Improving Reading Speed and Recall: - PowerPoint Presentation

Slide1

Improving Reading Speed and Recall:A Workshop with Richard SpacekSlide2

Language Tricks and TrapsEnhanced Reading for RecallFactors in Reading Speed

Reading StrategiesSlide3

Language Tricks and TrapsSlide4

Tricks vs. TechniquesMath tricks:Take advantage of mechanical proceduresReduce memory loadSlide5

Tricks vs. TechniquesMechanical tricks for multiplicationSlide6

Multiplying by 11

3

11

1

x

3 + 1=

4

31 X 11=341

4Slide7

Multiplying by 11

2

11

5

x

2 + 5=

7

25 X 11=275

7Slide8

3-Digit Numbers?

253

11

x

2 + 5= 7

253 X 11=2783

2 3

2783

2 7 3

3 + 5= 8Slide9

No Tricks ZoneThere are no equivalent reading “tricks,” only “techniques”Practice is the keyThere ARE effective tactics for longer readings

Major problem:

reading

is not a very effective way of learning; it needs

enhancementSlide10

Nature of Languagelanguage is a neural network: each element is connected to

every other element

recognition occurs as a result of the operation of

connected units

letters that have occurred together in the past are

more readily recognized

the system is

robust—

even when there are errors. . . .Slide11

Read Me

Fo

_

ex_mp_e

,

y_u

c_n

r_ad

_hi_ se_te_ce _it_ ev_ry

_hi_dl_tt_r mi_si_g.Slide12

Read MeDifficulty and learning: a passage like the one you just read is more likely to be recalled than one printed properly

Why?

Desirable difficultySlide13

Challenges: Arbitrarinesslanguage depends on a network of conceptual and

phonological

links

this

mixed

system of arbitrary connections is especially prone to

error

because

sound

is often at odds with

senseSlide14

Sound & Sense?Pulchritude

L.

pulcher

, ‘beautiful’

turp

itude

decrep

itude

pul

verize

pul

ingSlide15

Sound & Sense?Bucolic

L. būcolicus, ‘rustic, pastoral’

colic

pukeSlide16

Challenges: SizeAdult speakers: 50,000 “words”1 Million words in EnglishAmalgam of 5 languages (Anglo-Saxon, Danish, Norman French, Classical Latin, Greek)40 distinct sounds written 176 waysSlide17

Enhanced Reading for RecallSlide18

Read/Recite1917: students studied brief biosGroup 1: read & rereadGroup 2: looked up and recited the content to themselvesRecitation group showed better retention

Best results: 60% reciting/ 40% readingSlide19

Read/Test1939: 3000 6th graders—read/testThe longer the delay in testing, the greater the forgettingOnce a student had taken a test, forgetting nearly stopped, Student’s subsequent scores remained almost steadySlide20

Massed Study/Spaced Retrieval1978: Massed studying (cramming): higher scores on an immediate test but resulted in faster forgetting

Multiple

sessions of

retrieval practice

worked better

Spaced testing (retrieval practice) worked better stillSlide21

Learning from ReadingEncoding: creation of a mental representation of the information Consolidation: new learning is labile: easily altered or lost.

Over hours/days, brain reorganizes and stabilizes memory traces

Retrieval

:

strengthens the memory traces.Slide22

Illusion of FluencyTendency to confuse fluency (in reading a text) with mastery (successful encoding of its contents)Leads students to overestimate retrieval ability

Learning from reading

works best over timeSlide23

Factors in Reading RatesSlide24

Factors in Reading RatesFamiliarity with vocabulary and concepts

Habitual approach

to reading

Concentration/motivationSlide25

Factors in Reading RatesFamiliarity: determined partly by exposure to specific knowledge

but partly by the

general readiness

of the linguistic system

Approach

:

habit

and

practice

Concentration

: under the conscious control of the individualSlide26

1. Familiarity/Vocabulary determined partly by exposure to specific knowledge

but partly by the

general readiness

of the linguistic system

We read far more than we

need

to

specialized forms literature do not convey information from a real context:

novels, stories, drama

some forms encourage language

play:

jokes, songs and poetry, slogans, epigramsSlide27

outlaws

Antimetabole

If guns are outlawed

only

guns

will haveSlide28

Read More to Read FasterALL

reading renews linguistic understanding

Leisure reading

complements

any

course of study

Time spent reading

determines vocabulary development & this determines reading speedSlide29

Speed and VocabularyBeyond primary education, most vocabulary development comes from personal, self-directed readingLiteracy rates have risen until recently

Adolescent scores have

declined—why?Slide30

Challenges to Literacy“rise of a self-contained adolescent culture, birthed in the 1950s, that is impervious to parents' vocabulary”More limited vocabulary of school textbooksCultural changes. . . .Slide31

100 -

90

-

80

-

70

-

60

-

50

-

40 -

30 -

20

-

10

-

0 -

l

l

l

l

l

l

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

Hours TV per week

Reading comprehension percentile

( Anderson et al. ,1988)Slide32

To Kill a

Mockingbird

(movie versus novel)

(words that begin with "u")

Script

ugly,

under, until, up, upstairs, us, used

Book

up,

ugly, us

, use, used, upon, until, upstairs,

unveiled

unpainted, uncontrollable, uncrossed, under, undress,

unhitched, unique, unless, unlightedSlide33

Build Vocabulary!60% of English words in common use based on Latin/Greek roots and affixesBasis of scientific terminologyConsider: what is the etymology of the word “education”?

ex

(“out of”) +

ducere

(“to lead”)

Study classical languages!Slide34

SoftwareTeach yourself Latin!http://mnemosyne-proj.org/Slide35

OnlineModern languages!www.duolingo.comSlide36

Online

http://www.memrise.com/Slide37

Self-TaughtWhen you have mastered a vocabulary appropriate to what you are reading, you are ready for speed—but it may not come by itselfSlide38

2. Habitual ApproachSign on an Olympic training pool:

The only way to swim fast is to swim fast.

The only way to read fast is to

try

to read fast

Force your pace

to increase speedSlide39

How Fast?Speech flows at a rate optimal for short term memory:Speech:

250-350 words per minute

Actual reading speed tends to lag

behind

this

Largely habit:

children reading to meet stated target rates learn to read faster

Practice reading for speed!Slide40

3. Reading & ConcentrationPURPOSE of reading affects intensity & focus (Linderholm et al., 2008)Greater sense of purpose usually means greater concentration

and thus

faster

rate

and

higher

retentionSlide41

What About Speed Reading Courses?Gains have been noted, but these come mainly from focus (elimination of multitasking), motivation

, and

quantity of reading

Claims for

specific techniques

(e.g., using unfocused gaze, eliminating “subvocalization,” reducing fixations) are mostly

falseSlide42

Real Factors . . .Factors in Reading Speed :Familiarity with

vocabulary

and

concepts

Habitual approach

to reading

Concentration

and

motivationSlide43

Strategies for Better RecallSlide44

Factors in Better RecallReading strategies may not substantially change speed

They do affect

comprehension

&

retentionSlide45

Reading Strategies1. Learn structure of textGoal is to

increase understanding

by gaining an

overview

of the organization of the text

This will improve

comprehension

thus

retention

Slide46

Internal Organizersprefaceintroductiontable of contents/headingsglossary

index

end of chapter summaries

review questionsSlide47

Chapter-Level OrganizersSlide48

Reading StrategiesSkim-read text quicklyNote key features: tables, graphs, illustrations, specially-marked textTables are high-value information sourcesSlide49

Reading Strategies2. Maintain understanding by selective re-readinglook-backs

to

pertinent

regions

of the text:

topic

sentences

conveying main ideas

topic headings signaling content structureMedium reading rate, but highest recallSlide50

RemarksSimple linear reading is not effective (though it can be fast

)

Good reading involves

re-reading

Build a

conceptual

framework

by examining advance

Building motivation by looking for answers is powerfulSlide51

Self-ExplanationTactics such as self-explanation (during which you phrase new ideas in your own words and reason WHY you know them) improve learning“The participant recalls information from the current text or his/her own background knowledge to self-explain the current sentence” (p. 341).Slide52

Create a Personalized StrategySlide53

ACTIVE Reading Strategies3. Use an active

reading system

Review the text’s

internal organizers

Skim rapidly over chapter

Read closely, circling, marking, annotating

Develop

questions

Test yourselfSlide54

Mark/Lookup/Testsharpen focus by marking the textDr. Robert Bjork (UCLA) dismisses the highlighter!

Look up

terms &

test

yourself on them

Test

yourself on all new material

Use

creative, high-challenge

questions with limited promptsSlide55

Self-TestingUsing the information makes it memorable“Flashcard” approach has merit—but it is limitedShort-term memory effect makes people overestimate their knowledge

Use testing with delayed feedbackSlide56

Sketchinggraphics are integral elements—sketch graphics for better recallSlide57

Speed/LearningSpeed reading is for material that is highly predictable & redundant

Yours is denser and unfamiliar

Expect greater effort and lower speed

. . . For more:

www.unbwritingcentre.ca/Workshops