Textbook Reading Strategies - Annotate the Text

Summary

In this engaging video, reading specialist Sara Kepros emphasizes the importance of active reading techniques over traditional highlighting. Drawing from research at Harvard University, she advocates for annotating texts with pens or pencils to enhance comprehension. By writing thoughts, questions, and connections in the margins or on sticky notes, students can better engage with the material. Sara illustrates her approach through examples from a textbook chapter on nature and nurture, highlighting the significance of restating key ideas and personal connections. This method encourages deeper understanding and retention, setting the stage for effective study habits.

Takeaways

• 📚 Highlighting can lead to confusion; consider alternative methods for engaging with texts.
• 📝 Annotating involves writing your thoughts and questions in the margins or on sticky notes.
• 🔄 Restating big ideas while reading helps reinforce understanding and retention.
• ❓ Asking questions during reading encourages critical thinking and deeper comprehension.
• 🔗 Making connections to personal experiences or other materials enhances engagement with the text.
• 📖 Use sticky notes if you prefer not to write directly in your textbook.
• 🧠 Active engagement with reading materials is essential for improving comprehension.
• 🔍 Review annotations before quizzes or tests to recall important concepts and ideas.
• 👩‍👧‍👧 Personal stories can provide relatable context and enhance understanding of the material.
• 🚀 The next step in the learning process will be analyzing the text after reading.

Q & A

What is the main focus of Sara Kepros's discussion?

Sara Kepros discusses effective strategies for reading and engaging critically with textbook chapters.

What common practice does Harvard recommend students abandon when reading?

Harvard recommends that students throw away their highlighters, as highlighting can lead to confusion about why certain parts were emphasized.

What alternative does Sara suggest to highlighting?

Sara suggests using a pen or pencil to annotate in the margins of the text, writing down thoughts, questions, and connections as they arise.

How does annotating benefit students according to Sara?

Annotating helps students engage more deeply with the material, improves comprehension, and allows for easier review of big ideas and connections when studying.

What does Sara suggest if students do not want to write in their textbooks?

If students prefer not to write in their textbooks, Sara suggests using sticky notes to jot down annotations and sticking them in the book.

Can you give an example of how Sara made connections while reading?

Sara made connections by relating the text to her own experience with her fraternal twin daughters and a story about two adopted twin girls from China.

What kind of questions should students ask themselves while reading?

Students should ask themselves questions that arise during reading, such as those concerning genetic differences in identical twins.

What is one strategy Sara recommends for summarizing important information?

Sara recommends restating big ideas in the margins or on sticky notes to help determine the importance of the information being read.

What does Sara indicate will be discussed in the next session?

In the next session, Sara plans to discuss the fourth habit, which involves analyzing the text after reading.

What overall impact does Sara believe these strategies will have on students' reading comprehension?

Sara believes that these strategies will greatly enhance students' comprehension and engagement with the material they are reading.