What instructional strategy helps students grasp the main ideas of a text during reading sessions?

Engaging students in discussions about key points effectively helps them grasp the main ideas of a text. This instructional strategy allows for deeper comprehension as students articulate their thoughts and listen to the perspectives of their peers. Through discussion, students can clarify their understanding and connect the main ideas to other knowledge or experiences they have, leading to a more meaningful interpretation of the text.

Additionally, discussions encourage critical thinking, as students analyze and evaluate the key points, enabling them to arrive at a more nuanced understanding of the text. This collaborative approach also fosters a learning community where questioning and curiosity are valued, making it easier for students to engage with the material and retain critical information.

The other options, while helpful in their own right, do not promote as comprehensive an understanding as discussions do. Visual word maps and underlining can aid in organization and focus but may not fully illustrate the relationships between ideas. Skimming can lead to missing essential details necessary for understanding the main ideas.