Academic Literacy How Do Myths Work

Making meaning through reading

An Appropriate reading environment

Reading is a potent yet not easy subject to absorb. As noted by Barbara Foorman from the University of Texas, Houston Medical School, "88 percent of students who were poor readers in first grade were poor readers in fourth grade" (National Institute of Child Health and Human Development [NICHD], 2000, 9).

However, what actually is a good reading environment? When we were going through this question in the class discussion many opinions arose but most of them were about the reading techniques and not the reading environment and this made me think that probably we don’t even care which environment we are actually surrounding when we read. It was a very general question yet the students were not able to determine it and it must be because we are actually ignorant about this very important factor that could impress or depress our reading.

A good reading environment is uninterruptive in the first side and distractions be it the kids, TV, school, your iPhone or food. The particular environment should preferably be motivating or somewhere that should encourage you to stick to your reading material, Library can be a good option. The phenomenal brains do also forget the formulas, so it is better to carry a pencil or pen and anything like a highlighter or sticky note because while reading the bullets you may note could help you in priceless ways later. Additionally, breaks (not for a movie) are really necessary, it should be for five minutes or so, and you shall relax your nerves and nervous system during that period, if you try to PHD everything in twenty four hours then you might get in trouble (warning:hallucinations may also result). Lastly, reading is not something you should worship twenty four-seven leaving every commitments aside so that you may turn in to Socrates or Einstein but you should set your priorities and make sure your reading time doesn’t have any other swings attached.

Making meaning through reading

After you read a specific text some techniques can be applied to enhance and adhere that piece in your mind.

Global reading should be an overview of your text and a quick jot down of the main theme. However, the important part is how to those take notes, there are ample of ways suggested for that but preference should be given to your own choice or the kind of style that you would remember.

Fitting together reading would simply suggest you to add and subtract your written notes. Additions can be the information or examples you already know about that particular material and subtractions shall be made in the extra information.

Analytical or critical reading is important and here you might ask questions like what is the authors perspective in his or her writings? What kind of arguments and evidences has been provided? What is the main reflection of this material? Is the author being biased? Does the conclusion include everything that has been said?

In the conclusion stop further cramming or analyzing the arguments and just go through whatever you have noted all the way. You may add quotations to support your wring.

Applying the techniques

How Myths Work- Mary Midgley