Text Previewing Why Use the Strategy

The text previewing strategy helps students understand the text features of the book and the resources used. Students spend a great deal of time interacting with textbooks. So it would be beneficial to spend time at the beginning and occasionally throughout the semester analyzing how the text is organized and how to use it effectively. Since teachers are familiar with their content and textbooks they sometimes assume that students will figure out the text. Yet, students lack the experience and background knowledge needed to understand the importance of charts and graphs, boldfaced vocabulary words, or the link between the words on the page and the graphics used in the book. A math teacher shared with me that he had just begun using the Text Previewing strategy. When I asked him if it was worth taking class time to teach the Text Previewing strategy, he stated how amazed he was because students seemed to be more successful and independent. He concluded by saying that he was sorry it took him twenty-seven years to find out about this strategy.

How to Use the Strategy

1) Provide students with a graphic organizer or outline form of the big picture for the course of study. Have students look through all resources provided them. Explain the purpose of each book. 2) Guide students through the table of contents and explain how those ideas are related to the ideas represented in the big picture. Allow students time to examine the major parts of the book: introduction, glossary, index, and appendix. 3) Preview the first chapter they will study. Read the title and the introduction aloud to the students. Ask them to summarize the main ideas. 4) Preview all headings and predict how the sections relate to the main ideas stated in the introduction. 5) Read the first sentence under each heading. Highlight critical words or phrases students must know in order to understand the concept presented in the chapter. 6) Examine all words in bold to determine if they are critical words students must learn. If nice to know words (words not necessary to understand the concept) are in bold, direct students to highlight all critical words using a colored highlighter. 7) Look at pictures, charts, and graphs in the chapter and explain how they are referenced in the text. Check to see if the explanation in the text is congruent with the explanation next to the picture, graph, or chart. 8) Examine the text for any special features. For example, an economics textbook frequently displays a small box with F.Y.I. in it and a tidbit of information. Have students read the information and determine its relationship to the information on the page and if it is information they must know. Explain the meaning of all acronyms. 9) Read the chapter summary aloud and ask the students to make connections

between ideas in the summary and the main ideas discussed in the introduction. 10) Survey questions presented at the end of the chapter for appropriateness.

When to Use the Strategy

Spend the first week of class explaining and showing students how to use their resources. Periodically throughout the semester reinforce the ideas shared the first week of class. Examine each chapter or new resources for nuances that might interfere with student comprehension.

Link to Assessment
Knowing how to reference and use resources is an important lifelong skill. Assess students ability to use material effectively as part of an assigned research paper or project. Assess how students displays (science, technology) are explained.

Scavenger Hunt - Familiarize Yourself With The Text

What is the title of the book?

What do you learn about the book from the cover?

Give the full name of each author. What does each author do for a living and how might their background influence their writing?

What is the copyright of the book? How might that influence what is in the book?

Examine the Table of Contents How many units of study are presented? How many chapters are in the book? What type of graphics are used? Maps, charts, pictures . . .

What special features are presented in this book? List and describe them.

How are new vocabulary words presented? What helps you determine if the words are critical words versus nice to know words?

What is an Appendix? What kind of information is in the Appendix of this book?

Where are the Glossary and Index? What type of information is presented in each? Give an example of how each works.

Close the book and make a list of what you learned about the book so it will be a helpful learning tool.