UNIVERSIDAD METROPOLITANA VICERRECTORÍA ASOCIADA DE DESARROLLO Y RETENCIÓN
Programa de Tutorías
Getting ready to read
Introduction • One of many projects we have to do in college includes “reading comprehension”. Here, we will discuss how you will integrate reading strategies to getting ready to read.
Purpose The author’s background & purpose for writing
Your background and purpose for reading
The meanings you make as you read
• The author has a purpose with the text and a message to get across; also, the author will choose the facts and ideas.
• “In doing this, the author draws on his or her knowledge and feelings about a subject. Obviously, what the author’s write in a text determines what you learn from it”.
Steps to follow before, while & after you read • “Because what you get out of a text depends on what you already know about the subject, take FOUR STEPS before reading.”
Steps to follow: 1. Previewing before reading – • Think about all types of titles. • Skim through the pages, there you may find more information about the text. • There you will find words and terms that the author repeats; mostly written in bold or italics.
• You will find more information when you see sentences like “ This chapter includes information about…” or “ First we’ll consider… then we’ll consider…” • Illustrations may give you a clue of what the text is about. • Margin notes and/or footnotes are very helpful.
Steps to follow: 2. What you already know about & how it relates to you – • Visualize what you already know. • A helping tool is to brainstorm. Here is a little chart that will show you how to do it.
Brainstorming diagram: words
facts
concepts
Brainstorming
ideas
topics
sentences
Steps to follow: 3. Questions to improve your reading – • Preparing questions and then answer with what you already read. • A perfect question to start with would be “What do I expect to learn by reading this material?”
Steps to follow: 4. Reading difficulty or load – • Estimate the amount of time it will get you to read the whole text & what is necessary for you to master it.
• You can predict if the text is “light” or “heavy”.
Read three times: • How many times do I have to read the text ? 1. Relate yourself with the text. 2. Analyze what you read.
3. Corroborate what you read.
References: • Grant, D. (2004). Reading with Meaning: Strategies for College Reading (6th Edition). Pearson.
Prepared by: • Nirazette L. Gonzalez Abella
• Cristabel R. Ocasio Ilarraza
Revised by: • Prof. María Isaac – English Coordinator
• Priscilla J. Pérez Morales – English Tutor
May 2009