Summary

Critical Reading: 

Using Reading Prompts to Promote Active Engagement with Text

In the article, Terry Tomasek from Elon University as the writer told about critical reading; using reading prompts.  That the assignment of pre-class reading was a common practice in higher education to expose students to background knowledge that will be useful in an upcoming class discussion (Ruscio, 2001).

Good readers connect their past experiences with the text: interpreting, evaluating and considering alternative responses or interpretations. Critical reading is art of analyzing and evaluating text and thinking with a view to improving the nature of thought (Paul & Elder, 2008). Students can critically read in a variety of ways:

·         When they raise vital questions and problems from the text

·   When they gather and assess relevant information and then offer plausible interpretations of that information

·         When they rest their interpretation against previous knowledge or experience

·         When they examine their assumption and the implications of those assumption

·   When they use what they have read to communicate effectively with others or to develop potential solutions to complex problem

McDonald (2004) defines critical reading as an alternative way of reading that goes beyond the “typical approaches to read such as information processing or personal response”. (p.18)

The other purpose of reading/writing prompts is to facilitate personal connection between the undergraduate student and the assigned text. Using these reading/writing prompts creates a more active and dynamic learning experience for undergraduate students because the students have opportunity to do something with what they are learning through their reading (Meyers & Jones, 1993)

Critical reading/writing prompts

 Most of the following prompts are written in the first person to promote active and personal learning. There are six categories of prompt:

1.      Identification of problem or issue

This is to identify and describe the potential purpose for why the reading selection was written.

2.      Making connections

Trying to think critically about course topic. The subjectivity of the reader can be examined, clarified, and melded with the text when the personal experience of the reader are integrated with the experiences or circumstances in the text (McDonald, 2004).

3.      Interpretation of evidence

This type is most often used when reading case studies, viewing video clips, or reviewing student work samples. Inferences are checked for consistency among students, identifying biases and assumption that may have affected and shaped differing inference. 

4.      Challenging assumptions

Making consider the assumption that made by author. As students take up different stances, they learn to recognize how perspective might mask or expose the assumption that influence reading (Pace, 2006)

5.      Making applications

These reading prompts help students to use what they have learnt through their reading in very practical ways.

6.      Taking a different point of view

Providing opportunities for students to consider diverse ideas supports critical reading (Fecho, 2001). Two of ways to take a different point a view are: write an explanation of a topic for a parent, and meeting opposition.

Assigning the reading/writing prompts

The reading/writing prompts are assigned at the same time that a reading assignment is given (usually at the end of the class period). Students are asked to respond to the prompts in a variety of ways depending on the type or length of the response. Students may be required to read the responses made by other members of the class and, sometimes, make comment on peer responses before coming to class. Creating a situation where an exchange of ideas is student-to-student instead of student-to-teacher usually results in thinking that is clearer and less pretentious (Fulwiler, 1987).

The manner in which an instructor will build on the pre-class reading prompts depends on the nature of the text and the type of reading prompts used. Sometimes the discussions are brief and only serve to focus the subsequent lesson. The students are instructed not to worry about grammar, punctuation, or paragraph structure in their written responses. This is not a writing assignment, but the emphasis is made on uncovering meaning, application, or perspective of the text. In most cases the writer indicates that he had read response with a checkmark. The feedback is usually short and positive with interesting idea or great connection comment.

Benefits of using prompts

The benefits of using prompt are to make the students more active in reading and doing discussion, so that they have more engaged in the class, reading the responses before the class session help to be better prepare to more purposefully shape and guide the discussion, activity, or content delivery portion of the subsequent class, help to focus the beginning of class discussion and make important connection between the out-of-class reading and the topic of the current class session.

Also this type of reading/writing prompts response ensures that all students will have the opportunity to engage in a type of intellectual discussion. To meaningfully understand new information people need to make connection to what they already know and make application of that knowledge to solve problems. A similar approach might be taken with these reading prompts by asking student to collate their responses throughout the semester. Asking student to prepare for class by doing out-of-class reading is central to teaching and learning in the undergraduate classroom. Actually, in this reading/writing prompts, the student can read and think at the same time, instructor just need to guide them critical reading wit purposeful writing prompts.