Thurs. Sept. 7, 2017: Active Reading Strategies and Discussion about Yesterday's Reading

Today, I did a homework check to ensure that the students have read "Life and Literature in Early Britain."
I then provided notes on how to read actively, which I have pasted below.
I then demonstrated the importance of questioning when reading by showing and having students answer 30 trivial questions for this reading.

Steps for Active Reading

Examine the title: The title is supposed to indicate what a reading will be about. Analyze it putting a couple of words beside it.

  

Highlighting:  If you don’t know a word, highlight it; if you come across the five Ws, highlight them as well. Also, highlight what the thesis and main points might be (in an essay). Look up definitions and put them right on the page near the word.

  

Questioning:   If something is unclear or you don’t understand it, put a question mark beside it. This will draw you back for a second look and also help when we are discussing it.

  

Paraphrasing:            as you finish each paragraph, jot down what it is about. This doesn’t have to be in a lot of words but it will force you to stay active in your readings.

Connecting:    Make connections with people, places, and things you know.

  

Clarifying:     Watch for the answers to questions you had earlier.

  

Evaluating:     Respond to what you have read. Draw your own conclusions (do you agree or disagree with the reader? Why or why not?). What about it? What was the purpose? Why did you waste your time?