Center to Improve the Tools of Educators
Today a reader, tomorrow a leader. — Margaret Fuller
Activity
Pressley (2001) points to the well-established relationship or a correlation that good
comprehends tend to have good vocabularies but there is also research showing that
teaching vocabulary will increase readers’ comprehension.
Using a dictionary is a good way to better understand words and improve your
vocabulary. When you “look up” a word, you will want to perform several tasks (See
Figure 2.2).
o Determine the pronunciation. Some on-line dictionaries will have a “hear me”
option.
o Find the parts of speech and related words.
o Identify the word meanings. These meanings are typically listed in a
chronological manner such that the “oldest” meaning is listed first followed by
newer meanings. Note that some dictionaries will specifically identify archaic
(arch) meanings of the word.
o Look up any unknown abbreviations.
o Identify the work origins or etymologies as this may make the word more
memorable.
o Review any examples of use. Try substituting the word in your own sentence.
o Look at any synonyms provided or consider using a thesaurus.
Dictionaries often use terminology and abbreviations to include as much information
as possible in the word meaning. These elements include parts of speech (e.g. noun or
- n) and labels for languages (e.g. Am, Amer or America, American). For an extensive list
of dictionary terminology refer to:
http://dictionary.reference.com/features/wordtraveler22.html
per⋅spi⋅cac⋅i⋅ty
Show Spelled Pronunciation [pur-spi-kas-i-tee]
http://dictionary.reference.com/features/wordtraveler22.html
http://dictionary.reference.com/audio.html/lunaWAV/P03/P0307400
–noun
- keenness of mental perception and understanding; discernment; penetration.
- Archaic. keen vision.
Origin:
1540–50; earlier perspicacite < LL perspic cit s sharpness of sight, equiv. to perspic ci-ā ā ā
(s. of perspic x sharp-sighted; see ā PERSPICUOUS ) + -t s -ā TY ²
Figure 2.2. Sample Dictionary Look-up.
Several suggestions for improving your vocabulary include simply reading more,
doing daily crossword puzzles, attaching a plug-in for “word-of-the-day” on your
internet browser, reading a dictionary, playing scrabble, using a new word each day in
your conversation and writing. These suggestions, established as life-long processes,
will also aid in keeping your mind youthful as you continue to age.
Identify several on-line dictionaries and look up several words and identify key
elements. What did you learn about looking up words that you did not know before
performing this exercise?
Follow-up
Perform a word look up and be able to identify and understand the elements of the
description.
If you were to look up a word in a dictionary and saw the abbreviation LL, what would
that mean to you?
Have you considered a method you could use to improve your vocabulary?
Whole Task Objectives Follow-up
Describe how developing a more powerful vocabulary can have an impact on your
reading comprehension and learning?
How does developing a more powerful vocabulary relate to your overall
understanding of measurement and obtaining measures?
Toolbox Dictionary
2.3 Objective
Locate and understand the main points of paragraphs and chapter sections.
Whole Task Objectives
Apply and test methods to increase reading comprehension and learning.
Understand the purpose of measurement and obtaining measures.
Pretest
Do you have any special technique you use for reading information that you need to
really know? Explain.
Relevancy
There are numerous strategies for improving comprehension, particularly when
reading a text, and SQ3R is time proven five-step reading strategy or model introduced
in 1946 by Francis Pleasant Robinson.
What we become depends on what we read after all of the professors have finished with us. –Thomas Carlyle
Activity
SQ3R is an acronym describing the five steps of the strategy: Survey (or Skim),
Question, Read, Recite (or Recall) and Review (“SQ3R.” 2009; “The SQ3R Method.”
n.d.; “The SQ3R Reading Method.” n.d.).
- Survey or Skim for about two minutes. Before reading the entire chapter, read the
title, objectives, section headings, section subheadings, introduction or abstract,
and summary.
- Question for about 30 seconds. What is the question that this chapter is asking?
What questions are the sections asking? Translate each section heading into a
question.
- Read at a pace that is appropriate for the complexity of the information. Read
only a section at a time and as you read each section attempt to answer the
associated question.
- Recite or Recall for about one minute. Using your own words verbalize orally or
in a written form a phrase that answers the questions and summarizes the topic
of each section. If you can be conversational about the topic, you probably have
a reasonable understanding of it. Thus, it is important that you use your own
words when completing this step.
- Review for less than five minutes. Immediately after your complete step 4,
attempt to recall all of the major points you have produced for the chapter
sections. If you are unable to recall a major point, reread that section. On the
following days, page through the text and your notes to reacquaint yourself with
the important points. Make flashcards or other tools to assist yourself in learning
the information.
Practice the SQ3R process and perform a chapter scan. Did you retain more important?
information than you had before using SQ3R? Why?
Follow-up
What are the elements of the acronym SQ3R?
Given a chapter in your text, list the steps you would perform in order to gain a better
understanding of the material.
Whole Task Objectives Follow-up
How does locating and understanding the main points of paragraphs and chapter
sections have an impact on your reading comprehension and learning?
Toolbox SQ3R
References
Adams, M. J. (1990). Beginning to Read: Thinking and Learning about Print, MIT Press
Baker, S. K., Simmons, D. C., & Kameenui, E. J. (1995). Vocabulary acquisition:
Synthesis of the research (Tech. Rep. No. 13). Eugene: University of Oregon, National
Center to Improve the Tools of Educators.
Eye movement in language reading. (2009, January 31). In Wikipedia, The Free
Encyclopedia. Retrieved Feb. 11, 2009, from
http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?
title=Eye_movement_in_language_reading&oldid=267524159
Frequently Asked Questions, (n.d.) In, National Reading Panel (NRP). Retrieved Feb.
10, 2009, from http://www.nationalreadingpanel.org/faq/faq.htm#19
Mayer, R. (2003). Learning and Instruction. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson
Education, Inc.
perspicacity. (n.d.). Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1). Retrieved February 11, 2009,
from Dictionary.com website: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/perspicacity
Pressley, M. (2001). Comprehension instruction: What makes sense now, what might
make sense soon. Reading Online, 5(2). Retrieved Feb 10, 2009 from
http://www.readingonline.org/articles/handbook/pressley/index.html
Reading: Adjusting speed. (n.d.) In LLCC Study Skills Center. Retrieved Feb. 11, 2009,
from http://74.125.47.132/search?
q=cache:cU8gLoW26ZIJ:www.llcc.edu/LinkClick.aspx%3Ffileticket%3DE
%252F9gTUo194s%253D%26tabid%3D617%26mid
%3D1158+adjusting+reading+rate+comprehension&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=5&gl=us
Reading rate. (2003, November 6). In Academic Support. Retrieved Feb 11, 2009, from
http://academic.cuesta.edu/acasupp/AS/305.HTM
SQ3R. (2009, January 4). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 18:30,
February 11, 2009, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?
title=SQ3R&oldid=261900004
The SQ3R Method. (n.d.). Retrieved February 11, 2009, from
http://www.ic.arizona.edu/ic/wrightr/other/sq3r.html
The SQ3R Reading Method. (n.d.). In Study Guides and Strategies. Retrieved February
11, 2009 from http://www.studygs.net/texred2.htm
http://www.studygs.net/texred2.htm
http://www.ic.arizona.edu/ic/wrightr/other/sq3r.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=SQ3R&oldid=261900004
http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=SQ3R&oldid=261900004
http://academic.cuesta.edu/acasupp/AS/305.HTM
http://74.125.47.132/search?q=cache:cU8gLoW26ZIJ:www.llcc.edu/LinkClick.aspx%3Ffileticket%3DE%252F9gTUo194s%253D%26tabid%3D617%26mid%3D1158+adjusting+reading+rate+comprehension&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=5&gl=us
http://74.125.47.132/search?q=cache:cU8gLoW26ZIJ:www.llcc.edu/LinkClick.aspx%3Ffileticket%3DE%252F9gTUo194s%253D%26tabid%3D617%26mid%3D1158+adjusting+reading+rate+comprehension&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=5&gl=us
http://74.125.47.132/search?q=cache:cU8gLoW26ZIJ:www.llcc.edu/LinkClick.aspx%3Ffileticket%3DE%252F9gTUo194s%253D%26tabid%3D617%26mid%3D1158+adjusting+reading+rate+comprehension&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=5&gl=us
http://www.readingonline.org/articles/handbook/pressley/index.html
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/perspicacity
http://www.nationalreadingpanel.org/faq/faq.htm#19
http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Eye_movement_in_language_reading&oldid=267524159
http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Eye_movement_in_language_reading&oldid=267524159
- Reading Research
Q&A
Address any issues from prior session.
3.1 Objective
Identify key structural elements of a research article for effective reading.
Whole Task Objectives
Apply and test methods to increase reading comprehension and learning.
Understand the purpose of measurement and obtaining measures.
Relevancy
Reading research articles can be daunting for the uninitiated particularly when the
article is peppered with statistics and discipline specific charts. So, developing an
effective process for reading research becomes important in order to: use your time
efficiently, determine the importance of the article; and to use search engines
efficiency for finding comparable research.
Always read something that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it. — P. J. O’Rourke
Pretest
Have you spent much time reading research? If so, what technique do you use to
efficiently read the material. Explain.
Activity
Research writing occurs in many formats that are specific to both the methods being
used in the research and the discipline or branch of learning. For simplification we
will identify two types of research articles you will probably encounter in your studies.
First, a research study is intended to discover or interpret some matter that typically is
used to advance human understanding or learning. The research process can use a
scientific method or techniques that measure the outcomes. Second, a research article
or essay may use a research format for its presentation of information.
Whether a research study or an essay, the article is often organized in a format that
permits other researchers to effectively interpret the findings. The research article
often contains a Title, Abstract, Keywords, Introduction, Method, Results, Discussion,
Summary, and References.
Very briefly, these formatting or presentational components are as follows:
o Title: identifies the study.
o Abstract: brief overview of the study.
o Keywords: term(s) that captures the essence of the topic and a basis for using
search engines e.g. Google Scholar.