Spanish Reading Lesson: The Most Important Sentence

Sometimes we need something simple, low-prep, and easy to use! This activity is something you can do with any reading, and you don’t even have to make copies – it’s that simple! This activity is a reading activity that is really well disguised as a writing activity. So sneaky! Let’s talk about how to use this Spanish reading lesson in your classes.

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Materials for this Spanish Reading Lesson

• A reading selection
• Paper & pencil for each student

Where do you find reading selections for your novices? If you need help finding some options, check out this blog post on 5 places you can find reading material for free for your students!

How to Do this Spanish Reading Lesson

Students read (or re-read) the selection you provide for them. Then, students write a list of the 10 most important sentences in the reading. Students should think, “If you removed EVERY other sentence from the reading, could you still tell the story”?

Then, students need to narrow it down to 5 key sentences. Yes, they do need to re-write them, not just circle from their 10. (More practice!)

Finally, students write the single most important sentence from the story. I also have them explain why they chose that sentence! Depending on your students’ levels, you can have them do the explanation in Spanish or in English, up to you. They’re still analyzing the text!

Variations on this Spanish Reading Lesson

This activity also works really well in pairs and small groups! Have them do the initial 10 sentences alone, then compare with a partner. How many do you have in common? Okay, now you and your partner need to do 5 sentences together. Pairs compare. Now as a small group, choose the 3 most important sentences. Okay, compare with another group. Now, as a class. The SINGLE most important sentence. And, discuss.

Extension Activities:

Once you have the most important sentences from the text, there are tons of things you can do with them!

• Students could illustrate their top 5 in a comic strip.
• You can use the sentences to play Mi Lápiz the next day.
• Running Dictation with the sentences
• Read and Draw with the important sentences
• Telephone Pictionary

…and I’m sure there’s more! I’d love to hear other things you could do with the sentences you come up with.

Free Spanish Reading Lesson PDF

Like I said before, you don’t need to make copies to do this activity! Sometimes having a sheet already made does simplify things a bit though, so if you’d like, I’ve created a quick handout to go with this activity!

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I’d love to see if you try this activity! Tag me on Instagram @srta_spanish to share what you did with your classes!

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More Spanish Reading Lesson Ideas

I first heard of this activity at a TPRS Conference in St. Louis. Eric Richards, the presenter, has a whole book of ideas like this! You can check it out here for more great ideas! It’s called Grafted Writing, but it’s a book of tricky ideas for ways to get your students to read and re-read material in different ways! Click here to purchase this book!

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