How to Implement the Directed Reading Thinking Activity (DRTA) in Your Classroom: A Teacher’s Guide

Reading comprehension is not about decoding words alone—it is about meaning-making. Yet many students, especially in the early and primary years, approach reading passively. They read what is on the page without questioning, predicting, or actively engaging with the text. This is where the Directed Reading Thinking Activity (DRTA) becomes a powerful instructional strategy.

DRTA is a structured, student-centred reading approach that encourages learners to think critically before, during, and after reading. Instead of receiving meaning from the teacher, students actively construct understanding by making predictions, justifying ideas, and revising their thinking as they read. When implemented effectively, DRTA transforms reading into an interactive, reflective, and deeply engaging process.

This guide explores what DRTA is, why it works, and how teachers can implement it successfully in real classrooms—step by step.

What Is the Directed Reading Thinking Activity (DRTA)?

The Directed Reading Thinking Activity is a comprehension strategy designed to help students become active readers.

It centres on three core actions:

• Predicting what will happen in the text
• Reading to confirm or revise predictions
• Thinking and reflecting based on textual evidence

Rather than focusing on right or wrong answers, DRTA emphasises reasoning. Students are encouraged to explain why they think something will happen and what evidence supports or contradicts their ideas.

This approach aligns well with inquiry-based learning and is particularly effective in building higher-order thinking skills from an early age.

Why DRTA Is Effective in Early and Primary Classrooms

Young learners often rely heavily on adults to interpret texts for them. DRTA gradually shifts this responsibility to students, helping them develop independence and confidence as readers.

Key benefits of DRTA include:

• Improved comprehension and retention
• Stronger prediction and inference skills
• Increased engagement with texts
• Development of metacognitive awareness

Educators trained at the level 4 early childhood education stage often encounter DRTA as part of broader literacy development frameworks, as it supports both cognitive and language growth in young learners.

Understanding the Teacher’s Role in DRTA

In DRTA, the teacher is not the storyteller or interpreter of meaning. Instead, the teacher acts as a facilitator of thinking. This requires careful planning, purposeful questioning, and patience.

Teachers guide students by:

• Prompting predictions without revealing outcomes
• Encouraging justification using text clues
• Pausing reading at strategic points
• Valuing revised thinking as much as initial ideas

This shift from instruction to facilitation is critical for DRTA to be effective.

How Teachers Can Use DRTA to Improve Reading Comprehension

Here are a few things teachers can use DRTA to improve reading comprehension by guiding students to predict, question, and reflect on texts with purpose and confidence.

1. Choose the Right Text

Not all texts are suitable for DRTA. The ideal text should:

• Have a clear structure (story progression or logical argument)
• Include visual or textual clues that invite prediction
• It is slightly challenging but accessible

Picture books, short stories, informational texts, and narrative passages all work well when they contain moments of suspense, change, or problem-solving.

Before the lesson, teachers should identify natural stopping points where predictions can be made and revisited.

2. Activate Prior Knowledge

Before reading begins, students need to connect the text to what they already know. This prepares them to make meaningful predictions.

Teachers can:

• Discuss the title, cover, or illustrations
• Ask what students already know about the topic
• Introduce key vocabulary only if necessary

At this stage, the goal is not explanation—but curiosity.

3. Encourage Predictions With Purpose

Once the text is introduced, students are invited to predict what might happen next. This is the heart of DRTA.

Effective prediction prompts include:

• “What do you think will happen next?”
• “Why do you think that?”
• “What clues helped you decide?”

Importantly, all predictions are welcome as long as they are supported by reasoning. This creates a safe environment where students feel comfortable sharing ideas.

4. Read to Confirm or Revise Thinking

After predictions are made, students read the next section of the text—silently, aloud, or through shared reading.

Teachers then pause and ask:

• “Were our predictions correct?”
• “What surprised you?”
• “What changed your thinking?”

This step reinforces that changing one’s mind is a strength, not a mistake. Students learn that good readers continuously adjust their understanding.

5. Repeat the Cycle Strategically

DRTA is not a one-time activity. The predict–read–reflect cycle continues throughout the text.

Teachers should:

• Stop at meaningful points, not every paragraph
• Allow enough reading time between discussions
• Gradually reduce teacher prompts as students gain confidence

Over time, students begin to internalise this thinking process and apply it independently.

6. Guide Post-Reading Reflection

After completing the text, reflection helps consolidate learning.

Post-reading questions may include:

• “Which prediction were you most confident about?”
• “What helped you understand the text better?”
• “How did your thinking change from the beginning?”

This stage strengthens metacognition—students become aware of how they think, not just what they think.

Adapting DRTA for Different Learners

DRTA is highly flexible and can be adapted for diverse classrooms.

For younger learners:

• Use visuals and oral predictions
• Model thinking aloud
• Keep discussions short and focused

For struggling readers:

• Read texts aloud
• Provide sentence starters
• Focus on collaborative predictions

For advanced learners:

• Use complex texts
• Encourage multiple interpretations
• Ask for evidence from specific passages

This adaptability makes DRTA suitable across age groups and ability levels.

Common Challenges—and How to Overcome Them

Some teachers worry that DRTA takes too much time or leads to off-track discussions. These challenges can be managed with structure.

Helpful strategies include:

• Setting clear discussion norms
• Limiting prediction time
• Redirecting without dismissing ideas

With practice, DRTA becomes a natural part of reading instruction rather than an “extra” activity.

Building DRTA Into Your Literacy Routine

DRTA does not need to replace existing reading practices. It can be integrated into:

• Guided reading sessions
• Shared reading lessons
• Literacy centres
• Whole-class story discussions

Consistency matters more than frequency. Even one DRTA-based session per week can significantly improve reading comprehension over time.

Bottom Line

The Directed Reading Thinking Activity is more than a reading strategy—it is a way of teaching students how to think. By encouraging prediction, reflection, and evidence-based reasoning, DRTA empowers learners to take ownership of meaning-making.

These competencies are emphasised in structured teacher preparation programs, including internationally recognised qualifications such as the OTHM Level 4 Diploma in Early Childhood Education in Dubai, which focus on learner-centred strategies and reflective teaching practice.