Reading Techniques

Reading Techniques

There are several reading techniques that can be applied in the classroom, such as SQ3R, Jigsaw, KWL, PQ4R, NHT, QARs, DR-TA, and Reciprocal Reading. Here is a brief explanation how to have it in our classroom.

1.      SQ3R (Survey, Question, Read, Recite, Review)

Before you read, Survey the chapter:

• the title, headings, and subheadings
• captions under pictures, charts, graphs or maps
• review questions or teacher-made study guides
• introductory and concluding paragraphs
• summary 

Question while you are surveying:

• Turn the title, headings, and/or subheadings into questions
• Read questions at the end of the chapters or after each subheading
• Ask yourself, "What did my instructor say about this chapter or subject when it was assigned?"
• Ask yourself, "What do I already know about this subject?"

When you begin to Read:

• Look for answers to the questions you first raised
• Answer questions at the beginning or end of chapters or study guides
• Reread captions under pictures, graphs, etc.
• Note all the underlined, italicized, bold printed words or phrases
• Study graphic aids
• Reduce your speed for difficult passages
• Stop and reread parts which are not clear
• Read only a section at a time and recite after each section

Recite after you've read a section:

• Orally ask yourself questions about what you have just read, or summarize, in your own words, what you read
• Take notes from the text but write the information in your own words
• Underline or highlight important points you've just read
• Reciting:
  The more senses you use the more likely you are to remember what you read Triple strength learning: Seeing, saying, hearing Quadruple strength learning: Seeing , saying , hearing, writing!!!

Review: an ongoing process

2.      Jigsaw

This technique involves some steps, such as:

a.       Identify a range of materials related to significant topics addressed in the lesson. Select the most appropriate one.

b.      Organize the class into cooperative groups of 4 to 6 people, with the group size corresponding to the number of selections to be assigned. Each group member receives the task of reading one of the targeted selections. Depending on the nature of the group, the teacher may allocate the specific readings to each person, or the group itself may decide who will tackle which selection.

c.       Next, students read their selections independently. If the materials are photocopied, encourage students to underline important information they will need to share with their group. “Sticky notes” are an option for materials that cannot be written upon. Students may also jot down notes, or follow a graphic note-taking outline provided by the teacher as a means for extracting important concepts from their passage.

d.      All of the students who read the same selection now meet together as a new group to compare notes and discuss concepts and information they feel are most important. This second group also creates a summary of key points, a concept map, a graphic outline, or highlighted notes which will then be photocopied and handed to members of the original group when each person goes back to present what should be learned from this particular material.

e.       The final piece to the Jigsaw activity involves a return meeting of the original group. During this time, individual group members share in turn the pertinent information related to each selection. The rest of the group is accountable for learning this new information, which will be assessed during the evaluation of this unit of study.

3.      KWL (Know, Want, Learned)

It is more popular with this diagram:

What we know	What we want  to know	What we learned

K stands for Know

Think first about, then list, what you know about the topic before reading!
This advanced organizer provides you with a background to the new material, building a scaffold to support it. Think of it as a pre-reading inventory.

W stands for Will or Want

The second stage is to list a series of questions of what you want to know more of the subject.

o    Preview the texts table of contents, headings, pictures, charts etc. Discuss what you want to learn

o    List some thoughts on what you want, or expect to learn, generally or specifically.
Think in terms of what you will learn, or what do you want to learn about this.

o    Turn all sentences into questions before writing them down. They will help you focus your attention during reading.

o    List the questions by importance.

L stands for Learned

The final stage is to answer your questions, as well as to list what new information you have learned. Either while reading or after you have finished.

o    List out what you learn as you read, either by section, or after the whole work, whichever is comfortable for you.

o    Check it against the W column, what you wanted to learn Create symbols to indicate main ideas, surprising ideas, questionable ideas, and those you don’t understand!

4.      PQ4R (Preview,Question, Read, Reflect, Recite, Review)  

a.       Preview: Look through the pages of your reading passage and read the headings of the chapter and any sections dividing the chapter. Read the first and last paragraph in each section. View the illustrations in each section. Read the captions under the pictures and take a few minutes to look at charts, graphs, or maps.

b.      Question: Think about the information you learned in the Preview. Ask yourself questions about it. Think about what do you already know about ideas you saw during your Preview. What do you think are main points that will be raised in the chapter? What do you expect to learn from reading this material?

c.       Read: Read the passage. If there are ideas seem important, make a note of them on paper. If the book belongs to you, consider making notes in the margins and highlight important parts in the book. If you just can't imagine writing in your book, make notes on paper.

d.      Reflect: Take time to reflect on what you have read. How are the passages or chapters inter-related? How does the information fit into things you have already learned? What new information did you learn? Did the passage include the information you expected it to cover? Was there information that surprised you?

e.       Recite: Think about the material. Discuss it with someone else or write down the main points you learned. Generally, writing information down by hand will improve memory of the material. If writing is a problem for you, consider brief notes or discuss the material with other students. It is important to summarize the material in writing using your own words. Explain it aloud to someone else or recite your notes aloud to yourself. Consider using a graphic organizer to increase your understanding of how concepts in the reading relate to each other.

f.       Review: Consider the main points of the material. Were your questions answered? Do you feel that the writer's points are fully understood?

5.      NHT (Number Head Together)

The easiest steps will be:

a.       Students are divided into several groups and each student in each group get the serial number

b.      Teacher gives task and each group working on issues

c.       Group decided the answer is most correct and make sure every member of the group knows this answer

d.      Teachers call one number and numbered student reported the results of group work

e.       Response from another friend, then the teacher pointed to another number.

f.       Conclusion.

6.      DR-TA (Direct, Reading, Thinking Activity)

D = DIRECT. Teachers direct and activate students' thinking prior to reading a passage by scanning the title, chapter headings, illustrations, and other materials ended questions to direct students as they make predictions about the content or perspective of the text (e.g., "Given this title, what do you think the passage will be about?").

R = READING. Students read up to the first pre-selected stopping point. The teacher then prompts the students with questions about specific information and asks them to evaluate their predictions and refine them if necessary. This process should be continued until students have read each section of the passage.

T = THINKING. At the end of each section, students go back through the text and think about their predictions. Students should verify or modify their predictions by finding supporting statements in the text. The teacher asks questions such as:

·         What do you think about your predictions now?

·         What did you find in the text to prove your predictions?

·         What did you we read in the text that made you change your predictions?

7.      Reciprocal Reading

Procedures

1. A selection of any given text is distributed or assigned to pupils individually or in a group (a teacher can also be included in the reading of the text depending on the ages and stages of pupils).
2. A discussion then takes place between teacher and pupils (or between the pupils assigned to small groups) about the selection.
3. If small groups are used, a group leader is assigned. In any case, a discussion leader leads the discussion on a given passage or selection and creates a summary of what was read, generates a question or set of questions to explore, identifies concepts or terms that need clarification, and leads the discussion that will ultimately determine a prediction about what will be discussed next in the text.
4. Optional: Notes can be taken to keep the momentum going as pupils progress through each selected text.