FELT session: Motivating learners to read

The session Reading and the teaching cycle Some ideas to promote focused reading and note taking Sharing good practice

Reading and the Teaching Cycle Planning: Identify and prioritise essential texts Delivery: Highlight importance of reading in assessment criteria

Regular reading homework To encourage the concept that this is something to be done throughout the module rather than the night before assessment submission… (1)For essential texts: Allocate reading tasks such as: Scan reading: Taking specific notes relating to a learning outcome/ topic/theory etc Analysis: Organising notes using templates to encourage consideration of differing viewpoints

Additional reading… ‘Book club’ – for texts of specific interest (not essential texts). Borrow a text, write a brief review and recommend to a peer. This can be set as a task if they aren’t volunteering – everyone choose one text to read and review for next week. This could be done through BB as well

In class activities 1)Regularly allocate class time to discuss/present findings from homework tasks 2)In class tasks, such as discussions, direct the learners towards bringing in relevant theory/literature – model in examples and make this part of your instructions (3) Show excerpts of assessments which demonstrate good usage of literature

Assessment and Feedback In feedback, make clear statements on the breadth, appropriacy, referencing and use of literature in their assessment Directly refer to the assessment criteria to show how they can achieve a higher mark in future

Evaluation Review module literature – what was useful and what could be dropped Include questions about literature use in student review/reflections

Practitioner-led research Evaluate your group’s attitudes and approaches to research Regardless of the validity/reliability of such small-scale work, opening this discussion about learning might bring benefits to your class

Summary Repeatedly refer to the importance of reading throughout the teaching cycle Give regular and specific homework tasks to help students focus their reading Regularly use reading-based tasks in class time so that it becomes a clear part of their role Ensure that reference to literature usage is explicitly stated in feedback as well as how this has enhanced or lowered their grade.