HOW TO READ TO INCREASE UNDERSTANDING, VOCABULARY, AND NOTE TAKING SKILL

Improve reading comprehension  Textbooks are organized in chapters that have a title, subtitles, headings, sub-headings, questions and perhaps a summary at the end, etc.  Do textbooks in several readings. First, get an idea of the overall content of the chapter by reading 1. All the subtitles and headings 2. The questions at the end of the chapter to find out the information you are expected to know after reading the chapter 3. The summary at the end of the chapter, if there is one 4. Look at all charts, graphs, figures, illustrations to find out what data analysis and special information is presented in the chapter.

Reading textbooks cont. Second, read only the first and last sentences in each and every paragraph in the chapter. ◦ This is “scanning”  Get the main points and how they are developed and related. ◦ Usually the first sentence is the topic sentence ◦ The final sentence either summarizes the main point or links to the next paragraph. ◦ Don’t stop yet to check unfamiliar words in a dictionary. Third, read the chapter line by line.

Reading textbooks cont. When you finish ◦ Immediately try to answer questions on the reading from your memory. ◦ Check the article to get the answers to the questions you can’t answer from memory. ◦ Make sure you understand those questions and answers and remember them. ◦ Don’t spend time on what you already know and understand. Spend time instead on the information you didn’t know/remember and need to master.

How to read a newspaper article Read the first 3-4 paragraphs of the article. Usually those present the important information. If you understand those paragraphs, you have understood the heart of the article. Details follow.

How to read other (non fiction) informative material: a general approach 1. Understand the overall content of the reading by first looking over or ”scanning” the entire passage. ◦ Read the titles, subtitles, headings. ◦ Read the introduction at the start and summary at the end if they are presented. ◦ Read any questions to answers on the reading. ◦ Before you start the passage. Read the first and last sentences of each and every paragraph to learn the main ideas and how they are organized. 2. When you start reading line by line, pay attention to key words (subjects and verbs) to understand who did what and how / with what result?

Be an active reader Underline, highlight, or takes notes on important sentences in the reading. Write notes using your own words. ◦ Try not to copy directly from the book ◦ When you write in your own words, you demonstrate your understanding of the sentences. ◦ When you copy, you are not thinking about the meaning. ◦ If you have opinions about the text, write them down too  Will help you have ideas for what to write about later ◦ Reduces risk of plagiarism When you finish the passage, write a list of the main ideas presented in the reading without looking at the reading. Then, go back and check what you wrote with the reading to find the ideas you missed. These are the points you need to understand and remember to increase your knowledge.

Vocabulary from context  If you come to a word you do not know, don’t look it up immediately.  Imagine an empty space in the place of the word.  What word would you use to fill in the space so it fits with the rest of the passage