Strategy Rationale: Schema theory explains how our previous experiences, knowledge, emotions, and understandings affect what and how we learn (Harvey & Goudvis, 2000). Schema is the background knowledge and experience readers bring to the text. Good readers draw on prior knowledge and experience to help them understand what they are reading and are thus able to use that knowledge to make connections. Struggling readers often move directly through a text without stopping to consider whether the text makes sense based on their own background knowledge, or whether their knowledge can be used to help them understand confusing or challenging materials. By teaching students how to connect to text they are able to better understand what they are reading (Harvey & Goudvis, 2000). Accessing prior knowledge and experiences is a good starting place when teaching strategies because every student has experiences, knowledge, opinions, and emotions that they can draw upon.

Excerpted from: "Making Connections: Text to Self, Text to Text, Text to World"

Application: It is most natural for students to draw upon text to self connections. Begin with this lesson first. Then move to text to world. 

Text-to-Self: How do the ideas in this text relate to your own life, ideas and experiences? Complete one of the following statements:

• What I just read reminds me of the time when I….
• I agree with/understand what I just read because in my own life...
• I don't agree with what I just read because in my own life...

Text-to-World: How do the ideas in this text reading relate to the larger world – past, present and future. Consider current events, history, and science knowledge. Complete one of the following statements:

• What I just read makes me think about _________________________ (event from the past) because……
• What I just read makes me think about _________________________ (event from today related to my own community, nation or world) because….
• What I just read makes me wonder about the future because….

How to: To effectively teach this strategy, use the To-With-Group-By method during reading instruction. Text to self is the easiest to begin with then introduce text to world later.

To- Model the thinking a reader would do when they encounter a text to self connection and articulate your thinking using a sentence frame. "What I just read reminds me of a time when I...."

With- At stopping points or at the end of the story have students share out. Check that their are no misconceptions on how to correctly apply the strategy.

Group- Ask students to share out to their accountable talk group using sentence frames. 

By- Ask students to try the strategy as the read their independent reading strategies. You can also use some of the assessment techniques listed below to monitor each reader's ability to use the strategy.

Sample Lesson Video: Teacher Modeled Lesson on Text to Self

• Informal observation during lesson
• Accountable talk with a check sheet to record mastery
• Students place sticky notes on the reading with their thinking
• Students record their connections on graphic organizers