In this chapter of "Do I Really Have to Teach Reading," Tovani talks about how important it is for students to use their own thinking while they are reading throughout the entire text or passage. She shares that it is not just about using a highlighter to highlight text that is important to us as we read, but it is more about asking questions while reading that grab our attention. There are different ways of thinking about the text and what questions might arise while reading, but it is more than copying what the author gives the reader. I think the opening of this chapter was great with the activity she used to describe how students should be thinking while reading text, but most specifically in the case, pictures. Too many times, we take a picture or text and run with it without assessing the rest of the entry. If we can teach students how to carry their thinking while reading, they will have a more quality experience with reading the harder texts they are exposed to at the upper level of education. As mentioned earlier, it is not necessarily about rewriting the text. I am glad she made this point throughout the chapter! It's about asking the questions and trying to find the answer to these questions in the text as the students read. This is how thinking is held and carried out for many students. There are many tools that can be used to help students hold their thinking while they are reading: write on the page where the questions occur, respond to the text, use sticky notes, slow down while reading, etc.
This chapter tells the reader that teaching students how to think while reading is doable, and it can really open their minds up to reading passages that they would typically not respond to at all. Students need to be taught how to show their thinking in ways that can be seen on paper and not necessarily in their heads. We need to see the thought process and questions that students have while reading so we can discuss and perhaps answer them. With this chapter, I've learned that sometimes, students need to be shown what I'm expecting before I tell them to just jump right in. They need some direction and guidance when it comes to asking them to perform something in a new way that they thought was impossible before.
I definitely think that this chapter can be applied to my mathematics content. I think it is so important for students to ask questions in mathematics to really understand the content and what is being presented. It is new material, and if they can read their notes and textbook while having their own thinking in mind, then we could have some really great conversations and clear up many misconceptions they have. The hard part is having them get comfortable with questioning the textbook, but I think this goal of thinking while reading is obtainable when taught how to properly perform it.
Abbey,
ReplyDeleteYou make great points about the reading. I also liked that Tovani made it a point to say that holding thinking during reading is more than copying from the text. You say that students need to be taught how to show the thinking they do about a text that isn't necessarily visible. I think this is a great point. We often asks students to solve problems in math, but rarely do they have to show their thinking. While this is changing quickly, students still need to be taught how to show thinking that isn't visible. Additionally, I think it is very important for students to hold their thinking when reading a math textbook. Often, this type of textbook is boring and dry to students. If we provide them with ways to stay active mentally while reading, they will better comprehend the text.
Mindy