Making Connections to Text for Deeper Reading Comprehension

Helping students master the skill of making connections to text is one of the most impactful ways to strengthen reading comprehension in the elementary classroom. When students relate what they read to their own experiences, other texts or the wider world, they become more engaged, thoughtful and confident readers.

This 22-slide teaching presentation provides everything you’ll need to teach this valuable reading comprehension strategy to your students. It includes the following content: 

• A definition of the making connections to text strategy
• An explanation of how and when to use the strategy
• Examples of metacognitive questions to ask when applying the strategy
• A guided, whole-class activity (based on a literary text)
• Check for understanding activities

Once your students have engaged with this resource, they’ll have a clear understanding of how to make text-to-self, text-to-text and text-to-world connections when reading.

Read on to learn more about why this strategy is so important to explicitly teach to our elementary students.

Making Personal Connections to Text (And Why It Matters)

As mentioned above, teaching students how to make text connections is fundamental to developing strong, independent readers. Here’s why this skill deserves a place in your literacy block:

• Improves comprehension and retention – When students connect ideas in a text to their own lives or prior knowledge, the content becomes more meaningful and memorable. You’ll often notice those “lightbulb moments” when a student suddenly understands a concept because it reminds them of something familiar.
• Encourages deeper thinking and engagement – Instead of simply decoding words, students begin to question, reflect and respond. For example, a reluctant reader may become more involved when they recognize a character experiencing something similar to their own life. 
• Bridges gaps for diverse learners – For students who find reading comprehension challenging, making connections provides an accessible entry point into understanding texts, as they are able to draw on their own experiences as a scaffold.

Download This Making Connections PowerPoint

This making text connections PowerPoint is available for immediate download via the Download button above.

This resource is available as either a Microsoft PowerPoint or a Google Slides file. You can access both file formats via the Download button above. (Note: You will be prompted to make a copy of the Google Slides presentation before accessing it.)

Whether you’re introducing the concept of making connections for the first time or revisiting it as part of your comprehension routine, this resource fits seamlessly into your literacy program.

Lindsey Phillips, a teacher in Michigan and a Teach Starter collaborator, contributed to this resource.

More Resources for Exploring Reading Connections

Looking for more great making connections resources to use in conjunction with this slide deck? We have you covered! Click below to browse some of our team’s favorites.

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Reading Comprehension Question Stems - Anchor Charts

Enhance instruction on the six reading comprehension strategies with our printable Reading Comprehension Question Stems Chart Pack.

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Activating Prior Knowledge Teaching Slides

Teach the reading comprehension skill of activating prior knowledge with this ready-to-use, age-appropriate teaching presentation for 3rd and 4th grade.

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Making Text Connections Graphic Organizer

A graphic organizer to use with students when making connections with a piece of text.