- Describe active reading strategies
- Use previewing as a reading strategy
- Use questioning as a reading strategy
- Explain strategies for annotating texts
- Summarize a passage of reading
- Paraphrase a passage of reading
- Use outlining as a reading strategy
- Describe strategies for effective review
Practice Reading Actively
So now you’ve been told you should preview your readings, ask questions, take notes, annotate, outline, summarize, paraphrase… That’s a lot. Which one should you use? It can be hard to know which reading strategy you should choose to help you understand and remember what you read.
In this activity, you’ll test three different reading strategies—previewing, questioning, and outlining—on the same passage. You’ll compare how each approach affects your understanding.
Previewing
Previewing means looking ahead to get a sense of the structure and purpose of the reading—before you dive in.
- For nonfiction, focus on understanding the subject matter and identifying what you already know and what you want to learn. Skim headings, subheadings, and illustrations (and their captions) to see how the author organizes information. This helps you connect prior knowledge to new content and set goals for your reading.
- For biographies, look for clues about the person’s life, the historical time period, and possible key events or places. Titles, chapter headings, and introductory notes can provide valuable insights into the focus of the biography.
- For fiction, identify key elements like characters, setting, and plot. Use the headers, illustrations (and their captions), and any introductory material to make predictions about the story’s conflicts and resolutions.
Preview the following passage—don’t read it in full yet.
Excerpt from Mindset: The New Psychology of Success
“In a fixed mindset, students believe their basic abilities, their intelligence, their talents, are just fixed traits. They have a certain amount and that’s that, and then their goal becomes to look smart all the time and never look dumb. In a growth mindset, students understand that their talents and abilities can be developed through effort, good teaching, and persistence. They don’t necessarily think everyone’s the same or anyone can be Einstein, but they believe everyone can get smarter if they work at it.
One of the most striking findings in our research was that teaching students a growth mindset, which encourages a focus on learning and the belief that intelligence can be developed, leads to increased motivation and achievement. In one study, we taught junior high school students that the brain is like a muscle that gets stronger with use. We showed them how forming new connections and strengthening existing ones is the basis for learning. After the students learned this, we saw a significant improvement in their grades and study habits.
It’s important to note that the growth mindset isn’t just about effort. Students need to try new strategies and seek input from others when they’re stuck. They need this repertoire of approaches—not just sheer effort—to learn and improve. This mindset encourages students to embrace challenges, persist through obstacles, learn from criticism, and find inspiration in others’ success.”
Citation:
Dweck, C. S. (2006). Mindset: The New Psychology of Success. Random House.
Questioning
Now, start reading the full passage. This time, actively ask questions as you read. Use headings or confusing sections as clues.
You can use questions like:
- What does this term mean?
- Why is the author making this point?
- How does this connect to what I already know?
Excerpt from Mindset: The New Psychology of Success
“In a fixed mindset, students believe their basic abilities, their intelligence, their talents, are just fixed traits. They have a certain amount and that’s that, and then their goal becomes to look smart all the time and never look dumb. In a growth mindset, students understand that their talents and abilities can be developed through effort, good teaching, and persistence. They don’t necessarily think everyone’s the same or anyone can be Einstein, but they believe everyone can get smarter if they work at it.
One of the most striking findings in our research was that teaching students a growth mindset, which encourages a focus on learning and the belief that intelligence can be developed, leads to increased motivation and achievement. In one study, we taught junior high school students that the brain is like a muscle that gets stronger with use. We showed them how forming new connections and strengthening existing ones is the basis for learning. After the students learned this, we saw a significant improvement in their grades and study habits.
It’s important to note that the growth mindset isn’t just about effort. Students need to try new strategies and seek input from others when they’re stuck. They need this repertoire of approaches—not just sheer effort—to learn and improve. This mindset encourages students to embrace challenges, persist through obstacles, learn from criticism, and find inspiration in others’ success.”
Citation:
Dweck, C. S. (2006). Mindset: The New Psychology of Success. Random House.
Write at least 3 questions you had while reading. Choose one question and try to answer it using the text.
~essay
~feedback: Sample Answer: Why do students with a growth mindset tend to do better? What does the brain being “like a muscle” really mean? Is effort enough to succeed, or do students need more? I chose the third question. The text says that effort is important, but students also need to try new strategies and get help when they’re stuck. So, effort alone isn’t enough—they need a variety of approaches.
What did you notice about your attention or focus while you were asking questions while reading? Did your mind wander less, or were you more engaged in figuring things out?
~essay
~feedback: Great observation! Asking questions while you read helps turn passive reading into active thinking. When your brain is trying to answer something, it naturally stays more engaged and focused.
Outlining
For your final pass through the reading, you’ll focus on outlining the structure of the passage.
Outlining helps you break down the content into main points and supporting details. This can make it easier to study later, especially when preparing for tests or writing assignments.
Here’s how to do it:
- Identify the main ideas (usually found in topic sentences or section headings).
- Note the supporting details under each main idea.
- Use bullet points, dashes, or numbering to show how the ideas relate to each other.
Excerpt from Mindset: The New Psychology of Success
“In a fixed mindset, students believe their basic abilities, their intelligence, their talents, are just fixed traits. They have a certain amount and that’s that, and then their goal becomes to look smart all the time and never look dumb. In a growth mindset, students understand that their talents and abilities can be developed through effort, good teaching, and persistence. They don’t necessarily think everyone’s the same or anyone can be Einstein, but they believe everyone can get smarter if they work at it.
One of the most striking findings in our research was that teaching students a growth mindset, which encourages a focus on learning and the belief that intelligence can be developed, leads to increased motivation and achievement. In one study, we taught junior high school students that the brain is like a muscle that gets stronger with use. We showed them how forming new connections and strengthening existing ones is the basis for learning. After the students learned this, we saw a significant improvement in their grades and study habits.
It’s important to note that the growth mindset isn’t just about effort. Students need to try new strategies and seek input from others when they’re stuck. They need this repertoire of approaches—not just sheer effort—to learn and improve. This mindset encourages students to embrace challenges, persist through obstacles, learn from criticism, and find inspiration in others’ success.”
Citation:
Dweck, C. S. (2006). Mindset: The New Psychology of Success. Random House.