Three graphic organizers are presented to teach students the concept of main idea. One describes how to examine details in an article to determine the main idea. Another explains how specific details support main ideas. The third describes deduction, stressing the importance of expository detail to support the main idea. (SM)

This article suggests classroom activities that call upon students to generate questions as an aid to analytical thinking. Suggested activities apply the questioning technique to term paper planning, test review, and textbook reading. A reproducible student worksheet for use in planning term papers is included. (IAH)

A widely used technique for teaching reading, Directed Reading Activity (DRA), contributes to the development of passive readers rather than thinking readers. This article describes an alternative approach, Directed Reading-Thinking Activity (DRTA), contrasts DRTA with DRA, gives an example of DRTA in action, and provides tips for switching to…

Provides before-, during-, and after-reading strategies to help students develop reading goals, monitor comprehension, and reflect on what they read. A reading wheel and student pages encourage practice of new strategies. Across the curriculum strategies are included for building comprehension in other curriculum areas. (SM)

The article explains how elementary teachers can strike a balance between whole language and traditional approaches to reading instruction, describing successful programs and sharing several teachers' suggestions for combining the two methods in the classroom. A list of reading resources is included. (SM)