So just what is BCQ...
Browse
Connect
Question
BCQ is a prereading strategy that makes the prereading process visible to readers.
This strategy can be introduced at the beginning of the school year during a Readers' Workshop launch and then revisited throughout the year as needed in small groups or with individual students. Sometimes the whole group will need a refresher as they start reading increasingly difficult texts.
BCQ: Browse Connect and Question seems like an obvious and unnecessary strategy to teach readers, but so many readers at all age groups and levels need to be reminded of this before they begin reading a book or even choosing a book.
Students will hastily begin reading a book without getting to know it first.
It's important for readers to see the reading process at work as they apply strategies within their self-selected texts. What seems obvious to a proficient reader isn't always 'clear as day' for developing readers.
Before students read a book they need to familiarize themselves with the text before getting started. I call it “getting the brain ready” for the text. This strategy takes about 5 minutes but it is important for students to prepare themselves for reading.
Readers need to get to know a text before they begin reading. This process helps the readers develop a purpose that will deepen their comprehension of the text.
There are 3 Key Teaching Points (or steps) in a BCQ minilesson:
Browse the text to look for what is familiar
Connect with the familiar aspects of the text
Ask Questions about the text
These 3 steps will help readers familiarize themselves with the structure of the text, establish a connection to the text and develop an authentic purpose for reading it.
Readers must also understand that this strategy takes less than 5 minutes before reading.
The BCQ strategy could be made more visual for learners to see the steps in this prereading process by using colored post it notes. Assign one color post it note to each step in the process. When readers receive three different colored notes for each of the steps in the process, they are better equipped to visualize how the 3 parts work together to build comprehension of a text. (as shown in picture above)
Over time, the use of BCQ will become more automatic for readers. The need for visual cues (colored post it notes) will no longer be necessary.
BCQ is all about breaking the prereading process into 3 parts to help guide the reader in understanding how preparing to read helps build better comprehension of a text.
Try out the BCQ: Browse, Connect and Question strategy with your readers right now! Grab this free little minilesson that is all ready for you to print and go! It's available as a FREE download right here.👇
Until next time...
