Make Synthesizing Easy with These Simple Strategies
In recent years, students have been expected to synthesize what they read at a deeper level than when I started teaching (long, long ago...). When readers synthesize information, they bring together facts from multiple sources to create an overall understanding of the material. Readers blend their background knowledge, new information from the reading, and facts learned in discussion to develop a deeper level of comprehension.
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| Make Synthesizing Easy with These Simple Strategies |
What is Synthesizing?
Synthesizing is similar to baking a cake. When we bake a cake, we combine all of the separate ingredients - eggs, flour, sugar, butter, etc - to make a new thing, a cake! When we synthesize, we take what we already know and mix it with what we have learned from reading and discussion to create new ideas and understandings.Learning to synthesize can be challenging for some students, but there are a few different support strategies that teachers can use in their lessons.
The REST Method
For upper elementary and middle school grades, an easy approach to teaching synthesizing is the REST method.
- R - read two different sources about a topic and record ideas.
- E - edit notes and combine concepts that are similar.
- S - synthesize by combining notes with what you already know about the topic.
- T - think about your new ideas and connect them to what you already know.
Teachers will need to model using the REST method and provide a lot of practice for students to master this strategy. While practicing REST, some students may like to draw pictures while others may refer to write notes. As long as students are recording their information, teachers should allow each student to process the information the way that works best for him or her.
The ADD Method
In younger grades or for students that are struggling with synthesizing, teachers can use the ADD method. ADD is similar to REST, but it can be used with just one text. The advantage of ADD is that it helps students learn to integrate their learning with what they already know and discussions with other students. If students are still learning how to do that, it may be too much for them to synthesize information from multiple texts.
- A - what the students already knows about the topic.
- D - what the student learned during the reading on the same topic.
- D - what the student learned during the discussion of the topic.
I think of ADD as a stoplight. A is the red light, where students stop and think about what they already know before moving on. During the read, students proceed with caution (yellow light) and process new facts about the topic. The green light is the discussion, when students talk with peers and discuss what they have learned about the subject.
Venn Diagram
Also teachers can use a Venn Diagram to teach synthesizing. Students can use this method to record facts about two topics, which go in the large outer circles and then record overlapping facts and ideas where the circles overlap. They can add information at each step - prior knowledge, reading, and discussion. From this diagram, students can formulate their own ideas and thoughts about the topic. However, keep in mind that Venn Diagrams really only work well with simple topics and comparisons.
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| A Complete Unit for Teaching Synthesizing |
If you would like print and go activities for synthesizing, please check out the Synthesizing Unit in my store.Want to read about other reading strategies? Check out these other blog posts: