As a class, read and explore a short passage from a reading relevant to the course topic.
Steps
- Choose a passage from a reading that is related to what you are currently discussing or learning about in class.
- Pass out copies of the passage to the class and provide 5 minutes to read it over individually.
- Choose a single sentence from the passage and write it up on the board or display it via projector.
- As a class, examine each part of the sentence and discuss the meaning. Model strategies for working through particularly challenging passages:
- On the first read, identify questions the students have. What words trip them up? What seems out-of-place? What immediately makes sense?
- If necessary, diagram the sentence to help students understand how each part of the sentence works together.
- Discuss strategies for dealing with unfamiliar words or familiar words used in unexpected ways.
- Talk about the sentences within the larger context of the selection. Does reading around the sentence help with discerning meaning?
- After you’ve tackled one sentence, if there is time, move onto other sentences or tackle the passage as a whole.
Repeat this activity with different kinds of readings and at several times prior to large reading assignments.
Follow-up Assignment Ideas
- Have each student write a short analysis of a selection after going through this exercise as a group/class.
- As students become more adept at this, have them lead the discussion in their small groups or with the whole class. They could do this individually or in groups.
Considerations
- Choose a selection that is neither too short or too long; four to six sentences is ideal.
- Choose a sentence to work on that is “meaty” enough for some good discussion.
- Modify this activity as it makes sense for you and your students — expand the selection, look at 2-3 sentences together, etc.
- Share your own reading strategies with students to help them understand your development as a reader. The goal is to help students understand that becoming strong college readers is a skill they develop, not a natural talent they either do or do not have.