What is DR-TA
The Directed Reading - Thinking Activity is an explicit teaching method that focuses student attention on the purpose for reading. It can be used in any content area and with fiction or nonfiction text. The DR-TA encourages readers to become actively engaged with the text through a three-step process: sample the text, make a prediction, then read the text to confirm the prediction. Good readers make and verify predictions as they read.
(Stauffer, 1969)
Through student encouragement, DR-TA causes students to make predictions while they are reading. After reading segments of a text, students stop, confirm or revise previous predictions, and make new predictions about what they will read next. This process fosters highly focused reading in short segments which encourages high comprehension and understanding of the text. (National Education Association, 2014)
A DRTA may be used with an individual, a small group, or a whole class. This activity can be easily adapted for a variety of subjects and reading levels. This strategy helps strengthen reading and critical thinking skills.
(WETA, Inc., 2015)
Using DR-TA in the classroom
D - DIRECT - Teachers direct and stimulate students' thinking prior to reading a passage by scanning the title, chapter headings, illustrations, and other explanatory materials. Then teachers should use open-ended questions to direct students as they make predictions about the content or perspective of the text (e.g., "Given this title, what do you think the passage will be about?"). Students should be encouraged to justify their responses and activate prior knowledge.
R - READING - Teachers should have students read up to the first pre-selected stopping point in the text. The teacher then prompts the students with questions about specific information and asks them to evaluate their predictions and refine them if necessary. This process should be continued until students have read each section of the passage.
T - THINKING - At the end of the reading, teachers should have students go back through the text and think about their predictions. Students should verify or modify the accuracy of their predictions by finding supporting statements in the text. The teacher deepens the thinking process by asking questions such as:
Tie it to writing
Writing may also be added to this strategy. As students become more comfortable with the DTRA strategy, implement a reading log for students to write down their predictions. Then, after breaking them into small groups, have students discuss their predictions and draw conclusions based on their discussion. Students can then write a summary statement about how their predictions compared to the actual reading passage.
(National Education Association, 2014)
By offering a solid definition, statements about its importance to comprehension, tips for selecting texts, and offering real classroom examples, the following video resource is a fantastic tool to learn about and then implement DRTA into your classroom. Study and reflect on the video and then make a plan of action for your classroom.
The Directed Reading - Thinking Activity is an explicit teaching method that focuses student attention on the purpose for reading. It can be used in any content area and with fiction or nonfiction text. The DR-TA encourages readers to become actively engaged with the text through a three-step process: sample the text, make a prediction, then read the text to confirm the prediction. Good readers make and verify predictions as they read.
(Stauffer, 1969)
Through student encouragement, DR-TA causes students to make predictions while they are reading. After reading segments of a text, students stop, confirm or revise previous predictions, and make new predictions about what they will read next. This process fosters highly focused reading in short segments which encourages high comprehension and understanding of the text. (National Education Association, 2014)
A DRTA may be used with an individual, a small group, or a whole class. This activity can be easily adapted for a variety of subjects and reading levels. This strategy helps strengthen reading and critical thinking skills.
(WETA, Inc., 2015)
Using DR-TA in the classroom
- To implement DRTA in your classroom, being by selecting a text. To make the initial introduction of this strategy most successful, pre-select points for the students to pause and reflect on during the reading process.
- The reading should be broken into small sections for the students to focus on and process.
- Introduce the text, the purpose of DRTA, and give a solid example of making an appropriate prediction. Be aware of each student's individual reading levels and be prepared to offer appropriate prompts and supports as needed.
- Encourage students to take risks with their predictions and not only make predictions that they know will be correct.
D - DIRECT - Teachers direct and stimulate students' thinking prior to reading a passage by scanning the title, chapter headings, illustrations, and other explanatory materials. Then teachers should use open-ended questions to direct students as they make predictions about the content or perspective of the text (e.g., "Given this title, what do you think the passage will be about?"). Students should be encouraged to justify their responses and activate prior knowledge.
R - READING - Teachers should have students read up to the first pre-selected stopping point in the text. The teacher then prompts the students with questions about specific information and asks them to evaluate their predictions and refine them if necessary. This process should be continued until students have read each section of the passage.
T - THINKING - At the end of the reading, teachers should have students go back through the text and think about their predictions. Students should verify or modify the accuracy of their predictions by finding supporting statements in the text. The teacher deepens the thinking process by asking questions such as:
- What do you think about your predictions now?
- What did you find in the text to prove your predictions?
- What did you find in the text that caused you to modify your predictions?
Tie it to writing
Writing may also be added to this strategy. As students become more comfortable with the DTRA strategy, implement a reading log for students to write down their predictions. Then, after breaking them into small groups, have students discuss their predictions and draw conclusions based on their discussion. Students can then write a summary statement about how their predictions compared to the actual reading passage.
(National Education Association, 2014)
By offering a solid definition, statements about its importance to comprehension, tips for selecting texts, and offering real classroom examples, the following video resource is a fantastic tool to learn about and then implement DRTA into your classroom. Study and reflect on the video and then make a plan of action for your classroom.
This video opens with things for teachers to consider both before and during instruction. Presented in a clear, bulleted format, these considerations are concise and concrete and will help the teacher focus in on the strategy and make introduction successful. The video goes on to detail a real classroom utilizing this strategy in a whole class setting, setting up an excellent visual example for teachers to follow for their own classrooms.
References:
Stauffer, R. G. (1969). Directing reading maturity as a cognitive process. New York: Harper & Row.
WETA, Inc. (2015). Directed Reading Thinking Activity (DRTA). Retrieved June 10, 2015, from http://www.adlit.org/strategies/23356/
National Education Association. (2014). Directed Reading - Thinking Activity. Retrieved June 10, 2015, from http://www.nea.org/tools/directed-reading-thinking-activity.html
Stauffer, R. G. (1969). Directing reading maturity as a cognitive process. New York: Harper & Row.
WETA, Inc. (2015). Directed Reading Thinking Activity (DRTA). Retrieved June 10, 2015, from http://www.adlit.org/strategies/23356/
National Education Association. (2014). Directed Reading - Thinking Activity. Retrieved June 10, 2015, from http://www.nea.org/tools/directed-reading-thinking-activity.html