What is Say Something?
“Say Something” is an interactive reading strategy designed to improve student comprehension and engagement with texts. This technique encourages students to pause at designated points while reading and verbalize their thoughts about the content.
Key aspects of the Say Something strategy:
Preparation: The teacher selects appropriate stopping points in the text.
Pairing: Students are typically paired or placed in small groups.
Reading: Students read silently or aloud until they reach a stopping point.
Discussion: At each stopping point, students take turns “saying something” about the text. This could include:
Predictions about what will happen next
Questions about the content
Clarifications of confusing parts
Connections to personal experiences or other texts
Comments on the author’s style or choices
Continuation: The process repeats until the entire text is read.
Benefits of the Say Something strategy:
Promotes active reading and engagement with the text
Encourages critical thinking and analysis
Helps students monitor their own comprehension
Fosters collaborative learning and discussion skills
Challenges:
May be difficult for shy or struggling readers
Requires careful selection of appropriate texts and stopping points
Needs clear modeling and guidance from the teacher
The Say Something strategy is versatile and can be adapted for various grade levels and subject areas, making it a valuable tool for promoting reading comprehension and student engagement.