Reading Comprehension: The REDW Strategy for Finding Main Ideas

REDW is a good strategy to use to find the main idea in each paragraph of a reading assignment. Using this strategy will help you comprehend the information contained in your assignment. Each of the letters in REDW stands for a step in the strategy.
Read: Read the entire paragraph to get an idea of what the paragraph is about. You may find it helpful to whisper the words as you read or to form a picture in your mind of what you are reading. Once you have a general idea of what the paragraph is about, go on to the next step.
Examine: Examine each sentence in the paragraph to identify the important words that tell what the sentence is about. Ignore the words that are not needed to tell what the sentence is about. If you are allowed to, draw a line through the words to be ignored. For each sentence, write on a sheet of paper the words that tell what the sentence is about.
Decide: Reread the words you wrote for each sentence in the paragraph. Decide which sentence contains the words you wrote that best describe the main idea of the paragraph. These words are the main idea of the paragraph. The sentence that contains these words is the topic sentence. The other words you wrote are the supporting details for the main idea.
Write: Write the main idea for each paragraph in your notebook. This will provide you with a written record of the most important ideas you learned. This written record will be helpful if you have to take a test that covers the reading assignment.
Use REDW to help you understand the information in your reading assignments.
http://www.how-to-study.com/reading-comprehension.htm

Listening - different ways

• Appreciatively: Easy listening
• Empathically: Understand and identify
• Evaluatively: Defensive
• Critically: Active mental process, engaged

Memory Retention within a month..

Based on a study, the capabilities of our brain to retain memories defer on the activities involved.

10% if we read
20% if we hear
30% if we see
50% if we hear and see
70% if we say.. repeat what we learn
and
90% if we practice what we say

Myths about listening

• Listening is connected to intelligence
• Listening cannot be learned
• Listening is the same as hearing
• Listening is automatic
• Listening means agreeing

So many misconception on listening. By understanding the concept aour listening process and information gathring will be better

Art of Listening

• Listening is an ongoing process
• Most of us think we are better listeners than we really are
• Cost of poor listening is high
• Good listening is one of the most important leader skills
• Compromises “the steps of hearing and interpreting” (Brilhart, Galanes and Adams, 2001, p. 54)
• Includes “your perception and response to the other” (Stewart and Logan, 1998, p. 166)

Place to Study

Having a good Study Place is important for good studying. Following are some simple guides for an Ideal Study Place.

1. Is my Study Place available to me whenever I need it?
   Your Study Place does you little good if you cannot use it when you need it. If you are sharing your Study Place, work out a schedule so that you know when you can use it.
2. Is my Study Place free from interruptions?
   It is important to have uninterrupted study time. You may have to hang a DO NOT DISTURB sign on the door.
3. Is my Study Place free from distractions?
   Research shows that most students study best in a quiet environment. If you find that playing a stereo or TV improves your mood, keep the volume low.
4. Does my Study Place contain all the study materials I need?
   Be sure your Study Place includes mini library of all you references, stationeries / writing materials, paper, calculator, and whatever else you might need. If you use a computer for your schoolwork, it should be in your Study Place .
5. Does my Study Space contain a large enough desk or table?
   Use a desk or table that is large enough to hold everything you need. Allow enough room for writing and try to avoid clutter.
6. Does my Study Place have enough storage space?
   You need enough room to store your study materials. Be sure you have enough storage space to allow you to keep your desktop or other work surface clear of unnecessary materials that can get in the way.
7. Does my Study Place have a comfortable chair?
   A chair that is not comfortable can cause discomfort or pain that will interfere with your studying. A chair that is too comfortable might make you sleepy. Select a chair in which you can sit for long periods while maintaining your attention.
8. Does my Study Place have enough light?
   The amount of light you need depends on what you are doing. The important thing is that you can clearly see what you need to see without any strain or discomfort.
9. Does my Study Place have a comfortable temperature?
   If your Study Place is too warm, you might become sleepy. If it is too cold, your thinking may slow down and become unclear. Select a temperature at which your mind and body function best.
10. Does my Study Place have the right aura?
    According to Reiki Metaphysics, white ie related to the color energy reguired for our brain/head part. Ensure there is some white elements in the room. Have a white table cloth or paint the room white.

http://www.how-to-study.com/preparing-to-study.htm

Adjust, Don't Judge

Guidelines to Improve Reading Skills

1. Know the objective of reading.
2. Cultivate the practice of picking out main topic/ideas.
3. Adapt the method of reading to the nature of the matter in front of you and the objective.
4. Get the physical setting right.
5. Read in silence.
6. Reduce eye movement to a minimum.
7. Make a practice of locating key word and phrases.
8. Practice concentration.
9. Add to vocabulary.
10. Learnt to distinguish characteristic structure of the passage.

ART OF READING

Reading Technique

Skimming: Reading extensively and superficially. Effective in selecting references required at once or getting very general outline.

Scanning

Comprehending the full meaning.

Reading for study: Intense attention and effort for comprehension.

Critical Study: Probe meaning, challenge statements, compared from other sources.

Banker’s Journal Malaysia No 65 June 91 pg 12

Adjust, Don't Judge

M.U.R.D.E.R

For those who are going to face exams.. Read on.. this might help you to ace your paper..

Mood: Set a positive mood to study in. Select the appropriate time, environment, and attitude

Understand: Mark any information you don't understand in a particular unit; Keep a focus on one unit or a manageable group of exercises

Recall: After studying the unit, stop and put what you have learned into your own words

Digest: Go back to what you did not understand and reconsider the information; Contact external expert sources (e.g., other books or an instructor) if you still cannot understand it

Expand: In this step, ask three kinds of questions concerning the studied material:· If I could speak to the author, what questions would I ask or what criticism would I offer?· How could I apply this material to what I am interested in?· How could I make this information interesting and understandable to other students?

Review: Go over the material you've covered, Review what strategies helped you understand and/or retain information in the past and apply these to your current studies.

Adapted from Hayes, John R., The Complete Problem Solver, Lawrence Erlbaum Publishers, Hillsdale, NJ: 1989. ISBN: 0805803092

D.A.T.E

Keep in mind that the examiner, the one who is marking your paper is a dumb. He or She does not know anything. So when you write do not assume they will know your answer. In fact, you do not know who is going to mark your paper. It might not be your lecturer. So write properly. Write in detail. Apply DATE concept:
D – Definition. Start your answer with the definition. Clarify the key words.
A – Application. How to apply the concept discussed. When and where to use, who to use, why?
T – Theory. What does the theory say? Explain, Elaborate. Support with facts and figures.
E – Example. Give relevant and recent example to support your answer. It gives better visualization.

Don't Judge, Adjust