What strategy is the third-grade teacher using to enhance students' reading comprehension of informational texts?

The strategy of modeling metacognitive comprehension strategies is particularly effective for enhancing students' reading comprehension of informational texts. By demonstrating how to think about and regulate their own reading processes, the teacher helps students become more aware of their understanding and their approach to reading. This includes guiding them to ask questions about the text, summarize information, make predictions, and identify their own thought processes while reading. Such modeling empowers students to take control of their comprehension skills, leading to deeper understanding and retention of the material.

Encouraging group discussions can also support comprehension, but it primarily relies on social interaction and peer input rather than focusing on individual cognitive strategies. Vocabulary flashcards are helpful for learning terms but do not address comprehension skills directly. Assigning independent reading logs can promote reading fluency and accountability, but it lacks the guided, reflective approach that modeling metacognitive strategies provides. Therefore, the modeling approach stands out as the most effective for improving comprehension in informational text at this grade level.