How to Read a Text BookReading Strategies for

Students

How is a Text book different from a novel?

O Heavier & largerO Pages are larger & more colorfulO Contains pictures, charts, graphsO Each page has bold, highlighted &

colored text to point out key words & topics

O Chapters end with reflection questions, study guides, & activities

O Contains a glossary & index

Reading a NovelLet’s first think about a novel…O What is your purpose for reading a novel?

O EntertainmentO How do you read a novel?

O Start to finishO How is a novel organized?

O Into chaptersO Sequence with a beginning, middle, & end

Reading a TextbookNow let’s compare that to textbook…O What is your purpose for reading a

textbook?O Information

O How do you read a textbook?O Skimming by topic

O How is a novel organized?O Into sections O Not sequential- by topics

How is reading a textbook different from reading a novel?

With a novel you think sequentially

With a textbook you think

conceptually

Beginning Middle End

Topic

Subtopic

Details Details

subtopic

Details

How is reading a text book different from reading a novel?

O Do not read from start to finish!O Do not read word for word!O Skim textO Look at charts & picturesO Look ahead to questions at the endO Read bold printO Take notesO Stop to think/reflect/question/summarize

Parts of a TextbookO Table of Contents O ChaptersO Headings & Sub headingsO Charts/Graphs/PicturesO CaptionsO Chapter Study Guides/ReviewO ResourcesO GlossaryO Index

Find out how your textbook Chapters are organized

O Cover pageO Chapter is broken down into lessons

O Key concepts & Vocabulary given for each lesson

O Lessons are broken down into sections (red text)

O Sections broken down into subsections (blue text)

O Lesson Review & Connection at the end of each lesson

O Chapter Review at the end

Textbook TipsO Know what the symbols & icons meanO Get familiar with the student resourcesO Look for the ‘BIG IDEA’ iconO Look for the ‘Key Concepts’ iconO Look at & read the pictures & graphs

firstO Pay attention to bold & highlighted

words

So How Do you Read a textbook?

O Silent reading is most effectiveO Textbook reading strategies:

O SurveyO SkimO Connect to what you’ve learned in classO Reread parts that confuse youO Summarize key points O Take notes in outline formatO Lecture to the wall- verbalize what you

read

Define your purposeO The way you read your textbook

depends upon your purpose for reading

O What is your purpose for reading?O Answer questions at the endO Assigned ReadingO Look for informationO Study for a test

Reading to Answer Questions

O Look ahead to the questionO Skim through the headings to find the section

where that topic is discussedO Skim the section looking for key words in your

questionO Once you find the key words slow down & read

carefully for the answerO Repeat for the next question

O (Hint…Usually questions go in order of the chapter)

O Let’s look at Chapter 5 Review- question 5 (pg. 176)

Reading to Find Information

O Use the Index or the Table of Contents to find where your topic can be found

O Skim until you find key words related to your topic

O Slow down & read carefully once your find the information you are looking for

O Find this information: How did Aristotle’s & Democritus’s view on matter differ?

Assigned ReadingsIntroductory ReadingO 1. Survey text looking at key concepts, vocabulary,

pictures & graphsO 2. Skim the section quickly pausing at section

headings, subheadings, bold, & highlighted words then speed up again

O 3. Close your book, stop & think about what you read- jot down an overview of what the section is about from what you remember

O 4. Now go back & reread the section for comprehension. Skim parts you already know, slow down on parts that confuse you.

O 5. Take notes on items you want to review or seemed unclear about

O Let’s try it together: Chapter 1 Lesson 1

Reading to Review Information

Mastery ReadingO First read your lecture notes

O (anything found in both lecture notes & chapter is extra important)

O Go the chapter & read the summary and review questions at the end

O Skim through each section reading the key concepts & vocabulary-O Slow down on sections that confuse youO Skim each section & summarize key points verbally

(lecture to the wall)O Keep doing this in 15 min. chunks until you feel

comfortably with the entire passage O Review one more time right before bed

Let’s Recap what we learned about reading Textbooks…O Survey firstO Look for pictures, charts, and graphic organizers.

These items are most important.O Read the headings and all subheadings. These are

the chapter's main ideas and give you a map for reading

O Pay attention to key concepts & vocabulary wordsO Think about your purpose for reading & adjust

your reading strategies for that purposeO Summarize main ideas either verbally or in writingO Take notes to help you remember difficult

conceptsO Read in short chunks

Don’t let this happen to you…Learn textbook reading strategies!