Determining Importance
Determining importance or an author's main idea depends on the complexity of the text and ideas within it. If the author's message or ideas are explicit, this can assist readers with their comprehension of the text as insight into the author's perspective allows them to make predictions as to the direction of the text and what's to come.
Sometimes this is aided by the text type. For example, an expository text might clearly and logically state the author's idea. This highlights the need to expose readers to a variety of text types; to explore different purposes as well as building learners confidence.
However, often authors leave readers to construct the main idea of the text themselves. In such cases readers must rely on clues within the text and other strategies to make meaning. This is when less skilled readers who cannot discriminate between important and superfluous information may rely on explicit instruction to organise their thinking.
Sometimes this is aided by the text type. For example, an expository text might clearly and logically state the author's idea. This highlights the need to expose readers to a variety of text types; to explore different purposes as well as building learners confidence.
However, often authors leave readers to construct the main idea of the text themselves. In such cases readers must rely on clues within the text and other strategies to make meaning. This is when less skilled readers who cannot discriminate between important and superfluous information may rely on explicit instruction to organise their thinking.
Questions and ideas for the Classroom
- "What do you think the author thinks is the main idea? Why?"
- "What do you think is the main idea so far/now/when.../after.....Why?" - "What are the key words?" - "What clues do the title/sub-headings give us?" - "What clues do bold text give us?" - As a class list key words/phrases and then link these to main ideas - As a class ask "Why is this important? Why is this more important than.....? How do we know?" - Divide page into different ideas - students list bullet points/clues within text that support each idea - Rank ideas and justify - "What are the ways the author tells us this is important?" - "Write a statement providing the main idea of the text" - "Represent the main idea of the text" visually/dramatically/in a poem/song |
Further Resources
http://beyondpenguins.ehe.osu.edu/issue/rocks-and-minerals/determining-importance-helping-students-recognize-important-points-in-content-text
http://ohiorc.org/Literacy_K5/strategy/strategy_each.aspx?id=000006
http://www.decd.sa.gov.au/northernadelaide/files/links/Summarising_Synthesing__DI.pdf
http://ohiorc.org/Literacy_K5/strategy/strategy_each.aspx?id=000006
http://www.decd.sa.gov.au/northernadelaide/files/links/Summarising_Synthesing__DI.pdf
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