What strategy is ideal for helping students identify the main idea of a text?

Teaching students to summarize each paragraph in their own words is an effective strategy for identifying the main idea of a text. Summarization requires students to distill the essential information from each section, allowing them to discern significant concepts and themes. By expressing the content in their own words, students engage deeply with the material, enhancing comprehension and retention. This process encourages them to think critically about the information presented and connect it to the overall message or purpose of the text.

In contrast, while underlining key words and phrases can help highlight important information, it does not necessarily guide students in understanding the overarching ideas. Asking students to question the text can stimulate discussion and reflection but may not directly lead to identifying the main idea. Reading the text multiple times promotes familiarity, but alone, it does not foster the analytical skills needed to capture the primary argument or theme effectively.