Developed by Russell Stauffer in 1969, the DRTA is a comprehension strategy that guides students through the reading process by asking them to make predictions, read to verify those predictions, and adjust their thinking based on new evidence. While it has been a staple in educator toolkits for decades, its relevance remains high in the era of the Science of Reading and evidence-based instruction. This review explores the theoretical underpinnings, procedural mechanics, strengths, limitations, and overall efficacy of the DRTA.
If not implemented with rigor, DRTA can devolve into a game of random guessing. If a teacher accepts predictions like "I think aliens will land" in a story about a family farm, without demanding justification, the strategy loses its academic value. The teacher's questioning technique is the linchpin of the strategy’s success. directed reading thinking activity
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 Developed by Russell Stauffer in 1969, the DRTA
Because students have made a personal investment (a prediction), they are more motivated to read the text to see if they were "right." If not implemented with rigor, DRTA can devolve
Copyright (c) 2015-2023 Alain Rioux