Fitchburg State University Center for Teaching and Learning Summer Institute August 13, 2014 Laura M. Garofoli, PhD Behavioral Sciences Department

Reading for pleasure (motivation) To verify or double-check (searching, skimming) To preview or review (mindful skimming) To learn (close, critical reading)

Identifying purpose Identifying and applying themes or basic premises of a discipline Monitoring comprehension Inhibiting preconceptions, considering alternatives Making connections with prior learning

Understanding and paraphrasing at the sentence level Explaining and expanding at the paragraph level Ongoing analysis of content at the level of connected sections of text Evaluation at the level of the entire selection Synthesizing information from across text selections to formulate arguments

Conscious examination of the structure of a text Practice to the point of automaticity with monitoring comprehension at the sentence, paragraph, and section levels Mindful notetaking NO HIGHLIGHTERS!

Can I put this sentence into my own words? Why did the author include this information? Can I think of my own example? What is the most important idea in this paragraph? How is this connected to earlier portions of the text? How will this connect with what is to come? Did I truly understand what I just read?

Teaching directly the skills necessary to read for understanding Require notes to be taken while reading Provide basic outlines or graphic organizers Stop lecturing Do critical thinking exercises in class and leave the reading to them Entrance and exit “quizzes”

Classroom cultures plays a large role in getting students on board Getting them to read critically means we have to alter our expectations and habits around assigned readings, lectures, and homework assignments