How to Use Exit Tickets for Small Group and Independent Reading
Exit tickets are a simple way to assess students' reading comprehension and inspire content for future lessons. We love using printable exit tickets to understand how students are processing books, and we're excited to share the steps we use for incorporating exit tickets into our ELA class schedule.
1. Determine what your key objectives are for the day
If students are all reading the same excerpts from a shared novel, pre-read the section to analyze what stands out in it (ex. a scene with a significant conflict or clever figurative language). Once you've studied the chapter, pick a literary element that you'd like students to reflect on.
On the other hand, if students are reading different books with a variety of topics, it may be wise to start out with a general exit ticket topic that can easily be applied to any book.
2. Print out an exit ticket that aligns with your key objective
Our print-and-go exit tickets have a variety of topics, such as characters, settings, themes, plot details, and author style. The 14 writing prompts can be spread out throughout a novel study and arranged in any order, making them a flexible tool to keep on hand for easy lesson planning.
3. If you can't find an exit ticket that matches your goal, create your own prompt
When you're creating your own prompt, make sure to include:
- Clear expectations about the number of sentences students should write
- Thought-provoking questions that will lead to high-level answers beyond "yes" or "no"
- Space for students to share additional information, such as their name, the number of pages they read, etc.
4. Verbally explain the purpose of the exit ticket and instructions to your students
Even though the exit ticket has clear written directions, it can be helpful to read the prompt aloud and take time to answer any questions students have. Let your students know that your reason for having them write an exit ticket is so that you can understand what they are thinking and prepare better lesson plans for the future.
As you share instructions, be specific about any writing requirements that are important to you, such as writing in complete sentences or writing in cursive. Set your students up for success by letting them know exactly what you would consider a strong response.
Finally, don't forget to give clear directions about what students should do when they finish writing their exit ticket. Consider having students drop their ticket in a box or bowl as they leave the classroom, pass their tickets down their row, or hand the ticket directly to you as you walk around the classroom.
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