intro to college classes

© 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Longman Publishers

From Guide to College Reading, 8/e

Kathleen T. McWhorter

Successful Attitudes Toward Reading and Learning

PowerPoint by Gretchen Starks-MartinSt. Cloud State University, MN

Copyright 2008 Pearson Education, publishing as Longman Publishers

THIS CHAPTER WILL SHOW YOU HOW TO:

1. Understand what is expected in college2. Start with a positive attitude3. Build your concentration4. Analyze your learning style5. Strengthen your comprehension


UNDERSTAND WHAT IS EXPECTED IN COLLEGE

The rule of thumb is two hours of study for each class hour.

Expect to read about 80 textbook pages per week in each course.

There will be many new words and specialized words you will need to know.

College instructors expect you to decide what is important to know and to learn that information.

Learning a large number of facts is no guarantee of a high grade.


UNDERSTAND WHAT IS EXPECTED IN COLLEGE

Instructors often assign readings from a variety of sources besides the textbook.

Re-reading is one of the poorest ways to review. Highlighting and marking, outlining, mapping, and summarizing are better.

College instructors expect students to react to, evaluate, and criticize what they read.

There are numerous ways to read a textbook assignment.

As you read, it is important to keep track of and evaluate your level of understanding.


START WITH A POSITIVE ATTITUDE: Becoming a Successful

Student

1. Be confident: Send yourself positive messages.

2. Accept responsibility for your own learning.

3. Visualize success.4. Set long-term goals for yourself.


START WITH A POSITIVE ATTITUDE:Becoming a Successful Reader

1. Stick with a reading assignment.2. Plan on spending time on reading.3. Actively search for key ideas as you

read.4. Think of reading as a way of unlocking

the writer’s message to you, the reader.


BUILD YOUR CONCENTRATION: Controlling Your Surroundings

1. Choose a place to read where you will not be interrupted.

2. Find a place that is relatively free of distractions and temptations.

3. Read in the same place each day.4. Do not read where you are too comfortable.5. Choose a time of day when you are mentally

alert.


BUILD YOUR CONCENTRATION:Focusing Your Attention

1. Set goals and time limits for yourself.2. Choose and reserve blocks of time each

day for reading and study.3. Vary your reading.4. Reward yourself for accomplishing things

as planned.5. Plan frequent breaks.6. Keep physically as well as mentally active.


ANALYZE YOUR LEARNING STYLE

Part One: Auditory or Visual Learners Part Two: Applied or Conceptual Learners Part Three: Spatial or Verbal (Nonspatial) Learners Part Four: Social or Independent Learners Part Five: Creative or Pragmatic Learners


Developing a Learning Action Plan

1. Circle the five aspects of your learning style in which you received higher scores.

2. Read through the suggestions that apply to you.

3. Place a checkmark in front of suggestions that you think will work for you.

4. List the suggestions that you chose in the box labeled Action Plan for Learning in this chapter.


Auditory

Discuss/study with friends. Talk aloud when studying. Tape-record self-testing questions and

answers.


Visual

Draw diagrams, charts, tables. Try to visualize events. Use films and videos, when available. Use computer-assisted instruction, if

available.


Applied

Think of practical situations to which learning applies.

Associate ideas with their application. Use case studies, examples, and

applications to cue your learning.


Conceptual

Organize materials that lack order. Use outlining. Focus on organizational patterns.


Spatial

Use mapping. Use outlining. Draw diagrams, make charts and

sketches. Use visualization.


Verbal (Non-spatial)

Translate diagrams and drawings into language.

Record steps, processes, procedures in words.

Write summaries. Write your interpretation next to

textbook drawings, maps, or graphics.


Social

Form study groups. Find a study partner. Interact with the instructor. Work with a tutor.


Independent

Use computer-assisted instruction, if available.

Purchase review workbooks or study guides, if available.


Creative

Ask and answer questions. Record your own ideas in the

margins of textbooks.


Pragmatic

Study in an organized environment. Write lists of steps, procedures, and

processes. Paraphrase difficult material.


PAY ATTENTION TO COMPREHENSION SIGNALS

How do you feel when you read the material? Does everything fit and make sense? Can you understand what the author is

saying? Can you read at a regular comfortable pace? Can you recognize most words or can you

figure them out from context?See Table 1-2 on Comprehension

Signals.


WORK ON IMPROVING YOUR COMPREHENSION

For poor concentration:1. Take limited breaks.2. Tackle difficult material when your mind is

fresh and alert.3. Choose an appropriate place to study.4. Focus your attention.



For words that are difficult or unfamiliar:1. Use context and analyze word parts.2. Skim through material before reading and

mark difficult words. Jot their meanings in the margin.

3. Refer to the vocabulary preview list, footnotes, or glossary.



When sentences are long or confusing:1. Read aloud.2. Locate the key idea(s).3. Check difficult words.4. Express each sentence in your own words.



When ideas are hard to understand or complicated:

1. Rephrase or explain each in your own words.2. Make notes.3. Locate a more basic text that explains ideas

in simpler form.4. Study with a classmate; discuss difficult

ideas.



When ideas are new and unfamiliar:1. Make sure you didn’t miss or skip

introductory information.2. Get background information by referring to

1. An earlier section or chapter in the book.2. An encyclopedia.3. A more basic text.



When the material seems disorganized:1. Pay more attention to headings.2. Read the summary, if available.3. Try to discover the organization by writing an

outline or drawing a map as you read.



When you don’t know what is and is not important:

1. Preview.2. Ask and answer guide questions.3. Locate and underline topic sentences.


LEARNING STYLE TIPS Auditory learner: Reading aloud Visual learner: Visualizing paragraph

organization Applied learner: Thinking of real-life

situations that illustrate ideas in the passage. Conceptual learner: Asking questions

Are you an auditory learner or a visual learner? Are you an applied learner or a conceptual learner?


SELF-TEST SUMMARY How can you develop a positive attitude

toward reading? What can you do to control your

concentration? What is learning style? How can knowing your learning style make

you a better student? What can you do to be sure that you

understand your reading assignments?


TEST-TAKING TIPS:Starting with the Right Attitude

Remind yourself that you have worked hard and deserve to pass.

Think of the test as a chance to show what you have learned.

Do not panic if you cannot answer a question. Make a guess and move on to items you can answer.

If you do not immediately know an answer, think! You may be able to reason it out.

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