Synthesizing – Adding Your Own Thinking to What is Important
This strategy is closely related to “Key #5: Determining What is Important”, which we described in the March HES Newsletter. As we read and think about what ideas are most important, we ask questions, and use what we know in order to gain a deeper understanding. Authors sometimes give us signals about what is important, such as bold-faced print, pictures and captions, or characters that say and do things to get our attention. When we pull all of the information from the text together with what we already know to grow new ideas, we are synthesizing (notice the bold-faced printJ)
Readers can begin this work before they even start to read a book. Encourage your child to look at the title and book cover, and think about what they already know. Then, think about what questions might be answered as you read. This not only sets a purpose for reading, but helps readers sort through the information as they read to pull out what is important. It is the work of sophisticated readers who are moving beyond just making meaning of the text to integrating their new understanding into their view of the world.
Readers can begin this work before they even start to read a book. Encourage your child to look at the title and book cover, and think about what they already know. Then, think about what questions might be answered as you read. This not only sets a purpose for reading, but helps readers sort through the information as they read to pull out what is important. It is the work of sophisticated readers who are moving beyond just making meaning of the text to integrating their new understanding into their view of the world.