Have you ever highlighted a chapter and truly felt like you understood the concepts. Then when you reread the chapter to help you study for a quiz you couldn’t remember why you highlighted that phrase or word? Talking to the text prevents this situation from ever happening again because you write down your thoughts at the same spot as the highlighted idea. Now when you study, reread, or use the text to support your opinion, you can see exactly why you highlighted. Get comfortable with talking to the text by stretching your mind to notice what you are thinking while you read.
Learning how to talk to the text is like buying a new pair of Prada shoes. At first, the shoes are tight and a little uncomfortable. You may only wear them for a short amount of time to stretch them out. Sometimes you get a blister, but you know the more you wear them, the sooner you will break them in and they will feel comfortable.
When reading, it is uncomfortable to stop reading and write down what you are thinking. Talking to the text, also known as T4, slows your pace of reading and forces you to engage in a deeper conversation with the author. Just like breaking in a new pair of shoes, you have to slowly stretch your mind to ask questions, make connections, and add information the author didn’t supply.
The nature of nonfiction is multi-layered. The author doesn’t have the time or the space to explain every abstract concept in detail. He expects you to activate your schema and search for information you’ve previously learned to support your comprehension. (See I Already Know for more information about how your prior knowledge and background knowledge can add meaning to any text.)
The author also uses text features to advertise important information. Sometimes the best way to present information is through a map, graph, or picture. If you quickly glance at these text features, or worse, skip over them completely, you are missing an opportunity to create a better understanding of complex ideas.
Mature readers interact with text features by stopping and writing down the hidden meaning. Not only will this strategy ensure the new information enters your short-term memory, it will make the frontal cortex perceive the incoming signals as meaningful and important. As a result, your working memory will search for more connections causing the new information to have a higher chance of transferring into your long-term memory. As you can see, talking to the text moves you beyond just taking in facts to actually creating a deeper relationship with the author. (See Look at Text Features to discover the different layers of support an author supplies to a reader.)
Breaking it down
There is a difference between talking to the text and writing notes in the margin. Talking to the text requires you to add your personal thoughts to the page. On the other hand, rewriting a condensed version of the text is considered summarizing the passage, not talking to the text. T4 allows you to create a space for your mind to strategically work with the text until you understand what the text is about and how you feel about the author’s message.
Depending on your purpose for reading, the way you talk to the text will change. If you are reading an article for a research paper, you may be searching for information to support your thesis. As a result, you are evaluating the author’s point of view so you will stop and write; “I agree because…” or “I disagree because…” If you are reading a chapter to learn about chemical compounds, notice when you are confused. Therefore, you want to highlight the ideas and words you do not understand and write down what makes the idea confusing. Other times questions pop into your head and you want to remember to ask these questions during class. If you don’t take time to write down these thoughts, chances are you won’t remember why you wanted to ask the question in the first place. Use the prompts below to guide your talking to the text.
• In the text it says…. I already know…. So I wonder…
• After reading…. I didn’t understand…. I realize I need to…
• The author states… I agree/disagree… Therefore I believe…
• When I read…. I wondered… I will remember…
Make sure you don’t fall into the trap of talking to the text just to talk to the text. You must only use T4 to help your mind strategically create meaning. The clearer you are at defining your purpose before you read, the easier and more effective T4 will be! (See Reveal a Purpose to help you decide why you are reading and what the author wants you to learn.)
Just like the new shoe analogy, you need to start slow and only choose to use one or two prompts at a time. If you try to use too many prompts, you will spend more time thinking about your thinking and not about the concepts you are trying to learn. Once your pace of reading returns to normal, break-in a new T4 prompt. Eventually your mind will have a closet full of prompts to match every thought you encounter.
Reality Check
It’s time to try on this season’s hottest Prada prompts. If you have the courage to allow your mind to talk to the text, you will discover a perceptive and intelligent conversation fit for any high profile celebrity. Embrace the initial discomfort while you stop and write down your thoughts. As the saying goes, “Fashion before comfort.” Getting an "A" on a test always looks the best!
In class today we learned about writting your thoughts on the side of the paper. even writting questions and listing stuff i already knew on the side of the paper can help get information to stick in your head. Having my "mind talk to text" forces me to make connections which inturn sparks my interest and helps me remember what i am reading
ReplyDeletekatie bricker
section 1
The author here describes how to read just a little at a time (for example 1 or 2 prompts). I can see why that is so; reading too many prompts can overload my brain when talking to the text. Therefore, I will remember to slow down my reading and reduce the number of articles and readings I do daily so I can talk to the text easily!
ReplyDeleteAndrew Thompson Section 1
I believe that writing down what you learn can help you out alot in a way you can come out on top. That is a way you can talk to the text easy just take your time and you will be fine.
ReplyDeleteI didnt do this as much as i did before i knew how to DRIVE and FLIRT. Since after i understand these i do use these techniques and they have helped me tramedously.
ReplyDeleteTyler Adcock-sec. 1
The process of Drive is like a new pair of shoes. At first they are tight and uncomfortable, then as you work them in the shoe fits perfect. First you have to flirt, then drive by taking notes and highlighting key words and phrases. This helps when you have to go back and study.
ReplyDeleteFrom what I read in the text I learned not to write down the hidden meaning and that your working memory will search through to see what you already know. To summerize the main points you will write down what you get out of the text becuase your schema will have been activated.
ReplyDeleteSam Swank, Section 2
In the text it says the author uses text features to advertise important info. I already know text features are bold and italicized words. As a result I wonder are all text features important to me?
ReplyDeleteLogan Gurreri
When you wright down the information it helps you out. It gets your brain thinkiing and when you go back to study you know what to study.
ReplyDeleteMike Forstoffer
writing notes on the side really helps me stay in tune with the text and anything to make reviewing less painful is better.
ReplyDeleteHighlighting and taking notes helps you remember the information. Use Flirt, basically what was on the test.
ReplyDeleteI think that I have become a little better already, because when I first looked at the page I started by checking out the text features. I just think that's amazing how I'm actually doing it without even thinking.
ReplyDelete-Latifah Pittman
Talking to the text has helped me out in a lot of ways. I'm able to remeber things better than before when I read the text.
ReplyDeleteDavid Crisfield
Talking to the text seems dumb but it truly works. I never thought that this was going to make me become a better reader. I am actually amazed at the outcome already...I dont even have to think when I read just look at the text features...
ReplyDeleteThe author uses text features to advertise importanat information. I already know the author wants you to learn the important information so he/she uses text features. I wonder how many authors don't use text features.
ReplyDeletethe author uses the text features to give good imformation. I all ready know the author wants me to learn the information. I wonder why many other authors don't use this tecnique.
ReplyDeleteI like to be informed how to break reading down because this type of reading keeps my brain working, and then I will try these things when I am reading other passages.
ReplyDeleteAbbie Forry
Section 2
From what i read in the text, I learned the difference between T4 and writing notes in the margin. From what I read in the text, I learned that I could condense many little notes on the side but unless I am T4 thry arent going to help as much. To summarize the main points T4 helps you remember your reading.
ReplyDeleteThe author describes in the text that reading is uncomfortable at first. But with a lot of determination using the reading secrets, reading will make you successful
ReplyDeleteIn the text it says, There is a difference between talking to the text and writing notes in the margin. I already know talking to the text means adding your personal opinions and concerns and is different from writing notes. As a result, a reader can organize his or her own thoughts.
ReplyDeleteIn the text it says make sure you don't fall into a trap. I already know that reading can be tricky and there are points where you don't need to read but it's just there to take up space. As a result, I need to make sure I understand what the aurhor is writing about so I don't write down pointless information.
ReplyDeleteIn the text it says the difference between talking to the text and writing notes. I already know that talking is that you're becoming better with the reading and writing is your taking important information. As a result, when I read I need to know the important information that the author is saying than useless information.
ReplyDeleteHet Gandhi
In the text it says talking to text and writing notes are different. I already know talking to text adds a personal touch. As a result I wonder how to organize my thoughts.
ReplyDeleteRyan Dahl
In the text it says the author uses text features to show what the important info is. I already know text features are the words that stick out in the text such as the bold words. As a result I wonder are all text features vauable to learning the test im reading?
ReplyDeleteUsing FLIRT has really helped me with reading. It kind of makes me want to read now. I am looking forward to the rest of the semester.
ReplyDelete-Ryan Althoff
i don't think that that could have been explained in any better way. that shoe analogy was perfect. driving is def going to help me out even more. i understand it better than flirt because it has to deal with more question asking.
ReplyDeleteDustin R. Wagnon
Flirt and drive and all of these things we are learning make it all much easier to read and comprehend. Even when i didnt think i knew it all i ended up knowing more than what i expected on the last test and got a good grade. I guess it just makes it all easier to stick into your mind.
ReplyDeleteNourdean Bentajar
In the text it says that using text features helps you discover the important information. I already know that when you know the important information, you will always remember it. As a result I wonder if you will beable to pick out the right text features to find the important information.
ReplyDeleteIn the text it says the author uses text features to advertise important info. I already know text features are bold and italicized words. As a result I wonder if all of text features are important
ReplyDeleteIn the text it says if you use text features you will find information more easily. I already know text features are important. As a result i hope i can look at the text easier.
ReplyDeleteIn the text it says that you can find important info. more easily through text features. I alsready know that if something is bold or underlined, it probably is important. As a result I always look at text features while reading.
ReplyDeleteJake Carr
Talk and Features
ReplyDeleteI will remember:
-Talk to the text.
-Stop when confused.
Adam Vetere section 2
Talking to the text and breaking-in
ReplyDeleteI will remember:
1)T4
2)Prada Shoes