Teaching Students to Synthesize Reading Materials

Teaching Students Teaching Students to Synthesize to Synthesize

Reading MaterialsReading Materials

DefinitionDefinition

According to Shannon Bumgarner: According to Shannon Bumgarner: “Synthesizing is the process whereby a “Synthesizing is the process whereby a student merges new information with student merges new information with prior knowledge to form a new idea, prior knowledge to form a new idea, perspective, or opinion or to generate perspective, or opinion or to generate insight.” insight.” Therefore, synthesis is an ongoing Therefore, synthesis is an ongoing process. As new knowledge is acquired, process. As new knowledge is acquired, it is synthesized with prior knowledge to it is synthesized with prior knowledge to generate new ideas.generate new ideas.

Skills Needed to Skills Needed to SynthesizeSynthesize

Synthesizing SkillsSynthesizing Skills

• ““Synthesizing is the most complex of the Synthesizing is the most complex of the reading strategies. Synthesizing lies on reading strategies. Synthesizing lies on a continuum of evolving thinking. a continuum of evolving thinking. Synthesizing runs the gamut from taking Synthesizing runs the gamut from taking stock of meaning while reading to stock of meaning while reading to achieving new insight. Introducing the achieving new insight. Introducing the strategy of synthesizing in reading then strategy of synthesizing in reading then primarily involves teaching the reader to primarily involves teaching the reader to stop every so often and think about what stop every so often and think about what he or she has read” (he or she has read” (Strategies That Strategies That WorkWork p. 144 in www. readinglady.com). p. 144 in www. readinglady.com).

SkillsSkills

The skills students need to synthesize The skills students need to synthesize reading materials are the ability to reading materials are the ability to summarize information, paraphrase it, summarize information, paraphrase it, and compare and contrast it.and compare and contrast it.

Students also need the ability to Students also need the ability to separate fact from opinion, draw separate fact from opinion, draw inferences based on the facts presented, inferences based on the facts presented, and evaluate that information to form and evaluate that information to form their own conclusions.their own conclusions.

MetaphorsMetaphors

Synthesizing can be compared to a Synthesizing can be compared to a journey. The student begins with journey. The student begins with prior knowledge of a topic, gains prior knowledge of a topic, gains new knowledge about that topic new knowledge about that topic from a variety of sources, combines from a variety of sources, combines and analyzes this information, and as and analyzes this information, and as a final destination, makes an a final destination, makes an evaluation and forms an opinion.evaluation and forms an opinion.

The Jigsaw PuzzleThe Jigsaw Puzzle

Puzzle MetaphorPuzzle Metaphor

Another way to view synthesizing is Another way to view synthesizing is to look at it as putting the pieces of a to look at it as putting the pieces of a puzzle together. The student collects puzzle together. The student collects the pieces of information from the pieces of information from various sources and finds various sources and finds connections to put together the connections to put together the entire picture.entire picture.

ScaffoldingScaffolding

Building Upon Prior Building Upon Prior KnowledgeKnowledge

• Since newly acquired information should be Since newly acquired information should be synthesized with previously learned synthesized with previously learned information, faculty can assist in this ongoing information, faculty can assist in this ongoing process by activating students’ prior process by activating students’ prior knowledge of each new topic being introduced knowledge of each new topic being introduced in the classroom. in the classroom.

• At the start of the lesson, ask students to write At the start of the lesson, ask students to write down what they already know about that topic.down what they already know about that topic.

• Distribute or assign the relevant reading or Distribute or assign the relevant reading or readings.readings.

• Have students make connections as they read Have students make connections as they read in a synthesis journal. in a synthesis journal.

Synthesis JournalSynthesis Journal

““Multiple Perspectives”Multiple Perspectives”

• According to McAlexander and Burrell (1996), According to McAlexander and Burrell (1996), “Synthesis journals take multiple perspectives “Synthesis journals take multiple perspectives on a topic from various sources and attempt on a topic from various sources and attempt to synthesize them all.” The information can to synthesize them all.” The information can come “from a text, a video, . . . classmates, come “from a text, a video, . . . classmates, and personal experiences . . . to develop an and personal experiences . . . to develop an overall synthesis.”overall synthesis.”

• Therefore, a synthesis journal will contain Therefore, a synthesis journal will contain knowledge brought to the lesson and all knowledge brought to the lesson and all information learned in the course of the information learned in the course of the lesson from a variety of sources.lesson from a variety of sources.

Warning!Warning!

Caution!Caution!

• McAlexander and Burrell warn: McAlexander and Burrell warn: “This is a complex process” and “it “This is a complex process” and “it may need to be modeled by the may need to be modeled by the teacher beforehand.” teacher beforehand.”

• Modeling is a highly effective Modeling is a highly effective teaching technique, which greatly teaching technique, which greatly increases students’ chances of increases students’ chances of completing an assignment or project completing an assignment or project successfully. successfully.

Graphic OrganizersGraphic Organizers

• As an alternative to a synthesis journal, As an alternative to a synthesis journal, Shannon Bumgarner suggests the use Shannon Bumgarner suggests the use of a graphic organizer to aid students of a graphic organizer to aid students in synthesizing reading material.in synthesizing reading material.

• The graphic organizer contains three The graphic organizer contains three columns: “Five Key Concepts,” “Put columns: “Five Key Concepts,” “Put the Concept in Your Own Words, and the Concept in Your Own Words, and “Explain Why the Concept Is Important “Explain Why the Concept Is Important & Make Connections to Other & Make Connections to Other Concepts.”Concepts.”

ConclusionConclusion

• Faculty in any discipline can aid students in Faculty in any discipline can aid students in synthesizing information by having them use a synthesizing information by having them use a graphic organizer or a synthesis journal. graphic organizer or a synthesis journal. Students will be more likely to effectively utilize Students will be more likely to effectively utilize these techniques if they are first modeled by the these techniques if they are first modeled by the instructor.instructor.

• Finally, by activating prior knowledge on the Finally, by activating prior knowledge on the topic, guiding the student in comparing and topic, guiding the student in comparing and contrasting information, and assisting the contrasting information, and assisting the student in separating fact from opinion, faculty student in separating fact from opinion, faculty can steer the student toward making judgments, can steer the student toward making judgments, forming opinions, and drawing logical forming opinions, and drawing logical conclusions.conclusions.

SourcesSources

• Bumgarner, Shannon. Ohio Resource Bumgarner, Shannon. Ohio Resource Center for Mathematics, Science, and Center for Mathematics, Science, and Reading. Reading. http://ohiorc.org/adlit/strategy/http://ohiorc.org/adlit/strategy/

strategies_each.aspx?id=000002.strategies_each.aspx?id=000002.• Reading Strategies: Scaffolding Students’Reading Strategies: Scaffolding Students’

Interactions with Texts. Key Concept Interactions with Texts. Key Concept Synthesis Strategy. Synthesis Strategy. http://www.greece.k12.ny.us/instructionhttp://www.greece.k12.ny.us/instruction..

• Strategies That WorkStrategies That Work. Chapter 10. p. 144. . Chapter 10. p. 144. http://www.readinglady.com.http://www.readinglady.com.