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WELCOME TO the literacy program at western kentucky university
Supporting college readers
| Students: Vocabulary | Students: Retention | Students: Test Taking | ||
| Instructors: Volume | Instructors: Format | Instructors: Vocabulary | Instructors: Retention | Instructors: Testing |
| General Study Skills | ||||
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STUDENTS: VOLUME The VOLUME of assigned/required reading for this course is my biggest problem.
Assigned reading is a critical part of most college courses. The textbooks, manuals, and other reading materials required within courses serve as a primary source of information upon which the learning is built. The problem becomes the VOLUME of pages that are required for a typical 15-18 hour course load. Many courses require multiple books and extend into professional journals, electronic resources, and other library materials/databases. It would not be uncommon for a typical week of assigned readings across 5 or 6 college courses to exceed 600 pages of information. What types of problems might impact a students ability to "do" the assigned reading?
NOTE: Time management strategies: http://www.ccis.edu/departments/writingcenter/studyskills/timemanag.html Realistic estimates for how long a student needs to spend on any particular reading assignment (or other assignment, for that matter) is essential. All the bulleted factors above influence how long a reading assignment might take. While this may seem a daunting task, by putting a few simple reading habits in place it is possible to read and understand most materials in a reasonable amount of time. 1) Prioritize. Decide which reading needs to be done first. A calendar and schedule of assignments is essential to being prepared and foregoing the remorse that comes from forgetting an assignment or getting behind in a course. Consider putting sticky notes on the outsides of your textbooks or as bookmarks within the books that indicate which pages need to be read and the date by which the reading is expected to be done. 2) Verbalize and Plan. Say to yourself: I need to read pages 60-80 in psychology. Include in the verbalization the PURPOSE. Say: I need to read pages 60-80 in psychology and be ready to participate in a discussion on (given topic) on Tuesday. To provide for ACTIVE reading (increased comprehension) add an action to the reading. Say: I need to read pages 60-80 in psychology and
be 3) Set the stage. Habit is one of your best friends for reading and studying. Every person has to find their own particular "spot" for where the best learning happens. Much despite current folklore, headphones and pizza might not be your best options.
4) Ask yourself HOW you need to read each particular assignment. The strategies you use to read differ with the purpose of the reading. Example:
In the first scenario, you may select to use a highlighter and simply scan (move eyes rapidly over print to locate specific bits of information, such as a name or a date) to locate the information you need. You may also be able to get what you need from the passage by reading the introductory paragraph and the summary paragraph at the ends added to the scanned information you now have ready for class. The second scenario is more involved, but still does not require "close" (or reading word-by-word) reading. The difficulty of the text will affect reading speed, but here are a few tips on moving through the print more quickly: A) Skim (read selectively to pick up on main ideas and general impressions about the material) the assigned passage noting the following:
NOTE: Skimming: http://muskingum.edu/~cal/database/general/reading.html#Skimming B) Turn the headings into questions or main ideas (in outline form) and then read by skimming and scanning to locate factual information that answers the questions. C) Read your notes aloud to see if they make sense and if you believe you have a firm hold on the content of the passage. If not, return to sections of the text that are most confusing and read word-by-word, stopping to put concepts in your own words until you feel comfortable that you understand the chapter. NOTE: Taking Academic Notes: http://www.greece.k12.ny.us/instruction/ela/6-12/Tools/academicnotes.pdf and http://www.ccis.edu/departments/writingcenter/studyskills/notetaking.html D) Make a list (or use sticky notes) to write questions, phrases, or vocabulary that is still confusing to you so that you can either note those specifically during class or ask questions related to those concepts. Refine and adjust these steps based on the difficulty of courses and how much you comprehended the text using these accelerated reading strategies. Do not expect to be able to read a science text the same way you would read a short story in a literature course. Reading a biology book and a history book require different types of processes and those processes affect speed and therefore the VOLUME of reading you can do and maintain a high level of comprehension. Strategies for Handling Volume of Assigned and Optional Readings: Each of these links provides students with direct experiences and practice with how to handle the volume of college reading. Students should then apply these strategies to aid in reading and comprehending extensive amounts of print in relatively short periods of time.
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