Name of Strategy: Different Perspectives for Reading
Source: Buehl, D. (2009). Different Perspectives for Reading. Classroom Strategies for Interactive Learning (73-75). Newark, DE: International Reading Association.
Explanation: This strategy pays close attention to the fact that each student comes from a different background and, therefore, interprets what they read in varying ways. No two students will interpret the same piece of literature exactly alike. This strategy is used to assist readers in opening their minds to take into account other people’s perspectives on materials, not just their own. The process of the lesson is as follows…
First, students read a selection of literature (article, book, short story, etc.). Secondly, teachers ask students to think about the literature from a different perspective (be it of a different character in the novel or, in historical writing, someone who was affected by what the article discusses). Third, the students are divided into groups and asked to discuss the feelings, thoughts, emotions, etc. of the particular perspective they have been assigned. Fourth, have students re-read the material with their perspective in mind—what quotes, characters, actions, etc. reveal evidence of their perspective? The fifth step is the reflection stage, where teachers ask students to discuss what they learned from examining literature from different perspectives and write a summary of their experiences.
Throughout this lesson, students are given a graphic outline to document their notes and evidence of perspectives throughout the activity. Having a written worksheet to go along with the lesson is effective in guiding the students in the activity’s process and gives them a framework on which to build. This lesson is good because it broadens students’ minds and allows them to view a text on a new and deeper level.