Anchor Charts for Reading Skills

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The main idea is the big point that the writer is communicating to the reader.

It is the controlling idea. All the other supporting details in the text or within a

paragraph should tell us more about the main idea. Often the reader can

approach the main idea just by looking at the title. For example, a passage

titled: “Why Students Deserve More Recess” will include reasons for that

idea. Sometimes the main idea is stated and other times the main idea is not

really written and it is implied or hidden.

Try to see main idea as the heart of the text or paragraph. It should be big

enough to include everything in the reading passage. It is the central

message and all the details point to the heart.