Example Dicto-comp Activity 1

Dicto-Comp for Scaffolding of Extended Nonfiction Reader

On the following page, you can find teacher directions for a dicto-comp activity that can offer support
to extended nonfiction readers in a variety of ways. Dicto-comps can (a) serve as introductions to
extended nonfiction content before students are assigned to read partial or full chapters; (b) facilitate
reviews of assigned sections of the reader; and (c) build upon information presented in the reader by
introducing students to new but related content. Dicto-comps provide meaningful listening practice
and reinforcement of extended nonfiction reader content. Dicto-comps are versatile in that they can be
short, long, or anywhere in between.
 Example Dicto-comp Activity 2

Directions for teachers:

1. Prepare notes for a lecture related to a reading assignment.

If the dicto-comp is serving as an introduction to (rather than a review of) a chapter, consider
how you integrate key terms that may be new to students (and also important for later reading
comprehension) into the dicto-comp. You can help students begin to understand those terms by
adding anecdotes, examples, and synonyms, as just a few examples, to the dicto-comp itself.

2. Ask students to take out a piece of paper for a dicto-comp.

3. Explain the directions for a dicto-comp.

a. Students will listen to a lecture three times.

b. The first time, students listen but do not write anything down.

c. The second time, students take notes. They should write as much as they can.

d. The third, and last time, students fill in gaps in their notes.

4. Deliver the lecture to students three times, making the best effort to use the same language
each time.

5. Ask students to get into groups of three to (a) compare notes and (b) resolve differences among
their individual versions, focusing on main ideas and relevant details.

6. Project your lecture notes on an overhead screen. Ask students to compare their groups written
notes from the previous step with your lecture notes and make a list of the differences they see.

7. As a class, discuss differences that students found between your lecture notes and theirs. Which
ideas were missing? Which words did they find most difficult to spell?

8. Finally, ask students some comprehension check questions and address student questions about
the content or the language of the lecture.