Introduce Reading Tools & Tactics

Focus on tactics and habits by introducing students to reading tools or tricks they can use.

Steps

1. Assign a reading to the class.
2. Introduce them to a range of tools and tactics they can use to help with reading:
   • create a reading calendar–students individually divide a text up across the assigned amount of time and set goals for completing the whole text
   • create a dialectical/double-entry journal to support reading
   • read out loud, individually or in small groups
   • read back-to-front (this might be particularly useful with scholarly articles)
   • use distraction-limiting techniques or tools like Pomodoro or Cold Turkey
   • use a tool like rewordify to help with difficult passages in online/digital texts
   • use reading tools like easyview reader or swift read
3. Have students choose one of the tools or tactics to complete the reading.
4. Afterwards, have a meta conversation in class about how the tool or tactic did or did not help with their reading.

Considerations

• The goal of this assignment is to help students realize that reading is a skill and practice they need to develop, and that there are specific tools and tactics that might help them. Reading isn’t necessarily as simple as reading; instead they may need to think in more formal/structured ways about their reading practices and be mindful of how they approach their reading.
• Every reader can be different; just because there is something that works really well for you as a reader doesn’t mean it can or should work for all of your students. The same is true from student to student. Help them discover what works for them individually and recognize that they have control over how they approach their own reading practices.
• Be mindful of ways you can structure all of your reading assignments so that students can read in the way that works best for them. For example, not all readers enjoy the dialectical journal approach, but some find it very useful. Instead of requiring it, make it one suggested tactic, but leave it up to students to choose which tactic works best for them.