After a decade in the classroom, I’ve discovered something that changed everything: the magic doesn’t start on page one—it happens before the book is even opened.
If you want to deepen your students’ comprehension and get them excited about reading, it starts before the first page is ever turned. Pre-reading activities are one of the most powerful (and often overlooked) tools for setting a purpose, building background knowledge, and helping young readers connect with the text right from the start.
I’ve seen reluctant readers transform into enthusiastic participants simply because we took a few minutes to prepare before diving into a new book, and reaping the benefits of read-aloud time. That’s why I’m passionate about sharing what works.
Below, I’m sharing five of my favorite pre-reading strategies that I’ve refined over my 10+ years in elementary classrooms. These approaches are simple to implement but incredibly effective at transforming “have-to” reading into “want-to” reading.
Want to grab your students’ attention before you even open the book? Write a letter from the main character’s point of view! This strategy gives a sneak peek into the character’s voice, tone, and journey—without giving away the entire plot.
Roll the letter up like a scroll, and dramatically reveal it to your students before reading!
The letter can set the stage for the story, hint at the theme, and give students a purpose for reading (like looking for character traits or changes). This approach adds a touch of magic and mystery that instantly hooks young readers.
Before diving into the text, take a few minutes to preview essential vocabulary words. Focus on a handful of words that students will need to fully understand the text. Keep it brief and light—this isn’t a full vocabulary lesson.
To support your kinesthetic learners, teach the words using quick body or hand motions. This makes vocabulary both fun and memorable.
Sometimes, students just need a little nudge to get their brains thinking about the text. That’s where book question cards come in. These open-ended questions prompt students to make predictions, share opinions, and activate prior knowledge—all before reading begins.
You might ask questions like:
I created my first set of question cards after noticing how my students struggled to engage with new texts. Now, these book question cards help students become active participants in the reading process from the very start.
Sometimes a fiction story includes unfamiliar concepts like migration, natural disasters, or historical events. If you sense that students need more context, take a few minutes to build that background knowledge.
For example, if you’re reading a fictional story about a butterfly migrating, share a short nonfiction book or video about butterfly migration. It doesn’t have to be long—just enough to give them the basic understanding they need to make sense of the story.
One of the most meaningful ways to prepare students for reading is to help them connect personally with the character or theme. Try starting with a simple journal prompt that relates to a challenge or emotion the character will face in the book.
For example: “Write about a time you had to overcome a challenge.” This gets students thinking, builds empathy, and primes them to relate to the story on a deeper level.
Some of the most profound reading discussions I’ve facilitated came after students connected their own experiences to those of the characters—connections that began with these simple journal prompts.
What pre-reading strategies have been effective in your classroom? I’d love to hear about your experiences in the comments below!
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Hey, y’all! My name is Amy Lemons and I am passionate about providing students with both engaging and effective standards-based Math and ELA lessons.
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