The Directed Reading Thinking Activity encourages students to do what before reading a text?

The Directed Reading Thinking Activity (DRTA) is designed to engage students actively in the reading process by encouraging them to use critical thinking skills. Before diving into the text, students making predictions and asking questions allows them to activate prior knowledge and set a purpose for their reading. This strategy fosters engagement and a deeper understanding of the material, as students are more likely to connect with the content when they bring their own insights and queries to the table.

Making predictions about what might happen based on titles, headings, or illustrations encourages students to engage with the text on a deeper level. Asking questions not only promotes curiosity but also helps guide their reading, allowing students to seek out answers throughout their interaction with the text. This pre-reading activity lays a foundation for more meaningful comprehension and retention of the information.

In contrast, writing a summary of the entire text prior to reading would be premature, as students would not yet have the context necessary to summarize effectively. Reading without preliminary thoughts would fail to engage students and could lead to disengagement or misunderstanding of the text's purpose. Lastly, creating a visual representation may come after or during reading but typically does not precede the initial engagement with the text, which is the focus of the DRTA method.