81 Questions for Parents by Kristen J. Amundson

Author:Kristen J. Amundson
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
Published: 2021-03-05T00:00:00+00:00

37. MY MIDDLE SCHOOLER STRUGGLES WHEN READING TEXTBOOKS IN SUBJECTS LIKE HISTORY OR SCIENCE. WHY IS IT SO HARD FOR TEENS TO READ AND REMEMBER?

For a long time, we thought that learning to read was like getting a permanent tooth—you did it once and it was done. But we now know that even students who are good readers may not know how to read their science, math, or history texts. A position statement by the National Council of Teachers of English explained it this way: “Reading is not a technical skill acquired once and for all in the primary grades, but rather a developmental process throughout the reader’s life.”7

Reading what is known as informational text—including textbooks—is a real challenge. It requires skills that are different from reading a newspaper, a magazine story, or a novel. If you read a math book the same way you read a novel, you are not likely to learn everything you need to. And the skills and strategies that work for reading science are not the same as those needed for reading history or math. So in addition to learning the content in each of these subjects, students need to learn the best way to read for meaning in each discipline.

And while most middle and high school teachers are experts on topics like Reconstruction or the linear functions, they do not always have a lot of training in how to teach reading. So their students are often left to figure things out for themselves.

Here are some suggestions that will give middle and high school students a head start as they tackle challenging texts:

•Don’t go into a reading assignment cold. Preview the reading assignment by looking it over first. Identify key ideas. Look at pictures and read the caption. In history books, some of the most important information can be presented through photos and captions. In science books, charts may contain vital information. Read chapter headings and words in bold type. They offer an idea of what the chapter is about.

•Think about everything they already know about the topic. Perhaps they haven’t studied the Battle of Gettysburg, but they have already learned about the Civil War. What was happening in July of 1863? That will help them get prepared for new text.

•Write some questions that may be answered in the reading assignment. If they have trouble thinking of questions, turn to the end of the chapter and see if there are review questions.

•Identify a knowledge goal for the reading. “By the time I finish this chapter, I will know more about how scientists use the scientific method to test a hypothesis.”

•Learn the vocabulary. Each subject your teen studies in school has its own vocabulary. Words often have a specialized meaning in a particular discipline.

•Read everything on the page. In science, the symbols and diagrams are at least as important as the words. In a history book, a chart may tell an important story. As your teen finds answers to questions, check them off their list. If he has not found answers to all his questions, go back to reread.

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