The Diversity of Reading and Writing
across the Disciplines
Dr. Deborah Kellner
University of Cincinnati
CRLA/CASP
Houston, 2012
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It’s not just about reading
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Diversity of Preparation
Complexity
Students
Courses
Books
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college and career readiness means:
the acquisition of the knowledge and skills a student
needs to enroll and succeed in credit-bearing firstyear courses at a postsecondary institution (such as
a two- or four year college, trade school, or
technical school) without the need for remediation.
(ACT, 2012)
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College and career readiness
• Just 1 in 4 (25%) met all four College Readiness Benchmarks: English, Math,
Science, Reading.
• In 2011, 52% of graduates met the Reading Benchmark, while 46% met the
Mathematics Benchmark.
• Sixty-seven percent of all ACT-tested high school graduates met the English
College Readiness Benchmark in 2012.
• Just under 1 in 3 (31%) met the College Readiness Benchmark in Science.
• Between 2008 and 2012, the average ACT Reading score for all high school
graduates decreased slightly from 21.4 to 21.3.
(ACT, 2012)
College and career readiness
• More than 50% of four-year college students (and more
than 75% of community college students) did not score at
the proficient level in college-level document and prose
literacy abilities (American Institutes for Research, 2006; Associated Press,
2006a).
• 62% of 4-year college students scored below proficient in
prose text reading ability and 60% of 4-year college
students scored below proficient in document reading
ability (American Institutes for Research, 2006).
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College and career readiness
• Only 51% of incoming college students were prepared for
the reading requirements of a typical first-year college
course (ACT, 2006 Associated Press, 2006a).
• Student readiness for college level reading is at its lowest
point in more than a decade (ACT, 2006).
• Only 11% of entering college students are enrolled in
developmental reading courses (National Center for Education Statistics,
2003, as cited in ACT , 2006).
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It’s not just about reading
ACT future research
academic achievement
behaviors
goals
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Think of it as learning not reading
Complexity
Students
Courses
Books
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Diversity of Preparation: Students
Car accident victim
poor concentration, poor motivation,
assignment, a completion
ADHD – unrevealed diagnosis
poor concentration, time management,
assignment completion
ADHD - revealed diagnosis
poor concentration and reading comprehension
assignment completion
Relationship issues
poor concentration, poor motivation
Housing/working issues
time management, poor concentration,
assignment completion
Single parent
time management, absences, reading
comprehension, assignment completion
Extended illness
absences, poor motivation,
time management
Second language learner
reading comprehension, writing skills
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The Reading Course
it’s not just about reading
• Students are co-enrolled in another content class that
requires a substantial amount of textbook reading
• Course curriculum is textbook strategies AND research
about textbook strategies
• Strong emphasis on the meta-cognitive process
• Strong emphasis on acquiring reading skills for all content
courses
• Strong emphasis on transferable skills
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Diversity of Preparation - courses
In class strategy
Out of class strategy
Strategy defense
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Diversity of Preparation: Courses
• In my psychology course, there are about 250 students
seated in a huge lecture hall. The professor uses power
point presentations as well as lecture to teach the class.
The professor has a bad habit of not showing up to class, so
preparation for tests depends mostly on individual work.
The professor usually makes a study guide for the tests but
they are not very helpful. Her tests are usually over two
chapters with little time in between.
What is my plan of action?
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Diversity of Preparation: Courses
• My course is a 150 person economics course. It is filled with
students of all grade levels. The teacher is not American
and I cannot understand his English very well. The notes are
power point slides that are posted on blackboard but they
are not very helpful. There are weekly online homework
assignments. I do not know anyone in the course but I want
to get an “A”.
What is my plan of action?
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Diversity of Preparation: Courses
• I am enrolled in a History course that meets one night a
week for two and a half hours. The lectures have no visuals
and no part of the course is available online. Reading the
textbook is definitely required.
What is my plan of action?
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Diversity of Preparation: Courses
• I am enrolled in a sociology course. The class meets three
times a week for 50 minutes each. Readings are assigned
daily from the text or online resources and are often longer
than 50 pages. There are no tests and quizzes. The grades
come from attendance, the eight discussion boards, and a
final paper. Class consists of one day for notes and the
other two days for discussion on the readings. Extra credit
is available.
What is my plan of action?
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Diversity of Preparation: Books
Economics
Psychology
Sociology
History
Anthropology
Biology
Political Science
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Diversity of Preparation: Books
• My history book is different from other books I have used in
that it is specifically broken up as a portion of a history series.
The book does not start with chapter 1 but instead starts with
chapter 15 and goes to chapter 25. The chapters are very long
in length ranging from twenty to fifty pages. I think that the
most helpful feature will be the chapter questions in the
beginning of the chapter as well as the chapter review
questions at the end of the chapter.
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Diversity of Preparation: Books
• My anatomy book is different from other texts that I have
worked with because of the complex wording. The book has new
subjects in bold words. The end of each section has a few
questions about the section. Each chapter is around 50 to 60
pages. This is the type of book that you need to understand one
concept before moving on to the next because moving on will
only get you lost further as you continue. My goals are to
understand concepts in class, review notes, and read the
chapter as soon as it is assigned so I won’t have to cram when
the exam gets closer.
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Diversity of Preparation: Books
• Every chapter in my sociology book is built the same way with
an introduction, information, pictures, charts, diagrams and a
few questions. The book doesn’t really offer much aid. There
are some critical thinking questions but no other aid in the
book. There is a website where you can get help online. Each
chapter is roughly 30 pages, but there are also a lot of pictures
so there are probably around 24 pages of actual reading. My
goal for reading this textbook is to understand and remember
the information so that I will be able to pass my exam and pass
the course.
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Diversity of Practices
Complexity
Motivation
Goals
Skills
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Diversity of Practices
What is so hard about these textbooks
• Attitude
• Interest
• Motivation
• Need
• Skill level
• Background knowledge
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Practices: Motivation
• Acknowledging the obvious – attitude is everything
“I fall asleep when I read.”
“The textbook is boring.”
“I don’t feel like doing the reading.”
• Syllabus reflection, textbook reflection, reading strategy reflection
• Journaling – pre course, during course, post course
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Practices: Motivation
Journaling and tracking – mid course
• Learning and thinking
Attention
Persistence
Organization
Resourcefulness
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Practices: Goals
• “My biggest fear is that I will fail.”
• “I want an ‘A’.”
• Course calendar and reflection
• Journaling and tracking – pre course, mid course, post
course
• Journaling and tracking with index cards
Concrete and specific for accountability
who, where, what, when, how, why
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Practices: Skills
• Can students
break down texts?
prove their understanding of texts?
analyze their texts?
transform the language of the text?
represent the text visually?
reconstruct meaning of the text?
• Can students make meaning?
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Practices: Skills
• I just skimmed.
• I read bits and pieces.
• I didn’t read.
• I highlighted.
• I read it the whole way through from the first page to the last
page.
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• I read it and reread it.
To read or not to read
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What the literature says
• Clump, M. A., Bauer, H., & Bradley, C. (2004). The
Extent to which Psychology Students Read
Textbooks: A Multiple Class Analysis of Reading
across the Psychology Curriculum. Journal Of
Instructional Psychology, 31(3), 227-232.
- Reported use
- When
- How much
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What the literature says
• Gurung, R. R., & Martin, R. C. (2011). Predicting
Textbook Reading: The Textbook Assessment and
Usage Scale. Teaching Of Psychology, 38(1), 22-28
– Student perceptions of the text
– Reported use
– Exam scores
Pedagogical aids
Writing
Course design
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What the literature says
• Hong-Nam, K., & Leavell, A. G. (2011). Reading
Strategy Instruction, Metacognitive Awareness, and
Self-perception of Striving College Developmental
Readers. Journal of College Literacy & Learning, 37.
Web. 30 Oct. 2012.
- Affective factors
- Awareness
- Strategy instruction
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What the literature says
• Kevin S., et al. (2011). An Exploratory Analysis Of
Textbook Usage And Study Habits: Misperceptions
And Barriers To Success. College Teaching 59(1), 3139. Academic Search Complete. Web. 28 Oct. 2012.
- how
- which strategies
- textbook vs. ancillary materials
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What the literature says
• Marek, P., & Christopher, A. N. (2011). What
Happened to the First “R”?: Students' Perceptions of
the Role of Textbooks in Psychology Courses.
Teaching Of Psychology, 38(4), 237-242.
– Student Perceptions
– Textbook importance
– Usage
– Preferences
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What the literature says
• Simpson, Michele L., and Sherrie L. Nist. (2000).
An Update On Strategic Learning: It's More Than
Textbook Reading Strategies. Journal Of
Adolescent & Adult Literacy 43(6), 528. Academic
Search Complete. Web. 28 Oct. 2012.
- Strategies
- Learning
- Programming
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What the literature says
• Woody, W., Daniel, D. B., & Baker, C. A. (2010). Ebooks or textbooks: Students prefer textbooks.
Computers & Education, 55(3), 945-948.
– Most technically savvy students
– Computer use and comfort
– E book hyperlinks and other features
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What the students say
• “I am here because I was put here.”
• “I am here so that I can get ready for college level.”
• “I didn’t read/understand in high school.”
• “I lack versatility in reading many genres.”
• “I am so bad at reading. I can’t comprehend a lot.”
• “I am here because I am not a great reader and I need to learn
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to become one. ’’
What the students say
• “I am here because I guess there is something I’m doing wrong and I don’t
know what it is.”
• “I miss specific facts in reading sometimes.”
• “ I need to learn how to write after I read so that I am sure I understand
what I just read.”
• “I am here to figure out how to remember everything I read and be able to
talk about it or write about it.”
• “I am here to be more responsible and to learn how to learn.”
• “I need help with everything.”
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Practices: The Reading Course
• Students are co-enrolled in another content class that requires
a substantial amount of textbook reading
• Course curriculum is textbook strategies and research about
textbook strategies
• Strong emphasis on the meta-cognitive process
• Strong emphasis on acquiring reading skills for all content
courses
• Strong emphasis on transferable skills
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Practices: Skills
• Reading is a complex and purposeful
sociocultural, cognitive, and linguistic process
in which readers simultaneously use their
knowledge of spoken and written language,
their knowledge of the topic of the text, and
their knowledge of their culture to construct
meaning with the text. (Kucer, 2005)
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Practices: Skills
The Process
• The single most factor in comprehension is what the
reader already knows
• Reading comprehension and speed varies with purpose,
content, and prior knowledge
• Text length can deter students
• Strategies help bring the reader into the text
• It is a meta-cognitive process
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Practices: Skills
The Process
• Readers easily comprehend text with familiar
language but are less successful at comprehending
text with unfamiliar language.
• Readers easily comprehend text on familiar topics
but are less successful at comprehending texts on
unfamiliar topics.
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Practices: Skills
Categories for study reading
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Rehearsal
Elaboration
Organizational
Monitoring
Affective and Motivational
Metacognitive awareness
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Reflection: Metacognition
THINK about what works
students meta-cognitively think
think about the strategies
write about the strategies
reflect on the strategies
model the strategies
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Reflection: Metacognition
• “They actually helped my confidence. I have a better
understanding of what I’m reading now.”
• “Now I’m motivated to read my book so I can learn and get a
good grade.”
• “It motivates me to actually want to read. The strategies get
me interested in what the content is instead of just reading
and getting bored by just reading.”
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Reflection: Metacognition
• “I remember more of what I read.”
• “I better understand the subject.”
• “I appreciate the text instead of reading just to be reading for
the assignment.”
• “I put more of me into it.”
• “I feel better about my work because I took time out and did
it right.”
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Microbiology
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Distribution of algae
Classification of algae
Ultrastructure of algal cell
Algae nutrition
Structure of the Algal Thallus (vegetative form)
Algal Reproduction
Characteristics of the Algal Divisions
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Student activities
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Question
Highlight
Learn the vocabulary and restate the meanings
Annotate with margin notes
Generate examples
Create a concept map showing the relationship
among aspects of a concept or principle
• Create a flow chart
• Compare class notes to text notes
• Outline
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Student activities
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Make predictions
Summarize
Make power point slides
Construct tables/graphs
Predict test questions/problem posing
Find web based resources
Make a web page
Create a multimedia presentation
Teach what you know to someone else
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It’s not just about reading
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Kellner, D. J. (2011). Reading
Strategies for College and Beyond,
San Diego, CA: Cognella
deborah.kellner@uc.edu
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