets involvement in Afghanistan. You have previously learned about other Cold War conflicts, such as the Korean and Vietnam wars. This reading will provide an outline of the decade long conflict and is a good introduction. Firstly, lets look at the title, “The Soviet war in Afghanistan: A Cold War Crisis”, what can we gather from this alone?

S: I think that it will take place in Afghanistan

T: Okay, what else?

S: The Soviets will be involved

T: Is there anyone else that may be involved in the conflict?

S: Maybe the United States

T: Okay and what makes you think that?

S: Since this is a Cold War conflict and these have known to have been between superpowers such as the US and USSR

T: Does anyone else agree with this statement? Or disagree?

S: I agree but I wonder if Canada will be involved…

T: Was Canada involved in other Cold War conflicts?

S: They were in the Korean War but not Vietnam

T: Okay good responses from our initial impressions, now we are going to read the passage, I have written up on the board the headings of the article that you will stop at. Once everyone has reached these points we can discuss as a group any questions that you have. If you finish reading before others you can read ahead, or formulate your own questions to ask. Don’t forget to write down any predictions you have about what you are reading!

S: (Students read passage silently)

T: (Surveys around class helping those who need help/have any questions)

*Students are several passages in at this point, and now have a paragraph on combat

T: Okay so now that you have read this paragraph on what the battles between the Mujahedeen and Soviet soldiers were like, why do you think the results were like this?

S: The Soviets seemed to be caught off guard a lot of time and were surprised

T: Why do you think would this be the case?

S: I think that it was the geography of the land that benefited the Mujahedeen (Afghan rebels) so much

T: So why couldn’t the Soviet forces adapt to their geography?

S: The rebels are so used to their land from living there, they know the area better than others

T: Do you think the conflict was similar to Vietnam?

S: No because it took place in another country

T: But what about in the ways in which the soldiers fought? What about the impact of the geography to which we just spoke about?

S: Well, the US in Vietnam encountered much of the same situations as the Soviets did in Afghanistan

T: How so?

S: The US in Vietnam were faced with guerrilla warfare, which used tactics such as surprise and moving in shadows. This is similar to what the Soviets experienced in Afghanistan.

*Now students are finished reading entire passage from textbook

T: Okay now that you have all finished, I want you to write about which predictions you made were accurate and which were not. For those that were not correct, write down WHY they were not.