Heading Sort
Before reading section headings from a topic text, pre-teach at most two essential terms. Learners annotate one useful detail and write a one-sentence takeaway.
Worked classroom example
Chemistry
For Heading Sort in Chemistry, give learners a paragraph set about particle diagrams. Ask them to match the section to its central idea and justify the match with one phrase. Model how to mark the exact word, phrase, label or value that supports the response, then distinguish that evidence from any inference.
Use this example to make the language move visible. Select subject content appropriate to the class’s age and prior knowledge.
Teaching sequence
- Show the title, heading or image before the full text. Ask learners to record a prediction and the clue behind it.
- Read to check the prediction. Mark one detail that confirms it and one detail that changes or complicates it.
- Use the evidence to revise the prediction in a complete sentence; distinguish a useful inference from a guess.
Materials and purpose
section headings from a topic text
A purposeful reading move helps learners focus on meaning and evidence, while giving them a reason to return to the source.
Try it in your next lesson
Prepare
Use section headings from a topic text. Choose a second example that checks the same language move without repeating the original answer.
Classroom task
Before reading section headings from a topic text, pre-teach at most two essential terms. Learners annotate one useful detail and write a one-sentence takeaway.
Check independent transfer
Use the evidence to revise the prediction in a complete sentence; distinguish a useful inference from a guess.
Collect a response on fresh content. Note what was achieved without the model, partner or teacher prompt, then choose one next teaching step.
Teacher language
Teacher language
Which exact detail in the source supports that answer?
“What does the source actually say, and what are you inferring?”
“What cannot be concluded from this evidence alone?”
Respond to the learner
Identify one successful meaning or language choice. Ask about one gap, allow thinking time, then invite a revision. Check the revised move again on a fresh example.
Adjust support and challenge
Offer a brief model, useful vocabulary and partner rehearsal where needed. Keep the subject goal; reduce one prompt on fresh content and record what was independent.
Teaching this skill → · Age and language support →
More support
Chunk the source, gloss essential terms and model one evidence selection. Keep the question’s reasoning demand. Allow familiar-language notes or another response mode when checking subject understanding.
Greater independence
Change the content, evidence or audience. Remove the completed model and ask learners to explain a choice. Increase subject complexity only when it fits the curriculum and prior knowledge.
Choose the next step
If subject meaning is insecure, reteach the concept. If the concept is understood but the English is unclear, model one useful language relationship and invite a fresh response.