stated that mini-lessons lend themselves nicely to the "direct and explicit
instruction shown to improve reading comprehension for low achieving readers. He explained
that mini lessons worked well when they were planned ahead of time and included the following
components:
1. Focus statement - remarks made at the very beginning of the lesson that explained what
the strategy was and how and why it was being learned.
2 Modeling - examples of the skill or strategy being learned, usually provided by the
teacher.
3. Practice - opportunities for students to practice the skill with independent or
instructional-leveled materials as a group.
4. Reminder - directions to the students to continue practicing the skill or strategy during
their silent reading time.