What is the Three Reads Strategy?
The three reads strategy is a protocol that engages students in understanding a mathematical situation prior to solving the problem. The learner will read the problem three times with a different purpose/goal for each read. This is usually done as a whole class activity, especially when first learning how to use the strategy. The third read can be done in small groups or in partner shares once they are more independent in the use of the strategy. Implementing this protocol engages the learner in the mathematical practices, especially numbers 1 and 2. SMP 1 - Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them. and SMP 2 - Reason abstractly and quantitatively.
First Read:
The first read focuses the reader on what is happening in the situation through visualization and exploration of the character, setting, and problem. The reader will ask and answer questions such as "What is happening?", "Who is in the story?" "What is the problem? or What could the problem be?" and "Where is it taking place?".
Second Read:
The next read focuses the learner on understanding what the quantities are in the situation and how they relate to the problem. The learner will ask and answer questions such as "What are the quantities?" and "How do they relate to the story?".
Student Input Optional Step:
Give the situation without a question attached (Situation Stems) and allow the students go through the first two reads as a whole class. Then, ask students to generate questions that can be solved using the information from the situation. In pairs, or small groups, students can then work on using the third read to make a plan to solve the question.
Third Read:
The purpose of the third read is to make a plan to solve the problem. The learner will determine the strategy they will use, the operations they will use, and implement the plan to solve the problem.
Class Discussion/Reflection:
Discuss with the class how the problem was solved. Review the strategies that were used and give students time to comment on each other's diagrams, equations, pictures etc. This allows for a deeper analysis and understanding of the task that was just completed.
The three reads strategy is a protocol that engages students in understanding a mathematical situation prior to solving the problem. The learner will read the problem three times with a different purpose/goal for each read. This is usually done as a whole class activity, especially when first learning how to use the strategy. The third read can be done in small groups or in partner shares once they are more independent in the use of the strategy. Implementing this protocol engages the learner in the mathematical practices, especially numbers 1 and 2. SMP 1 - Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them. and SMP 2 - Reason abstractly and quantitatively.
First Read:
The first read focuses the reader on what is happening in the situation through visualization and exploration of the character, setting, and problem. The reader will ask and answer questions such as "What is happening?", "Who is in the story?" "What is the problem? or What could the problem be?" and "Where is it taking place?".
Second Read:
The next read focuses the learner on understanding what the quantities are in the situation and how they relate to the problem. The learner will ask and answer questions such as "What are the quantities?" and "How do they relate to the story?".
Student Input Optional Step:
Give the situation without a question attached (Situation Stems) and allow the students go through the first two reads as a whole class. Then, ask students to generate questions that can be solved using the information from the situation. In pairs, or small groups, students can then work on using the third read to make a plan to solve the question.
Third Read:
The purpose of the third read is to make a plan to solve the problem. The learner will determine the strategy they will use, the operations they will use, and implement the plan to solve the problem.
Class Discussion/Reflection:
Discuss with the class how the problem was solved. Review the strategies that were used and give students time to comment on each other's diagrams, equations, pictures etc. This allows for a deeper analysis and understanding of the task that was just completed.