1d Becoming an engaged reader and active listener
Contents:
Reading actively
Participating actively in class
Video Prompt: Something to learn from each other
Expect to engage actively with the texts you read and with the people in your class, whether you meet in person or online.
Reading actively
Your instructors expect you to offer informed opinions in response to your reading. Keep in mind that instructors are not asking you to be negative or combative; rather, they want to know that you are engaged with the text and with the class. Here are some expectations many instructors have about what good readers do:
- Carefully note the name of the author or creator and the date and place of publication; these items can give you clues to purpose, audience, and context.
- Understand the overall content of a piece, and be able to summarize it in your own words.
- Formulate informed and critical questions about the text.
- Understand each sentence, and make direct connections among sentences and paragraphs.
- Keep track of the use of sources as well as of repeated themes or images, and figure out how they contribute to the entire piece.
- Note the creator’s attitude toward and assumptions about the subject. Then you can speculate on how the attitude and assumptions may have affected the creator’s thinking.
- Distinguish between the creator’s stance and how the creator reports on the stances of others. Keep an eye open for the key phrases a writer uses to signal an opposing argument: while some have argued that, in the past, and so on.
For more detailed advice on reading critically, see Chapter 7.
Participating actively in class
Speaking up in class is viewed as inappropriate or even rude in some cultures. In U.S. academic settings, however, doing so is expected and encouraged. Indeed, some instructors assign credit for participation in class discussions. The challenge is to contribute without losing track of the overall conversation or aims of the class and without monopolizing the discussion. These guidelines can help:
- Listen purposefully, jotting down related points and following the flow of the conversation.
- If you think you might lose track of your ideas while speaking, jot down key words to keep you on track.
- Make your comments count by asking a key question to clarify a point, by taking the conversation in a more productive direction, or by analyzing or summarizing what has been said.
- Respond to questions or comments by others as specifically as possible (The passage on p. 42 supports your point rather than I agree).
- If you have trouble participating in class discussions, try making one comment a day. You might also speak with your instructor about ways to contribute to the conversation.
- Remember that there is no direct correlation between talking in class and being intellectually engaged: many students are participating actively, whether or not they are speaking.