Finding the main idea is so much deeper than finding out what a text is mostly about. It is also about determining how details enable an author to convey a central message. Finding the main idea is also about determining the central idea of a passage even when it is not directly stated.
I recommend an order for teaching main idea so that students will learn about this topic in depth.
First: Identify the main idea that is directly stated.
Second: Identify the main idea that is not directly stated (in simple passages).
Third: Identify text details that best support the main idea.
Fourth: Identify the main idea in passages that are obscure and focus on many details.
Fifth: Compare author's craft as related to conveying main ideas. (For example: Explain what techniques one author uses with the techniques of another author).
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