How can you use reciprocal teaching strategies to improve reading comprehension in struggling students?

1 What is reciprocal teaching?

Reciprocal teaching is a research-based instructional method that aims to enhance students' comprehension of texts by engaging them in a dialogue with their peers and the teacher. The dialogue is structured around four key strategies: predicting, questioning, clarifying, and summarizing. These strategies help students activate their prior knowledge, generate and answer questions, identify and resolve difficulties, and synthesize and recall the main ideas of the text. Reciprocal teaching can be used with any type of text, such as fiction, non-fiction, or expository.

2 How does reciprocal teaching work?

Reciprocal teaching works by having students take turns to act as the teacher and lead the discussion of a text segment. The teacher models the four strategies first, then gradually releases the responsibility to the students as they become more proficient. The teacher also monitors the students' performance, provides feedback, and scaffolds their learning. The students work in small groups or pairs, and use prompts or cue cards to guide their dialogue. The dialogue follows a cycle of four steps: predict, question, clarify, and summarize.

4 What are the benefits of reciprocal teaching?

Reciprocal teaching can offer a range of advantages for both students and teachers. It can improve comprehension and retention of texts by encouraging students to become active and engaged readers. Furthermore, it develops metacognitive and critical thinking skills, as well as fostering collaboration and communication skills. Reciprocal teaching also differentiates instruction and supports individual needs, as students are able to work at their own pace and level. Finally, it can enhance motivation and confidence by making students responsible for their own learning, while providing feedback and recognition.

5 What are the challenges of reciprocal teaching?

Reciprocal teaching poses several challenges, such as the need for careful planning and preparation from the teacher, which includes selecting appropriate texts, modeling strategies, scaffolding learning, and assessing outcomes. It also demands time and patience from the teacher and students to allocate enough time for dialogue. Additionally, it depends on the students' prior knowledge and skills, requiring assessment of their readiness and providing additional instruction or support if necessary. Finally, it involves classroom management and organization issues that require establishing clear rules and expectations, monitoring behavior and participation, and dealing with potential conflicts or distractions.