Literacy Strategy #9

Name of strategy
Four R Notes

Brief description of the

strategy
 Helps students gather their understanding of a text as they
read it and after they read it, expand meaning to the real
world or other texts, and asks them to inquire about it.
 Familiarizes students with four text-based writing tasks but in
a simple format.

Explanation of how it can be

used Useful strategy for both before and after reading, as well as assisting
in writing about a text.

 Students receive a handout divided into four quadrants

represented by Rs.
 In the first, top left quadrant, the first R stands for Read.
Students write down the most important points about a text
as they read it.
 The top right quadrant’s R stands for Retell. In this section,
students summarize the story in their own words after
having read it.
 The bottom left quadrant’s R stands for Relate. Students
connect ideas in the text they just read to other knowledge
they have from before, whether it be personal experiences
or previous readings.
 The final, bottom right quadrant’s R stands for Respond.
Students state their own personal thoughts on or
understandings of the text in this section.

Source (doesn’t need to be The English Teacher’s Companion – Jim Burke

APA)