Directed Reading Thinking Activity [repack] Jun 2026

Even a "wild" prediction is a learning opportunity. Ask the student, "What made you think that?" to understand their logic.

Here is helpful, actionable content for planning and implementing a , a strategy developed by Russell Stauffer to teach students how to read actively and think critically. directed reading thinking activity

This is the most significant barrier. A DRTA lesson takes significantly longer than a traditional "silent reading" session. The stop-and-start nature of the cycle can disrupt the flow of the narrative, particularly with fast-paced or suspenseful texts. Teachers must be judicious about where they stop the text—choosing natural cliffhangers or section breaks is essential to maintain momentum. Even a "wild" prediction is a learning opportunity

DRTA shifts reading from passive decoding to active prediction. Instead of reading a text straight through, students stop at strategic points to: This is the most significant barrier

Once the text is finished, have a final discussion about the overall arc and how their "thinking" evolved from start to finish. Best Practices for Success

At its core, DRTA is a framework that guides students through a story or informational text using a three-step cycle: