The Reading Process |
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NB: You should click on the hyperlinks below for additional information |
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| Reading & Processing Information You have seen how the graphic organizer to facilitate systemic thinking could help you make meaning of school (how the thinking and processing are the same across the different subjects). You have also learned how the SQ3R technique can be used to read and process information from any textbook. However, several of you continue to skip reading your physics textbook. A popular reason . . . the textbook is complicated. Unfortunately, your teachers, colleges and your (potential) employers expect you to be proficient readers. Besides, reading helps you develop a better understaning of how things work in this world. So what should you do? Homework Expectation First, you should understand the importance of the seven steps for success. How many of these can you check off? Identify the steps you would like to work on. Next, to follow up on your work done in class, you have to do your home work. What is my homework expectation? There are three expectations: (a) Read the Textbook (use the course outline - Fall Semester or Spring Semester - for pacing and chapter information) and use the two column T-Chart format - I Understand/I'm Clueless - to write down questions/difficulties as you read. This provides both, the teacher and you, important feedback on what you are learning/not learning. (b) Follow up with the chapter review (theory, problem & solution), and (c) Practice what you have learned by reviewing the chapter review. You will find that as you become proficient at reading, processing information and doing your homework, learning and understanding becomes contagious. It is not only rewarding but it also paves the way for your success in school and in life . How the Reading Process Applies to Science In the table below, I summarize the Reading Process you should be familiar with as a student at Overland (the first column) and explain how this "process" relates to my expectations of you, the student (the adjacent column). |
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| The Reading Process From Burke, J., Klemp, R., Schwartz, W. (2002). Reader’s Handbook: A Student Guide for Reading and Learning |
My expectation of how you should read scientific/technical text |
BEFORE |
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| Set a purpose. | Why are you reading this? (e.g. are you reading for information, understanding, etc.) |
| Preview the text. | Skim the text/graphs/diagrams; recognize context clues |
| Make a plan. | Identify effective reading strategies (such as, finding main idea, recalling facts and details, understanding sequence, recognizing cause and effect, comparing and contrasting, making predictions, finding word meaning in context, drawing conclusions and making inferences, distinguishing between fact and opinion, identify author’s purpose, interpreting figurative language and summarizing) |
DURING |
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| Read with a purpose. | Read actively & critically, process information, and interact/engage with text |
| Connect. | Associate with prior knowledge; visualize; recognize key vocabulary (words) |
AFTER |
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| Pause and reflect. | Make your inferences & summarize the main idea(s) [using graphic organizers] |
| Reread. | Explore unanswered questions & identify new or interesting questions |
| Remember. | Communicate what you have learned, understood, found meaningful, and further questions |