Learning How to Learn:
Quickly, Successfully
Dr. Geri Mohler Assistant Professor, Reading/Literacy California State University, Bakersfield gmohler@csub.edu
Learning How to Learn:
Quickly, Successfully
While you wait, read through the first three pages of fun stuff!
Learning How to Learn: Quickly, Successfully
What you, as instructors, need to know
What you, as instructors, can do
Do you know these words?
reaction
position
Intermediate
stabilized
radical
resonance
Now do you know them?
“…reaction
occurs exclusively at the benzylic position because the benzylic radical intermediate is highly stabilized by resonance.”
Some things I found at SJVC:
“The privatization of corrections was intended to reduce the deprivations and brutality of public correctional facilities, provide financial savings to taxpayers, and address the escalation of prison populations.” “The etchant removes the smear layer, then the bonding component is allowed to flow into these small defects and into the partially opened tubules.”
And more….
The difference “inadvertently” makes 796 vocabulary words in one chapter Study guides save the day
What the students said…
Reading (12), memorizing (8), and testtaking (7) were highest areas of concern Also, knowing how to say the words, concentrating, and stress One said things moved at a “faster paste”
What do you need to know to help?
How reading is acquired and where it can break down How to plan classes/assignments to maximize learning Ways to quickly find out who is at risk
The Stages of Reading Development:
6 stages--The 5th stage is never complete Developmental--if one is not fully developed, it is difficult to move on Sometimes the problem is actually several stages back If a student has made it this far, s/he probably has tremendous coping skills and a wide range of reading skills
Stage 0: Pseudo Reading (6 mo. - 6 yr)
Pretend reading Retells story from pictures Phonological awareness Names alphabet letters/some sounds Prints own name Plays with books, pencils, paper
Stage 1: Initial Reading and Decoding (Grade 1 and Grade 2)
Learns relation between letters and sounds and between printed and spoken words Able to read simple text containing highfrequency words and phonically regular words Sounds out new one-syllable words
Stage 2: Confirmation and Fluency (Grades 2 and 3)
Reads simple stories with increasing fluency Learns to consolidate decoding, sight vocabulary, & meaning context to read stories and selections
Stage 3: Reading for Learning the New (Grades 4-8)
For the first time, may be responsible for reading independently to -learn new ideas, -gain new knowledge, -experience new feelings and attitudes Text is generally from one viewpoint
Stage 4: Multiple Viewpoints (Grades 10-12)
Reading widely from a broad range of complex materials--expository and narrative Able to deal with multiple viewpoints
Stage 5: Construction and Reconstruction (College +)
Reading is used for one’s own needs and purposes Serves to integrate one’s knowledge with that of others to synthesize and create new knowledge It is rapid and efficient
Implications:
Stage 3 is necessary for the industrial workplace Stage 4 is an absolute for the informational age Many readers never get beyond Stage 3 and most reading instruction ends before students are adept at Stage 3 skills
Implications:
Most remediation is done in Stage 1 and Stage 2 as well as beginning Stage 3 However, beginning Stage 3 depends so heavily on adequate Stage 1 & 2 skills that decoding and fluency may be more important for older students whose comprehension seems low
Where are your students?
May be at 3rd grade level (beginning Stage 3) English learners may be able to carry on complete fluent conversations but not have academic English Vocabulary knowledge and world experience is weak Product of “holistic” reading instruction
BEFORE Reading, Good Readers:
Think about what they already know about a subject Know the purpose for which they read Are motivated or interested to begin reading Have a general sense of how the BIG ideas will fit together
BEFORE Reading, Poor Readers:
Begin to read without thinking about the topic Do not know why they are reading Lack interest and motivation to begin reading Have little sense of how the BIG ideas will fit together
DURING Reading, Good Readers:
Pay simultaneous attention to words and meaning Read fluently Concentrate well while reading Willing to “risk” encountering difficult words and able to grapple with text ambiguities Construct efficient strategies to monitor comprehension Stop to use a “fix-it” strategy when confused Reading skills improve
DURING Reading, Poor Readers:
Over-attend to individual words; miss meaning Read slower and at the same rate of speed Have difficulty concentrating, particularly during silent reading Unwilling to “risk,” easily defeated by words and text Unable to construct efficient strategies to monitor comprehension Seldom use a “fix-it” strategy; plod on ahead, just want to finish Reading progress is painfully slow
AFTER Reading, Good Readers:
Understand how the pieces of information fit together Able to identify what’s important Interested in reading more
AFTER Reading, Poor Readers:
Do not understand how the pieces of information fit together May focus on the extraneous, peripheral See reading as distasteful
Major Components of Reading:
Decoding Sounding out Word chunks Affixes Vocabulary Definitions Context Morphology Connections
Fluency Accuracy/speed Expression Comprehension Prior knowledge Text Structure Purpose Monitoring Notetaking/review
What is most important for them?
Learn
how to learn Know when they don’t know Learn and understand, not just memorize
3 Phases of Cognitive Processing-How You Prepare Them to Learn
Preactive Phase
Preparing & Focusing Selecting & Organizing Integrating & Applying
Interactive Phase
Reflective Phase
What can you do?
Only assign what is discussed and tested Always give a purpose for an assignment, not just the pages When possible, use more than the text Plan for before, during, and after reading to bridge gap between what good and poor readers do
Before Reading: Your Preparation
How to get them interested? What information is most important? What vocabulary is essential? What needs to be memorized as opposed to just understood? How are you going to evaluate what has been learned?
Before Reading: Vocabulary
Essential words for content Important words they’re likely to encounter again Latin/Greek parts to help them “see” connection of spelling and meaning Connectiveness of words with each other and other words as well as pronunciation
Before Reading: Vocabulary
Decoding/pronunciation Graphic organizers
Vocabulary & Concept Cards Vocabulary Study Cards Concept Definition Map
Word sorts Morphology Cognates
Diacritical Markings:
play bead road four though rain bread broad you through
break
touch tough
cough
N = Nervous Sy stem R = Respi ra tory Sy st em Sk = Ske letal Sy stem
M = Mus cular Sys te m S = Senses
Syste m
Ter m amputate biceps
carbo n dio xide
Syste m
Ter m sphincter cocc yx bronchitis
eustac hia n tube
cornea deltoid dura mater emph ysema epi glottis epitasis hypo xia iris marrow menin ges septum sheath strain synapse
termoral spiral sternum carpal intercostals olfactor y conunctiva mi graine otitis
ste rno cl ei do ma sto id
cerumen cranium m yopia
Eng lish co mmo n word brave bug dig empty enough first
mean moon se ll wash
Eng lish literary / acad em ic wo rds val ian t, v alorous, v alor ins ect, ins ecticid e, ins ectivore cavern(ous), ca v e, cav ity , ex cav ate vaca n t, va cate, v acancy suffic ien t, suf fice, suffic iency prim e, pr im ate, pr im al, prim acy, primar y , primer , pr im itiv e signif ica n ce, signi ficant lunar, lun acy, lun atic, luna tion vendor, vend, v en al lather , lav atory
Lati n root vale re (to be strong) ins ectum cavus (ho llo w) vaca re (to be em p ty) suffic iere (to provi d e) primus (fi rst)
Spanis h co mmo n word val ien te ins ecto exca v ar vac ia sufi cien te primero
signif ica n s (m ea n ing) luna (moon) venus (s ale) lava re (to w ash)
signif icar luna vender lavar
What information is most important?
Choose readings wisely--what can be left out? What does the study guide NOT cover adequately? High level questions to go beyond memorizing and get to understanding Graphic Organizers--text structure
Pre-reading Activities:
Demonstration, discrepant events, visual displays, thought-provoking questions Relating the reading to students’ lives and background knowledge (fill in the gaps) Building text-specific knowledge Suggesting strategies (K-W-L & GOs) Prediction and purpose setting Preview text--know how to use it
Thought-Provoking Questions?
KNOWLEDGE--What is deontological? COMPREHENSION--Why is the concept of duty important to a COP? APPLICATION--When is it OK to refuse an order? ANALYSIS--Classify the following laws according to severity? SYNTHESIS--Design a penal system that would be truly rehabilitating. EVALUATION--Write a dialogue a “suspect” might use to convince you of his innocence.
During Reading: Reciprocal teaching techniques
Helps students monitor their comprehension and practice internalizing 4 cognitive strategies: questioning, summarizing, predicting, clarifying Students and teachers take turns being discussion leaders--teachers model for students and students attempt to “mimic” the thinking of teachers
During Reading: “Insert” Active Reading Technique
Students write on text or use sticky notes with these symbols:
X = I thought differently + = New information ! = WOW ? = I don’t understand * = Very important
During Reading: Mapping Strategies/Text Structures
Mapping Strategies
Tree Organizer Descriptive Pattern
Lists Definitions Compare/Contrast Cause/Effect Sequence
Text Structures
After Reading:
Complete prediction forms (vocabulary, KWL) Extend concept maps--use them to write a summary, use during tests Writing assignments using peer editing --> joint inquiry Analyze end-of chapter questions
Analyze End-of-Chapter Questions:
Teach them how to discriminate between 3 types of questions
Looking for factual or literal answers Asking for inferences or analyses Asking for opinions or evaluation
Critical Thinking--Critical Writing
Don’t ask them about their writing; ask them about their reasoning Instead of marginal comments, type up 5 or 6 questions about each paper and have them write replies to these questions Allow student responses to include that they made a mistake, didn’t read carefully, that they want to change their minds Have students swap papers and raise questions about each other’s arguments or positions
Teachers who teach content areas well-
Plan carefully ways to capitalize on students’ strengths Believe how one learns is as important as what one learns Have high expectations for all students Teach reading, thinking, and content concurrently
Assessing student abilities:
SJVC philosophy How do you know now? How long does it take? Suggestion for a 30-minute assessment
Websites:
Spelling: http://literacy.kent.edu/Midwest/Materials/ndakot a/spelling/toc.html Grammar/spelling: http://webster.commnet.edu/sensen/index.html Text reading: http://www.pixi.com/~reader1/allbrowser/ Graphic Organizers: http://www.region15.org/curriculum/graphicorg.ht ml
Websites:
English learners: http://www.englishlearner.com/ Cognates: http://kellyjones.netfirms.com/spanish/cognated oublets.html http://www.latinamericalinks.com/spanish_cogn ates.htm http://www.musicalspanish.com/tutorial/falsecognates.htm
Before you go-
Assignment--fill out map Evaluation
Like? Didn’t like? Next time?