Getting the Most from Readings & Discussions

When you are assigned a reading text to study discuss, what steps do you take to read it? Also, how do you prepare for discussion? In your various academic and professional situations in the future, your study strategies will surely depend on the goal and context of the reading.  In ARW, I hope I can help you develop some good skills and strategies that will help you study texts well in the future. In particular, you want to get used to the process of digesting a long, difficult text efficiently in a “top-down” way, focusing on key words and main ideas and skimming or skipping details and examples.

So, what steps are good?

1. Examine the text for basic info. (writer’s biography, background, biases etc.)
   
2. Predict the main ideas from the major emphasized key words in subtitles, italics.
   
3. Confirm your predictions of the main ideas by reading strategically and annotating key points--intro/conclusion paragraph ideas, definitions, the topic sentence of paragraphs, contrasted ideas with Howver... etc.--to build a “sufficient” (not perfect) understanding. Ignore difficult examples if you’ve gotten the main idea.
   
4. React critically to the main ideas as you go through each main section. “Critically” means identifying good AND weak points, and thinking how the weak points can be better. In the margins, write notes such as “Very true!” “Nice idea!” “Good example” “So what?” “No evidence?” “Source?” “Vague/Unclear” “Other solutions?” “How about in Japan?”
   
5. Prepare for Discussion: Review your annotation and margin notes and organize them in writing. One good scheme is:
   1) Main Ideas: Write a short summary or list or map of main ideas. (At least 50 words)
   2) Reactions: Write a list of your main critical reactions on good and weak points. (At least 3)
   3) Questions: Write discussion questions that would be interesting to ask others. (At least 2)

Note: In class, you will most likely be asked to show or submit a document (worksheet, notebook, paper etc.) that shows that you prepared well for discussion, so prepare well! Also, at the end of the unit (around PWT time), you will be asked to submit all discussion notes, so keep everything organized in a notebook or binder file! Typing/handwriting both are OK.

6. Discussion: Before you begin, it is often good to choose a Discussion Leader and one or two Reporters who will report your group’s discoveries in speaking or writing. Confirm your time limit and manage time well to allow everyone to contribute. Then, in the discussion:
   1) Briefly help each other confirm your understanding of the main ideas
   2) Share your main critical reactions, and finally
   3) Ask each other the “interesting” discussion questions that you brought.
   4) When discussion time is finished, one reporter reports the “one most interesting” reaction or discussion question that was discussed in the group.
   5) Also, one more group member may be asked to report one part of the discussion in writing on Moodle to leave a record for the whole class.

Note: In your Discussion Time, keep good communication with Active Listening (nodding, reacting, etc.) and Controlling the Conversation (Could you repeat that? Do you mean...? etc.) Also, as you discuss, please feel free to write more ideas in your text or notes if a classmate says something interesting or useful for your understanding.