I Read It but I I Read It but I Don’t Get ItDon’t Get It

Reading CriticallyReading Critically

I. Decoding vs. ReadingI. Decoding vs. Reading• DecodingDecoding: translating the alphabet : translating the alphabet

into words and languageinto words and language• ReadingReading: processing the code into : processing the code into

meaningful informationmeaningful information– Interpretation and thought, conscious Interpretation and thought, conscious

and unconsciousand unconscious

II. Good Readers’ II. Good Readers’ StrategiesStrategies

A.A. Determine Determine what’s importantwhat’s importantB.B. Use Use existing knowledgeexisting knowledge to make sense of to make sense of

new informationnew informationC.C. Ask questionsAsk questions about the text before, during, about the text before, during,

and after readingand after readingD.D. MonitorMonitor their comprehension their comprehensionE.E. Use Use “fix-up” strategies“fix-up” strategies when meaning breaks when meaning breaks

downdownF.F. Draw Draw inferencesinferences from the text from the textG.G. SynthesizeSynthesize information to create new thinking information to create new thinking

III. Knowing What’s III. Knowing What’s ImportantImportant

A. Purpose: why am I reading this?A. Purpose: why am I reading this?B. Textual Conventions: telling you B. Textual Conventions: telling you

what’s importantwhat’s important1. Bold/italics1. Bold/italics 2. Titles and headings2. Titles and headings

3. Images3. ImagesC. QuestionsC. Questions

1. Given1. Given 2. Title/topic2. Title/topic 3. Textual3. Textual4. Test/quiz4. Test/quiz

4. Finding Possible 4. Finding Possible Questions for Tests and Questions for Tests and

QuizzesQuizzes• a. Terms: who, what, when, where, a. Terms: who, what, when, where,

why importantwhy important• b. Cause and effectb. Cause and effect• c. Patterns/themesc. Patterns/themes• d. What should I know if I know d. What should I know if I know

nothing else?nothing else?– Create at least one hypothetical question Create at least one hypothetical question

for each subsection/paragraph of readingfor each subsection/paragraph of reading

III. Knowing What’s III. Knowing What’s Important Important

D. Background KnowledgeD. Background Knowledge1. Lecture1. Lecture 2. Other texts2. Other texts3. Human nature and common sense3. Human nature and common sense 4. 4.

Own lifeOwn lifeDraftingDrafting

E. StructureE. Structure1. Thesis1. Thesis 2. Topic sentences2. Topic sentences

IV. Crossing the Freeway: IV. Crossing the Freeway: Knowing When You are LostKnowing When You are Lost• Common misconception: Good readers Common misconception: Good readers

can sit down and read anything and can sit down and read anything and understand it the first time they read understand it the first time they read it.it.

• Reality: Reality: Good readers often have problems Good readers often have problems

reading difficult text but know reading difficult text but know when they don’t understand and when they don’t understand and have ways to get back on track.have ways to get back on track.

• areare makingmaking• betweenbetween onlyonly• consistsconsists oftenoften• continuouslycontinuously withwith• correspondingcorresponding oneone• curvecurve pointspoints• drawsdraws relationrelation• variationvariation setset• graphgraph tabletable• ifif valuesvalues• isolatedisolated variablesvariables• knownknown

• ““If the known relation between the If the known relation between the variable consists of a table of variable consists of a table of corresponding values, the graph corresponding values, the graph consists only of the corresponding set consists only of the corresponding set of isolated points. If the variables are of isolated points. If the variables are known to vary continuously, one often known to vary continuously, one often draws a curve to show the variation.”draws a curve to show the variation.”

• ((Basic College MathBasic College Math, M. Michael , M. Michael Michaelson, 1945)Michaelson, 1945)

• Last Serny, Flingledobe and Pribin Last Serny, Flingledobe and Pribin were in the Nerd-link treppering were in the Nerd-link treppering gloppy caples and cleaming burly gloppy caples and cleaming burly greps. Suddenly a dirty strezzle greps. Suddenly a dirty strezzle boofed into Flingledobe’s tresk. boofed into Flingledobe’s tresk. Pribin glaped and glaped. “Oh, Pribin glaped and glaped. “Oh, Flingledobe,” he chifed, “that dirty Flingledobe,” he chifed, “that dirty strezzle is tunning in your grep!”strezzle is tunning in your grep!”

Crossing the FreewayCrossing the FreewayA. VoicesA. Voices

1. 1. Reciting VoiceReciting Voice: the decoding voice: the decoding voice2. 2. Conversation VoiceConversation Voice

a.a. InteractingInteractingb.b. DistractingDistracting

NoteNote: stop listening to the voices if they : stop listening to the voices if they tell you to do anything illegal/dangeroustell you to do anything illegal/dangerous

Crossing the FreewayCrossing the FreewayB. SignpostsB. Signposts

1. Lists: “and,” “then,” “or”1. Lists: “and,” “then,” “or”2. Numbers: “one/first” 2. Numbers: “one/first” necessarilynecessarily

means “two/second”means “two/second”• If see “three/third” go back and find “two” If see “three/third” go back and find “two”

3. Logical sequence: “if…then”3. Logical sequence: “if…then”4. Definitions: “X is…”4. Definitions: “X is…”

Crossing the FreewayCrossing the FreewayC. Marking TextC. Marking Text

1. A Pencil in Hand is Worth Two Hours 1. A Pencil in Hand is Worth Two Hours StudyingStudying

2. Post-it notes2. Post-it notes3. Note paper3. Note paper

What To Do When the Car What To Do When the Car Breaks Down: Fix-it Breaks Down: Fix-it

StrategiesStrategies1.1. Make a Make a connection connection between the text and prior between the text and prior

knowledgeknowledge2.2. Make a Make a predictionprediction about what the rest of the text about what the rest of the text

may saymay say3.3. Stop and think Stop and think about what you have already readabout what you have already read4.4. Ask yourself a Ask yourself a question question and try to answer itand try to answer it5.5. Reflect Reflect in writing on what you have readin writing on what you have read6.6. Visualize Visualize the descriptions of the textthe descriptions of the text7.7. Use Use print conventionsprint conventions8.8. Retell Retell what you’ve read (bother siblings; what else what you’ve read (bother siblings; what else

are they good for?)are they good for?)9.9. RereadReread10.10. Notice Notice patterns patterns in text structurein text structure11.11. Adjust your Adjust your reading ratereading rate: slow down or speed up: slow down or speed up