Clink! and Clunk! Cards
Monitoring Cards to help improve Comprehension
Overview:
The Click and Clunk cards are a very useful resource to have in your classroom, they are beneficial for student self-monitoring to increase comprehension. With the use of these cards, which reflect Anderson's (1980) model of studying, readers are forced to pause periodically to evaluate their comprehension and memory of the text and to take remedial action when they have a problem. The "Click" card stands for "I understand what I am reading," while the "Clunk" card stands for "I don't understand what I am reading, I should go back and use a fix-it strategy." If the student raises a "Clunk" card, they are then supposed to use the strategy cards to help them solve their problem. The five strategies that were suggested were (1) read on; (2) reread the sentence; (3) go back and reread the passage; (4) look in the glossary; (5) ask someone for help or "What did it say?/ What do I remember?" |
Connection/ Teaching Point:
The Click! and Clunk! self-monitoring comprehension cards will be introduced to students at the beginning of the year to use while reading throughout the year. First, to being the mini-lesson, the teacher will take some time to introduce the meaning of the Click and Clunk cards, as well as the five fix-it strategy cards and the two self question cards. Therefore, the first step the teacher will take to introduce the cards to the students is to model time and show them how they work using a "think-aloud" to walk them through. Second, the students will take time to some guided practice using the cards with their small groups. During this time, the teacher will walk around the room and assist any students that are having difficulties with the strategy. Last, the students will practice the cards independently while silently reading their book. To regroup, the students will share some of the ways they were able to fix their problem when they used a "clunk!" card and which fix-it strategies they used. |
Model/Teach:
Once the students have been introduced to click and clunk representing their level on understanding in text, the teacher will model the use of the resource cards. In this case, we are going to be using a lit lightbulb in contrast with a dark lightbulb to represent current level of understand. People often say they don't want to be left in the dark-unknowing, the teacher will be around to help guide them with strategies to turn their light back on. The teacher will read from Thanksgiving Holidays & Customs text and think-aloud as reading. "Hmm, that's interesting,.. yupp, those two things go together... wait". Turn over lightbulb to dark and continue to think aloud. "I am confused about where they are? How can I figure out where the characters went, I missed it when I was reading? Oh I could try to go back and skim for locations in the text or I could write out what I last knew in my journal and then go back and re-read to fill in the blanks. Well, today I'm going to try journal what I'm confused about then keep reading to see if I can figure out where they went using context clues." Teacher continues to read and shortly notices a landmark mentioned that helps to determine location of the characters. Teacher will record answer to question in journal and mention re-on look for context clues strategy. http://wilstar.com/holidays/thankstr.htm
Once the students have been introduced to click and clunk representing their level on understanding in text, the teacher will model the use of the resource cards. In this case, we are going to be using a lit lightbulb in contrast with a dark lightbulb to represent current level of understand. People often say they don't want to be left in the dark-unknowing, the teacher will be around to help guide them with strategies to turn their light back on. The teacher will read from Thanksgiving Holidays & Customs text and think-aloud as reading. "Hmm, that's interesting,.. yupp, those two things go together... wait". Turn over lightbulb to dark and continue to think aloud. "I am confused about where they are? How can I figure out where the characters went, I missed it when I was reading? Oh I could try to go back and skim for locations in the text or I could write out what I last knew in my journal and then go back and re-read to fill in the blanks. Well, today I'm going to try journal what I'm confused about then keep reading to see if I can figure out where they went using context clues." Teacher continues to read and shortly notices a landmark mentioned that helps to determine location of the characters. Teacher will record answer to question in journal and mention re-on look for context clues strategy. http://wilstar.com/holidays/thankstr.htm
Active Engagement:
Next, Students will be asked to read from the same text and continue to read using their own Clink and Clunk light bulb card. This will be in a small group with rotating reading. If someone flips their clunk card the group stops and figures out a fix-it strategy to help their classmate. They will journal why they stop with a clunk and what they used independently or with the guidance of the teacher to understand the text. The teacher will be monitoring student's usage of the clink and clunk card predicting where in the provided text the students may become confused or uncertain. Once students demonstrate the ability to use the click and clunk cards without teacher support, they will move on to working independently.Students may or may not finish the provided content specific article within the group time. |
Link/Send Off:
Students will be sent to their seats with their independent reading book and their click and clunk cards. Periodically, the teacher may remind students to stop and think if they understand or if they should turn their light-bulb over and stop with a clunk. Students should keep their journals out to monitor what strategies they use and what confuses them within the reading followed by the answers the discover. At the conclusion of independent reading time, students will be asked to share the fix-it strategies they used to turn their light-bulb back on. Students will work with a partner nearby to Think Pair Share. Think about what they were confused on, and how they figured it out, Pair up and share confusing parts and strategies, finally, Share out with the group what strategies you and your partner found useful.
Students will be sent to their seats with their independent reading book and their click and clunk cards. Periodically, the teacher may remind students to stop and think if they understand or if they should turn their light-bulb over and stop with a clunk. Students should keep their journals out to monitor what strategies they use and what confuses them within the reading followed by the answers the discover. At the conclusion of independent reading time, students will be asked to share the fix-it strategies they used to turn their light-bulb back on. Students will work with a partner nearby to Think Pair Share. Think about what they were confused on, and how they figured it out, Pair up and share confusing parts and strategies, finally, Share out with the group what strategies you and your partner found useful.