| Learning does not happen just by reading the | | | | student will be to remember it. So, encourage |
| material we want to learn. Reading and learning | | | | your student to have fun with this one! |
| are not the same thing. We all know that to be | | | | Another valuable tool to active reading is to |
| true or test scores across this nation would be | | | | compare the new material to any information that |
| different among high school students. Reading the | | | | the student already knows. In school, you |
| material in front of you is only the first step, | | | | probably wrote lots of papers that started off |
| much like getting out of bed each day does not | | | | with "Compare and Contrast" assignments. There |
| make you successful at the office. It begins the | | | | is validity in that. Comparing information that is |
| journey, but other steps must be taken. That | | | | new, to information that we already know, allows |
| applies to learning as well. If we want our | | | | the brain to connect pieces of information and |
| students to truly learn what they must learn in | | | | build upon existing familiarities rather than starting |
| school in order to be successful in college and | | | | from scratch. This is easier, and retention is |
| their future careers, or we wish to learn new | | | | improved through this application. |
| material ourselves, then we must practice active | | | | Finally, your student should pay attention to the |
| reading and engage our brains with the | | | | examples and illustrations that are given in the |
| information while we read it. That can open the | | | | material. All too often, these charts or pictures |
| door for true learning, not just rote memorization. | | | | are skipped over as a waste of time. In fact, |
| The first step in active reading is to use that tried | | | | these visual images will do much to implant the |
| and true "reporter's approach" to our reading. | | | | information into our long term memory banks. |
| Asking relevant questions while we read will force | | | | These examples or visual illustrations are ideally |
| our brains to think about what we are reading. | | | | reviewed before the student begins their reading |
| These questions might be in the "who, what, | | | | so as to give some building blocks for the data to |
| where, when, why" categories, or they may take | | | | be added to. This step of active reading, often |
| the form of "why do I care about this," or "what | | | | incorrectly not thought of as reading, will become |
| difference does this make to me" instead. | | | | a highly profitable reading tool. |
| Depending upon the reading material, the subject | | | | Taking the time to approach reading from an |
| matter, and the level of background knowledge | | | | active place rather than a passive reading place |
| that the student brings to their studies, different | | | | will make a big difference in how a student |
| questions will be more meaningful at different | | | | studies. This will also impact their understanding, |
| times. The important charge to your student is to | | | | long-term memory, and application skills. If we are |
| never, never "just read" again if he expects to | | | | truly hoping to give a student the gift of learning, |
| learn anything. | | | | and to impart into them the love of learning and |
| Another step to make your student's reading and | | | | the life-long ability to learn, using active reading |
| studies come alive is to make the material as | | | | cannot be underrated. A student who develops |
| visual as possible while reading. For instance, if the | | | | the habit of active reading will gain skills of visual |
| student has remembered to ask himself "when" | | | | discrimination, critical thinking, and analytical |
| about a particular event in history, then he can go | | | | application very easily. These skills will be invaluable |
| one step further and imagine himself holding a | | | | in college and later adult years. It takes very little |
| calendar, open to that date. Then, he can imagine | | | | time to approach a reading assignment from this |
| the person or event taking place before his eyes | | | | different perspective, but it takes regular |
| as if in a movie and he is taking notes on the | | | | application of these tools to make it a habit. True |
| calendar's margin. Turning data into pictures in the | | | | learning, learning that is meaningful, applicable and |
| mind will drastically improve the brain's retention | | | | practical, requires the habit of active reading as |
| of the information. The fun part about this step is | | | | the starting point to engage our brains in |
| that the sillier the image, the more likely the | | | | intentional, purposeful, active reading. |