STUDY GROUP OUTLINE

1. Ms. Cromley summarizes “thinking about thinking” as (1) asking questions before, during and after reading, (2) being aware of your own thinking while you read, and (3) being aware of what you do not understand so you can adapt your reading strategies to improve understanding. (Pgs 37-38) How do you rate yourself against her “thinking about thinking” list?
2. “Thinking about thinking can:
   * Help teachers understand what thinking strategies students are using and
   * Help students learn new thinking strategies and when to use them.” (Pg 38)
   Do you focus on both teachers and students when you think about the process of thinking?
3. The top three reading strategies are: (1) discuss what you already know about the topic, (2) ask and answer questions as you read, and (3) summarize what you have read. (Pg 38) These are also excellent strategies for writing, speaking and listening. In your classroom, how often do you use one or more of these strategies? Describe how an ESOL teacher could use this formula in a beginning-level listening and speaking class. Describe how an ABE teacher could use this formula in an advanced GED class.
4. “Students need to know a range of effective ways to study once they realize they do not know a subject well enough.” (Pg 39) Do you know how your students study? Do your students have “a range of effective ways” to study? What is one specific thing you could do this week in your classroom to assess the study skills of your students?
5. Eleven reading comprehension strategies are listed (Pgs 39-40) that research indicates are effective. Which one or more do you personally use most often? Which one or more are you uncertain how to use yourself and even less sure about how to teach to your students?
6. The author lists several “sacred cows” (Pg 40) that teachers continue to use despite research that suggests that these are not effective in most situations. She divides these into five groups: Background Knowledge, Reading—Decoding, Reading Comprehension, Teaching Vocabulary, and Other. How many of your favorites are on this list? Will finding your favorites on this list change your teaching practices? Why or why not?
7. What does “self-awareness as a learner” mean to you? (Pg 41) When you look back at your high school and college years would you describe yourself as a “self-aware learner?” Do you know how you became self-aware? If you do not describe yourself as self-aware, why do you think you didn’t develop this skill?
8. The author states that only one reading strategy should be taught at a time (Pg 41) and that the instruction will take “up to 60 hours” and should be limited to one strategy each semester (Pg 43). Do you feel that her estimate of practice time is accurate? Do you feel that adult education teachers are pressured by their students (or by themselves) to present information at a fairly rapid rate so students can achieve the goals they set for themselves? Is mastery of a few skills more important than limited knowledge of many skills? On what does a teacher base his selection of which skill(s) will be taught?

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