In the 21st century, students will have access to more information than any other students before them. They must learn to locate, assess, and use this information wisely. Today’s students must not only read the words on the page and understand them, but they must also think critically about the information they are reading. The Directed Reading - Thinking Activity (Stauffer, 1969) is an explicit teaching method that focuses student attention on the purpose for reading.  It can be used in any content area and with fiction or nonfiction text.  The DR-TA encourages readers to become actively engaged with the text through a three-step process: sample the text, make a prediction, then read the text to confirm the prediction.  Good readers make and verify predictions as they read.  This activity can assist students in developing that skill.

Websites on Directed Reading - Thinking Activity:

DR-TA Bookmark - PDF

http://www.teachervision.fen.com/tv/printables/prodev/PAS_DR-TA-guide.pdf

Literacy Strategy: Directed Reading - Thinking Activity - PDF

http://www.lpb.org/education/classroom/itv/litlearn/strategies/strat_3drta.pdf

TeacherVision: Directed Reading - Thinking Activity

http://www.teachervision.fen.com/skill-builder/reading/48610.html

Teaching Comprehension K-2: Using DRTA to Predict When Reading - PDF

http://www.curriculum.org/secretariat/files/Oct25reading.pdf

Lesson Plan for a Social Studies Directed Reading - Thinking Activity - PDF

http://www.lpb.org/education/classroom/itv/litlearn/lessons/lssn_3drta.pdf

Ingredients of a DR-TA

http://raider.muc.edu/~schnelpl/Content%20Area%20Reading.1/DRTA.htm

DR-TA for Night by Elie Wiesel - PDF

http://english.byu.edu/Novelinks/reading%20strategies/Night/DR-TA%20for%20Night.pdf