The Blog is a final Bus Stop for Academic Materials such as Assignments, Essays, Reports, Thesis, Projects, Dissertations Among others.

Wednesday, 15 April 2015

READING STRATEGIES FOR STUDENTS







For comments, observations, questions and answers, email; theotherwomaninmarriage@gmail.com 





READING STRATEGIES FOR STUDENTS

Many students think that being a good student means just showing up for classes, taking a few notes, reading the textbooks, and studying right before the tests. However, learning, like many other activities, involves a complex set of skills that require practice. For example, if you wanted to become a good basketball player, you would have to learn how to dribble, pass, shoot, rebound, be a team player, etc., and you would have to practice these individual skills over and over in order to improve them. Similarly, studying involves learning a complex set of skills, such as note taking, test taking, etc., that must be practiced in order for you to become a good student.

Do you read page after page of your textbooks and then realize that you have no idea what you've read? To help you avoid having to re-read your course materials and to make more effective use of your reading time, The Other Woman In Marriage has developed blog where you can learn about a step-by-step study-reading method, speed reading, highlighting text, taking notes while reading, reading difficult texts, and more.
Because so much material is covered in university courses, you won't be able to remember everything unless you know how to take good notes in class. Good note taking also involves adequate preparation and review outside of class.
Successful test taking involves four critical steps: (1) preparing well in advance of the day of the test, (2) taking the test in an organized way, (3) managing stress, and (4) learning from the test after it is over.
The ability to communicate your thoughts and ideas in writing is critical for success as a student  and in your future career. Effective writing is a combination of many skills that must be developed through practice.
UNDERSTANDING INSTEAD OF MEMORIZING
Memorizing without understanding is not the best way to study though it helps. When students understand the material that they are studying rather than just memorizing facts, they are more likely to remember the material. Students who study for understanding read and think critically, recognize the complexity of the content, and can demonstrate and explain how concepts are related to each other.

 STUDYING MATH/SCIENCE
Learning mathematics and science often presents unique study skill challenges. The disciplines of mathematics and science communicate content using new language and many symbols, are theory oriented, and often require the mastery of prerequisite concepts as a base for acquiring new knowledge. 

WORKING ON STUDY/LEARNING TEAMS
Many instructors assign projects that require students to work together in “learning teams.” In addition, many students voluntarily set up their own study groups. Being able to work as a team member is a skill that can be learned only by being part of a team. Unless these teams function effectively, they can be frustrating and a waste of time. However, there can be many benefits, including learning from others, participating in active learning, supplementing your personal studying, and seeing material from other perspectives.

SQ3R  The SQ3R method consists of five steps:  

S:  The first step is to survey the material by reading the parts of the chapter that give you an overview of the topics covered. Some textbooks contain chapter outlines, summaries, lists of learning objectives, prologues, epilogues, or some combination of these features.

Q: The second step is to question. Ask questions -- either aloud or in writing -- before actually reading a section of the material. Some textbooks contain critical thinking questions, but you can also make up your own. You may want to write them in the margins of your book. This helps you focus on the key points while putting you in a questioning frame of mind.

R:  Now it’s time to read the material. Read carefully and, even more importantly, read actively and critically. For instance, while you are reading, answer the questions you have asked yourself. You may find yourself coming up with new questions or possible exceptions and contradictions.

R:  This second “R” stands for recite, meaning that you look up from the book and describe and explain to yourself or a study partner the material you have just read and answer the questions you asked earlier. Do it aloud if possible.

R:  The third “R” is for review.  Look over the information and re-read the features in your textbook that provide an overview of the chapter. Be sure you can answer any critical thinking or review questions, as well as questions you came up with. Reviewing should be an active process. Consider how information fits together so you can develop a sense of the “big picture.”


MURDER  Although similar to SQ3R, this system provides an alternative approach to studying:

M:  Establish an appropriate mood for studying by setting goals for a study session and choosing a time and place so that you will not be distracted. It is best if you schedule regular blocks of study time and select one place that you reserve specifically for studying.

U:  Next is reading for understanding, paying careful attention to the meaning of the material.

R:  Recall is an immediate attempt to recall the material from memory, without referring to the text.

D:  Digesting the material comes next; correct any recall errors and organize and store newly learned material in memory.

E:  Work next on expanding (analyzing and evaluating) new material, trying to apply it to situations that go beyond the applications discussed in the text. By incorporating what you have learned into a larger information network, you will be able to recall it more easily in the future.

R:  The last step is to review. Just as with the SQ3R system, systematic review of material is a necessary condition for successful studying.



Reading Apprenticeship Techniques (metacognitive strategies)

These techniques involve making our thinking and reading processes visible by talking and writing about the process of understanding what we are reading.  Students engage with the texts and learn new ways to approach and make sense of academic reading.

Give Students Strategies

Instead of assignments like “Read pages ________ to _________” or “Read Chapter _________ to _____________,” give students strategies for reading.  What are they supposed to do with the information once they’ve read it?

Personal Reading History

Have students share key moments in their development as readers.  Ask what supported their development and what discouraged it.  Share and discuss their reading history.  What made them feel like insiders?  What made them feel like outsiders?

Think Aloud

With a partner, have students talk about the process they went through to figure out a difficult text.  Have them capture the reading process by noting the process they went through to make sense of a text.  What roadblocks to understanding did they encounter?  How did they solve them?

Talking to the Text

Using a pen or marker, have students comment in writing in the margins of a difficulty passage or article; then share with a partner or a group.

Reader Strategies List

With partners or in a group, have students come up with strategies they use to understand academic material (e.g., pre-reading, using the background info, headings, asking questions in the margins, looking for topic sentences and definitions, etc.).

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