What instructional strategy is Ms. Habib using to help her students understand the moral of a story?

Ms. Habib is utilizing the strategy of identifying and discussing the themes of literary texts to help her students understand the moral of a story. This approach encourages students to engage deeply with the text, allowing them to explore the underlying messages, lessons, and values that the author is conveying. By focusing on themes, students can make connections between the characters' actions, the plot's outcomes, and the moral implications, which enhances their interpretation and comprehension.

Discussing the themes helps students develop critical thinking skills as they analyze various elements of the narrative, leading to a richer understanding of the story's moral. This interactive discussion fosters an environment where students can express their thoughts, ask questions, and learn from one another, further solidifying their grasp of the story's meaning.

Other strategies, like focusing solely on characters, lack the broader perspective necessary for understanding themes. Reading complex texts without discussion removes the opportunity for collaborative analysis and student engagement, which is vital for deeper comprehension. Similarly, assigning repeated readings without discussion may enhance fluency but does not inherently promote understanding of the moral or thematic elements of the text. Therefore, identifying and discussing themes stands out as the most effective instructional strategy in this context.