There are many ways to teach students to summarize what they have read. Several effective instructional approaches are described below.
Discussion Webs This strategy offers a clear "point-counterpoint" visual framework for analyzing texts.
Group Summarizing This strategy helps students work together to preview a text before reading, locate supporting information and examples during reading, and summarize their ideas on a four-quadrant chart after reading. The charted information provides a structure to write the group summary. Quick Write This strategy will help students develop fluency and build the habit of reflection into a learning experience while allowing you to informally assess student thinking. Ask learners to free-write for 3-5 minutes in response to an open-ended prompt after reading a text. Teachers/tutors should always write with students.
Students work to create a summary of chunks of text (paragraphs or chapters). These summaries should be no longer than 20 words long.
Students then work to synthesize these 20 word GIST statements for each chunk of text into one final GIST statement that is no more than 20 words long.
“Rule-Based” or “Keep-Delete-Substitute” Summary Strategies
Keep important information
Delete trivial material that is unnecessary to understanding
Delete redundant material
Substitute subordinate terms for more specific terms (e.g., use fish for rainbow trout, salmon, and halibut)
Select a topic sentence or invent one if it is missing