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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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