SummarizingApril 19, 2013

Icebreaker Choose a partner. One partner picks an object out of bag

without letting the other see. Other partner sits at table with paper and

pen Without talking, person with object

observes the object and draws on the back of the other while the other summarizes what they are experiencing.

Non-Verbal Summarization Once Removed Collaborative

Why Write Summaries? Reason #1

“Practice in summarizing improves students’ reading comprehension of fiction and nonfiction alike, helping them construct an overall understanding of a text, story, chapter, or article.” Rinehart, et al. “Some Effects of Summarization Training.” Reading Research Quarterly, 1986.

Why Write Summaries? Reason #2

According to Robert Marzano (Classroom Instruction That Works), summarizing: is a complex process that involves

many mental processes and requires students to analyze a text

and decide which information to keep, delete, or substitute.

Why Write Summaries? Reason #3

Common Core Anchor Standard #2 for ELA, History/Social Studies, Science and Technical Subjects:

Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development; summarize the key supporting details and ideas.

Informal SummariesWe summarize all the time in our daily

lives. “What was the movie about?” “How did the football game end?” “What did you do over the

weekend?”

Formal/Academic Summaries

What considerations come to mind when you think of a formal or an academic summary?

When is writing/preparing a summary appropriate for your discipline?

Challenges to Overcome When Summarizing

Students write down everything. They don’t write enough. They copy word for word. They include nonessential

information. They don’t demonstrate

comprehension of the text – its central idea or theme and the key details that support those.

What Is a Summary?A summary is a shortened version of a text that includes the theme (literary) or central idea (informational) and only the most important details. A summary may be written or spoken.

Criteria For an Effective Summary

An effective summary should:1. condense the original text.2. include only the most important information

from the original text. 3. reflect only what is in the original text, not the

student’s background knowledge or his/her personal judgment.

4. should be written in the student’s own words. 5. be well written and in sentence format.

Importance of Practice

The biggest problem with summary writing is deciding what to include and what to leave out.

Students need to see many models and to have multiple opportunities to practice. They need to have their summaries critiqued in order to help them refine their process.

Activity: Rank the Summaries

Read the passage. Use a strategy for identifying the

main idea and essential information. (Main Idea and Detail Chart is provided.)

Then, read the sample summaries and rank them. Which is the most effective? Why?

Ranking From Most Effective to Least Effective

SAMPLE D – “A clear and thorough representation of the essential information. There is little unimportant information.”

SAMPLE A – “Represents the essential information with no elaboration.”

SAMPLE E – “Conveys little of the essential information – most of the summary relates to the preparation of the building”

SAMPLE B – “Related to the content of the passage but consists primarily of commentary.”

SAMPLE C – “Every sentence is transcribed literally from the passage.”

Draft Holistic Rubric

Generic Strategies Strategies may differ depending on

the discipline. However, identifying the

theme/central idea and relevant supporting details should ALWAYS be part of an effective strategy.

Comments? Additions?

Where Do Summaries Fit in the Classroom?

At the end or the beginning of class – summarize what we did today or yesterday – might be written or oral

Checking for understanding of a prose text Identifying the main idea and common details of a set of

visuals Demonstrating understanding of the information in a chart

or matrix Writing an abstract or an executive summary Summarizing the content of an audio presentation Your ideas . . .

Review (to summarize...)

selectiveopinionated to the point

accurate

ramblingmain ideaessential details

well-written or spoken

personallongwinded

clear

superfluous details

objective