1. Chapter 6 Actively Read

2. Reading Let’s review page 221.

3. Actively Read Do you ever finish reading something and then realize you have no idea what you just read? As a child did you like to read? What kinds of books did you enjoy reading? Have you faced any obstacles when it comes to reading?

4. Reading & College Some students express dismay at the amount of reading they have to complete each week. You may have discovered that in college you are expected to read, comprehend, interpret, and evaluate. Comprehension is the ability to understand the main ideas and details as they are written. Interpreting what you read means developing ideas of your own and being able to summarize the material in your own words. Because at times you are asked to read so much in college, you may get discouraged and put it off till the last minute.

5. The Importance of Active Reading In order to be an effective reader, you must become actively involved with what you are reading. Retention is the process by which you store information.

6. Reading Reading involves the following aspects: – Previewing – Taking Notes – Outlining Main Points – Digging Out Ideas – Jotting Down Key Words – Finding Definitions – Asking and Answering Questions – Underlining Important Points – Looking for Patterns and Themes – Summarizing in Your Own Words – Reviewing for Recall – These tasks improve your comprehension.

7. Reading Systems Many factors affect your reading comprehension: – Your skill level – Your vocabulary – Your ability to concentrate – Your state of mind – Distractions – Your ability to recall what you have read

8. The Five Part Reading System 1. Prepare – Prepare yourself mentally for reading by creating a positive, interested attitude. Look for ways to make the material more interesting. – Focus your attention on what you are about to read. Clarify your purpose and how you will use the information. Eliminate distractions. 2. Preview – Look through the chapter. Pay attention to the title, chapter headings, illustrations, key words, and bold words.

9. The Five Part Reading System 3. Predict Questions. – Jot down questions in the margin. – Ask yourself questions. 4. Process Information. – Outline, underline, and highlight key words, phrases, definitions, etc. Make sure not to OVER highlight – Look for main ideas. 5. Paraphrase and Review. – Write things in your own words, summarize, etc

10. SQ3R Reading System The SQ3R Reading System is a system that has helped many students improve their reading comprehension level by breaking down reading into manageable segments, so that you understand the material before going on to the next step.

11. SQ3R Reading System 1. S= Survey – Survey the material before reading it. Quickly look through what you have to read, look at headings, titles, etc. This helps you see the organization and take note of important concepts. 2. Q= Question – Find the main point and ask questions. What is the main idea of this chapter? What is the main idea of this section? What are the examples that support the main idea? Who are the main people or what key events are discussed in this chapter? Why are they important? What are possible test questions? What points don’t I understand?

12. SQ3R Reading System 3. R=Read – Actively read the material and search for answers to questions 4. R= Recite – Recite the main ideas and key words. After each section, stop and paraphrase what you have learned. 5. R= Review – Review the material carefully. Go back over each section.

13. Reading Strategies The following are some additional reading strategies: – Determine your purpose Ask yourself “why am I reading this?” – Set reading goals Pace your reading. Set a goal as to how much you want to read. – Concentrate Concentrate on understanding main points. – Outline the main points Organize the information into an outline

14. Reading Strategies – Identify key words and key concepts Underline and highlight key words, concepts, definitions, etc. Write on the margins. Use symbols to indicate things you need to go over again. – Make connections Link new information with what you already know. Integrate what you are reading into the lectures, class notes, discussions, etc – Talk with the author Pretend you are talking with the author and ask questions

15. Reading Strategies – Compare notes Compare your textbook notes with your class notes Compare your notes with those of your classmates – Take frequent breaks Schedule short breaks every 40 minutes – Integrate learning styles Read in alignment with your learning style – Use the entire text Look over the glossary, chapter objectives, and study questions

16. Reviewing Strategies 1. Summarize in writing. – After you finish reading, close your book and write a summary in your own words. Ask yourself questions such as: What is the major theme? What are the main points? What are the connections to other people? 2. Summarize out loud. – Summarizing out loud can increase learning. – Recite things to yourself out loud

17. 3. Review and Reflect. – Review things you have underlined, the main ideas, etc. 4. Read and Review Often. – Review often and in short sections

18. Build Your Vocabulary Try the following methods for building your vocabulary: – 1. Observe your words and habits. You may be unaware that you fill your conversations with words such as you know, okay, like, and yeah. – 2. Be creative and articulate. Use precise, interesting, and expressive words. – 3. Associate with articulate people. Surround yourself with people who have effective and articulate vocabularies. – 4. Be aware & alert. Listen for new words. – 5. Look up words you don’t know. – 6. Write down new words. – 7. Practice Mentally. Say new words again and again in your mind. – 8. Practice in conversation. Use new words until you are comfortable using them. – 9. Look for contextual clues. Try to figure out a word by using the context it is used in. – 10. Learn common word parts. Know roots, prefixes, and suffixes. – 11. Review great speeches. – 12. Invest in a vocabulary book. – 13. Read

19. Specialized Reading Comprehending Technical Material: – Some of the courses you will take will have very technical information – Some will use graphics. When you encounter graphics: 1. Identify the type of graphic (table, bar graph, etc) 2. Read the: title, captions, column titles, labels or symbols, data 3. Identify the purpose of the graphic. 4. See a connection between the topic of the graph and the chapter 5. Explain in your own words the information on the graph

20. Reading Manuals Tips for reading manuals: – Compare the description to what you received and make sure all the pieces are there. – Follow the directions step by step. – Go to the index and look up related problems. – If the manual is too brief, then look up information online – The manual may include frequently asked questions. – If the product came with access codes or other important information record it in the manual.

21. Completing Forms Whether you are entering school, applying for a job, filling out medical papers, or requesting a bank loan, you will probably have to fill out forms. What are some forms you have recently filled out?

22. Completing Forms When filling out a form: – 1. Scan the entire form before you begin to fill it out. – 2. If you are unsure of any questions and what information is actually needed, ask or call the appropriate office or person for clarification. – 3. When filling out the form, read the small print directions carefully. Often, these directions appear in parenthesis below a fill in the blank. – 4. Fill in all questions that pertain to you. Pay attention when you read the directions.

23. – Make sure you write clearly. – Make sure to take any information you may need such as social security cards, id’s, etc – Reread your responses before turning it in.

24. Overcome Obstacles Reading Difficulties: – Some students have great reading challenges to overcome. – Most reading difficulties are related to decoding, comprehension, and retention. Decoding is the process of breaking words into individual sounds. – Those with decoding problems may have trouble sounding out words. This is very common in people with dyslexia. – Dyslexia affects nearly 15% of all Americans

25. Overcome Obstacles Create a Positive Attitude: – One of the greatest barriers to reading is attitude – Many people are not willing to invest the time it takes to be a better reader. – Many students have been raised in an era of videos and video games. – There is so much instant entertainment that reading has declined because it takes more effort. – It is important to read for pleasure. Even if it is only a few minutes a day. What was the last book you read for fun?

26. Group Work Page 227