Text+Connections+(the+ability+to+make+connections+between+two+or+more+separate+texts)

The ability to connect ideas, structure and concepts derived from texts provides the meaning behind reading. It would be little wonder if students who were not able or instructed in doing this were also those who most hated reading. Most of us need to be able to find purpose and meaning in what read in relation to other things we know or have experienced. Every time I read something new, whether it be about history, economic, and individual's biography or fiction, I am constantly considering ways it relates to other things that I have read or experienced.

One way to help students develop this approach is to constantly have them look at what they have read in relation to their own contextual experience. This can be a comparison of two texts, but another way to do it is have them focus on how events or concepts relate to experiences or observations of their own. This will result in a much more fruitful and meaningful reading experience for them.

One simple exercise is to have them keep a two-sided notebook. Here they can simply fold the page in half and take notes about what they have read on the left side while taking notes on the right side using a bank of key starters or expression that you provide them with. Examples might be "This reminds me of....", "I saw/read/thought something like this when...", "This is just like when I read..." When they do this while reading, they are not only more likely to remember what they have read, but they are likely to **understand it** (at least in their own way). I would recommend discussing some of these in class and helping them and their peers evaluate the reasoning behind their connections.

If possible, use some sources that are not from the text series that promote different points of view, biases, perspectives. Have the students examine those differences and how the author's advocate for their point of view. While the time spent may be more than simply assigning a reading and discussing it briefly, the result will be a much richer understanding for the students.

For either of the above discussions, consider inputting a part that requires the students to identify a part they could not relate to their lives, the text or the world around them. Make it a class goal to find a connection.