One of the things we struggle with in our learning community is something I think every instructor struggles with during a given semester—ensuring that the students are reading the assigned material.
After a few lackluster discussions, Shiela and I decided to try some techniques to encourage students to be a bit more prepared for class and participate more in discussions. One of the activities we incorporated into class was the use of a graphic organizer to help students keep track of what they read and better respond to the material.
The activity asked the students to:
- Identify the claim—“What is the key argument being made by the author?”
- List some of the data—“What facts does the author present to support his or her claim?”
- Interpret the argument—“What is your overall understanding of the author’s argument and what do you think of the piece as a whole?”
Type "graphic organizers" into Google Images for more results like this one! |
Type "graphic organizers" into Google Images for more results like this one! |
Type "graphic organizers" into Google Images for more results like this one! |
Type "graphic organizers" into Google Images for more results like this one! |
How do you ensure that your students are doing the required reading?
Let us know in the Comments section below!