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Strategies for College Reading and Success

Strategies for College Reading and Success. Angela Henderson Stephanie Piazza Rosalinda Ruiz. Struggling readers. 49% of incoming college freshmen in the U.S. are reading below the college level.

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Strategies for College Reading and Success

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  1. Strategies for College Reading and Success Angela Henderson Stephanie Piazza Rosalinda Ruiz

  2. Struggling readers • 49% of incoming college freshmen in the U.S. are reading below the college level. • In the Fall 2009, approximately 80% of newly enrolled FC freshmen placed into a developmental reading course. • In the Spring 2010, approximately 69% of newly enrolled FC freshmen placed into a developmental reading course.

  3. Additional Facts • “A large number of colleges simply assume that a passing grade in a general education course implicitly equates to a reading competency,” based on an Academic Senate survey (as cited in Fulks, 2010). • Fulks also notes that, based on national research, “many students graduate with only basic reading skills after an entire general education program.”

  4. How challenging are the texts we assign? • The average readability level of a FC textbook is grade 15.

  5. Struggling readers • Imagine that you are 18, a freshman in college, and you read at the 6th grade level. • Now, imagine reading your assigned text. What challenges will you face? • Your students need instruction on how to tackle your challenging, college-level text.

  6. How would you study-read the text you assign? • Examine your text and brainstorm ideas for how you would study-read it. • Consider your purpose for reading…what will you need to do with this information? • Does this info comprise 50% of your grade? • Do you need to write a paper on it? • Will you need to summarize the information in a presentation?

  7. Show your students how to read your assigned text • Preview the text together to introduce them to its structure. • Compose an appropriate description for your assigned text(s) and ask students to brainstorm ideas for how to read the text effectively.

  8. Expanding this activity • Before you ask students to brainstorm ideas for how to study-read your text, you can begin with a more comprehensive, small-group activity. • You can accomplish both tasks in 45 minutes or less.

  9. Expanding this activity • Create additional “situations” and have your students work through them in groups. A whole class discussion should follow. This activity helps students realize that they have to employ different study-reading strategies depending on the type of text and their purpose for reading.

  10. Blogging • One of the goals of developmental education is “to develop in each learner the skills and attitudes necessary for the attainment of academic, career, and life goals” • (NADE, 2009). Blogging: Engaging Students in Reading in a Non-Traditional Environment by Angela Henderson & Mary Bogan, CRLA 2009

  11. Blogging Rationale • Blogging takes advantages of students’ existing digital literacies (Atkins, 2004) • Blogging engages students in reading and writing in a non-traditional environment Blogging: Engaging Students in Reading in a Non-Traditional Environment by Angela Henderson & Mary Bogan, CRLA 2009

  12. The Millennial Student • Born between 1982 and 2002 • Self-assured about their futures • Talented and hard working • Conventional in their views toward authority • Tend to respect rules (Elam, Stratton, & Gibson, 2007) • Familiar with technology (Atkinson, 2004) Blogging: Engaging Students in Reading in a Non-Traditional Environment by Angela Henderson & Mary Bogan, CRLA 2009

  13. Why Add a Blog to Your Class • LEVEL ONE: Reflective Journal • Deeper cognitive processing of the reading material • Direct Instruction • CAT • LEVEL TWO: Commenting • Creates a learning community • Allows students to see their peers’ thinking

  14. Sample Ideas • Math/Physics: Have students post his/her instructions on how to do a difficult problem step-by-step • Geography/Chemistry/Biology – Have students post his/her findings after completing a lab assignment • English – Reflect on this week’s text or your writing process • Speech/Political Science/English – Have students take a side in a debate or respond to an article in the newspaper.

  15. Sample Ideas: Basics • After an exam, post a reflective journal on • How they studied for the test • How they think they did on the exam • What they would do differently • Summarize an assigned portion • What portion of the reading was difficult? Why? • Muddiest Point from Lecture • Exam questions using Bloom’s Taxonomy • Advice to Future Students

  16. What I Like About Blogging • Good entry into Web 2.0 technologies • Content control • A room of their own • Creativity • Sense of audience • Insight into students • Opportunity for your students to see you as a “real” person • Benefits of reflective journaling Blogging 101: Focusing our Mission & Guiding Principles into Practice by Mary Bogan, CRLA 2010.

  17. Benefits to the Instructor • Flexible • Manageable • Enlightening Blogging: Engaging Students in Reading in a Non-Traditional Environment by Angela Henderson & Mary Bogan, CRLA 2009

  18. References • CRLA conference, Fall 2009 • Ken Meehan, FC researcher/data collector • American College Testing @ www.act.org

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