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PRONOUN RESOLUTION

Instructions​

  1. Select a text with pronoun use. Choose a passage where meaning depends on correctly understanding what pronouns or referents point to (e.g., they, this, which, it).

  2. Read a sentence or paragraph aloud, pausing at each pronoun. Ask, “Who or what does this refer to?” and explain how you know.

  3.  Have students underline or highlight pronouns and draw arrows back to their antecedents in the text.

  4. Optional Step: Use a two-column organizer. In one column, list the pronoun or referring word. In the other, have students write what it refers to and how they figured it out (clues from previous sentences, logic, etc.).

THE RESEARCH

  • Understanding anaphoric references is essential for reading comprehension, particularly in primary sources and complex academic texts. According to the IES Practice Guide (2022), teaching students to monitor their understanding and clarify confusions—including tracking referents—is a recommended practice for improving reading comprehension. This kind of instruction aligns with the broader strategy of comprehension monitoring and metacognitive awareness.

  • Hattie’s research identifies reading comprehension strategies (effect size = 0.60) and self-questioning (effect size = 0.53) as high-impact practices (Hattie, 2018). When students pause to ask, “What does this pronoun refer to?” they are actively engaging in both strategies.

  • When students develop the habit of resolving references while reading, they build coherence and meaning across sentences and paragraphs—making them stronger, more attentive readers and writers.

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