Save+the+Last+Word+for+me

Save the Last Word for Me

Description This strategy uses a collaborative format for the discussion of text where students select quotations from text to discuss with one another, concluded by the student who selected the quote. (Averette and Baron).

Purpose To support students’ interaction with text To promote reading comprehension To clarify and deepen thinking about content

Directions 1. Divide students into groups of three to five. Give each student three to five index cards. 2. Assign a text to read. Ask students to write quotations they find interesting on one side of the card and why they find each quote interesting on the opposite side of the card. 3. After everyone is finished reading the selection and preparing their cards, the first person in each group shares one of his/her quotes but does not say why this interested him/her. 4. After everyone has taken about one minute to react/respond to the shared quote, the person who chose the quote shares why s/he selected it. 5. Discussion continues in this fashion with each person in the group taking one to three turns as time permits.

Extensions Have the group complete a group summary of the text that was read Have the group debrief the session Have each person select a quote to write about in a response journal Ask each group to select the most important quote to share with the class with justification about why it was seen as significant