Entry 2: How does the SQ4R make you a better reader?

The SQR4 has taught me that to be able to fully comprehend what I need to be able to from a text is that I need to be able to survey the work, create questions from the main topics, read, record, recite and reflect. This framework helped me be aware of what I was reading by using the SQ4R to dissect the reading and what it meant. First I went through the reading, skimming big headlines and creating questions on what those headlines meant. For example in the reading, Kucer: Nature of Literacy, I was genuinely curious on what a Code Maker and a Code Breaker was, so I wrote a question on the side of the passage so when I read through the article again I could answer that question and comprehend what the author was explaining to me. 

I was able to identify how I was reading as well by learning the different ways to read, such as reading to get information vs reading just to skim an article for key words. This strategy for comprehensive reading helped me identify how to read as an active reader and to be able to put passages in my own words It also helped me reflect on the information more easily than it would have been without the SQ4R. Another reason that the SQ4R helped me become an active reader is the advice of using sticky notes throughout the text to write down ideas, concepts that you found interesting, keywords and answers to questions that you had earlier. You then use these sticky notes to create an outline of the text that you just read so that you have a clear and concise outline in your own words that will help you learn and reflect on the reading. 

This strategy helped me immensely when going into the forum discussions online having to respond to questions about the text. These questions were formatted in a way that you needed to have fully comprehended the information in the reading to be able to answer the questions. When answering the questions in the forum I was able to easily look back on my notes that were made on the text/ sticky notes and create an in depth answer to the question that was provided. 

Moving forward I need to be able to build my capability of answering the questions that I created while going through the text so that I can get an even better understanding of the text that is provided. Putting the text into my own words is also something that I can work on to create a better understanding of the text. Overall the strategy that was stated in the SQ4R to become an active reader will be used throughout the rest of my graduate school work, it helped me understand the text that I was reading better and be able to answer the questions provided in more depth than I would have with out using the active reader steps. 

In order to become more advanced at responding to my peers is that I need to be able to reflect more on the work and what it means when we are looking at a certain topic. For example in the last reading that we had, I need to be able to reflect more on the topics such as how I myself have been a code maker and code breaker to be able to have a better understanding of the classwork and be able to give examples to other classmates.