How To Apply The 5 Steps Of FLIRT To College Reading

As a college student you are regularly assigned to read designated chapters for that particular course. Reading multiple books from different classes can be somewhat difficult and confusing. Applying the FLIRT system before you read can really help you understand the text. Here are the five steps to becoming a successful reader:


Find The Form: Preview the text to determine the genre demands and establish your reading behaviors. (Example: non-fiction, fiction, poetry, etc.)

Look At The Text Features: Skim the text features to create interest and identify essential themes.

Identify Connections: Make connections to determine what you already know about the topic and identify difficult sections.

Reveal The Purpose: Ask questions to set a purpose and to anticipate the author’s point of view.

Transfer To Organizer: Scan for transition words to determine the external structure and establish a system for organizing new information.

In conclusion, FLIRTing with the text is a great way to become familiar with the reading for a better and complete understanding. By following these guidelines you are guaranteed satisfaction in understanding the whole text.

This was a guest blog by colleget student, Adrien Pagan. I would love to hear your secrets for preparing your mind to read. Share your thoughts below or join the conversation on facebook.com/myreadingsecrets If you liked this post, sign up for my newsletter for more tips to become a better student.

5 Easy Ways to FLIRT With the Text

There are five methods you use to FLIRT with the text. Flirting with the text is the beginning stage when you start to read a book. FLIRT helps you understand the reading and what you want to know. The five stages of FLIRT are find the form, look at the text features, identify connections, reveal the purpose, and transfer to organizer. If you noticed FLIRT stands for the beginning letter in each of the stages.


The fist stage is Find the Form. What does it mean when it says find the form? Finding the form of the text is when you try and determine the genre of the text. You go through the text and look at the title, headings, and anything else that stands out in bold print. This will help you figure out what kind of reading that you will be doing and what kind of p[ace you need to read at.

The second stage is Look at the Text Features. At this step you look at how the text is structured. You look if it is has paragraphs or if it has one paragraph. You also look for bolded words or different headings to see what the text is like. In this step all you are doing is skimming the text for the different text features. Most of the time you are looking for bolded words for this part of the section.

The third stage is Identify Connections. In this stage you are looking at the headings and bolded words and making connections on them. You are using your past knowledge or experiences and connecting them with the words in the text. You can look at the pictures and other things in the text and connect to them. Usually the pictures in a text are easier to connect to because you can visualize them easier by seeing everything.

The fourth stage is Reveal the Purpose. In this stage you are determining what the author wants you to know. The author always will show you in the reading what he wants you to know and what the purpose of the text. There is always a purpose to the reading and the author puts clues in the reading to show you that. He/she puts questions at the end of the reading sometimes to hint you the purpose.

The final step is to Transfer to Organizer. In this stage you determine what the author's purpose is, and then that will tell you what type of organizer you need to use. There are all kinds of different organizers that you can use. some of them are compare contrast, description, etc. the organizers will show you what you are going to be looking for in the text. All of these will help you better understand the passage and get you set up with the reading.

This was a guest blog by colleget student, Alex Leland. I would love to hear your secrets for preparing your mind to read. Share your thoughts below or join the conversation on facebook.com/myreadingsecrets If you liked this post, sign up for my newsletter for more tips to become a better student.

3 Reasons Why You Should Visualize the Author’s Message

Everyone has had to read something for school. One of these reading assignments at one point probably was difficult to read. And now that most of us are in college the reading assignments are just going to get harder and harder. That’s why when you read you should visualize the author’s message. Here are three reasons why you should visualize the message.


1.) Pictures are a Brain’s Best friend – When you are reading your brain favors pictures over text. This engages your brain in what you are learning. The visuals; pictures, charts, maps, graphs, etc.; all help you realize what is important, and your brain will thank you!

2.) Graphic Organizers = Focused! – Using graphic organizers keeps your ideas clear and concise. When you choose the graphic organizers you have to make sure you use the right kind. For example, if you read something that has problems and then a solution for those problems you would want to use a diagram as shown (Fig 1.). When you are organizing your thoughts make sure to place them in a usable, non-confusing way that makes it easier to use.

3.) Visuals Make You Remember! – The visuals help you remember the new information, because you can quickly visual the pictures before you can text. When you are reading and taking notes pictures can make new confusing ideas into easy-to-understand pictures.

The author’s message can be confusing but using the visuals within the text helps to turn confusion into understanding. Pictures, graphic organizers, and other visuals help with your understanding. A picture is worth a thousand words, so why read those thousand words when you can see them in a picture!

This was a guest blog by colleget student, Britteny Smith . I would love to hear your secrets for visualizing the author's message. Share your thoughts below or join the conversation on facebook.com/myreadingsecrets If you liked this post, sign up for my newsletter for more tips to become a better student.

3 Reasons a Radical Routine is Essential for Scheduling Your School Work

If you’re constantly stressed over getting all of your school work done on time, a radical routine is a great thing for yourself to create.


By having a structured plan you eliminate procrastination and give your mind time to rest and relax avoiding stress. Having a structured plan is very important when it comes to your success in college.

By having a routine and a structured time do complete the work in every class nothing will ever get left out. Being reminded of your work becomes second nature and really helps take the stress off. A big problem for students is procrastination. Having a radical routine is a great way to avoid this problem. I find that I do my best work when I take my time and do not rush through assignments. Always allowing yourself plenty of time to do so is a great thing that a radical routine does for you. All your work is done good and correctly, on time every day of every week.

Rest and relaxation is also very important in the everyday life of a college student. With this schedule you allow yourself plenty of time to do other activities that don’t involve school work to make sure you are relaxed and well rested. All of these reduce the stress that you have and no stress equals better success in a college environment.

This was a guest blog by colleget student, Eric Sowers. I would love to hear your secrets for creating a radical routine. Share your thoughts below or join the conversation on facebook.com/myreadingsecrets If you liked this post, sign up for my newsletter for more tips to become a better student.

3 Quick Guidelines to Review with Note Cards

If you hate to study, try note cards for a quick and easy tool.

1.) Narrow your focus by breaking down what you read so you can get a better understanding of what you just read.

2.) They are easy to practice from and in many ways. You can make flashcards because note cards are two sided. You can take them anywhere and "Practice on the go". You also can make a group game so you don't have to study alone.

3.) They help you memorize what you read. So you're not lost or confused. They can also help you increase your memory. That way you will know the main points.

This was a guest blog by colleget student, Sarah Fields. I would love to hear your secrets for creating note cards. Share your thoughts below or join the conversation on facebook.com/myreadingsecrets If you liked this post, sign up for my newsletter for more tips to become a better student.

How To Prepare For Finals with 3 Quick Tips

1.Obtain A Study Guide Try to obtain a study guide of what exactly is going to be on the finals. This will tell you what words, ideas, concepts, diagrams, etc. to study. Instead of reading over all the materials you learned in the class, you can target your main focus on the given topics.

2. Review Previous Tests & Quizzes Be sure to look over your old test and quizzes. Most likely the professor will use the same questions from previously tested material for the final. By looking over your test and quizzes, you’ll have an upper hand and a better idea of what questions will be on the final.

3.Clarify Confusing Ideas and Concepts Now that you know exactly what’s going to be tested on the final, you can look over any ideas or concepts that you may be having trouble with. Look in the textbook, research online, or even ask your professor to help clarify anything that is confusing.

These three tips are quick and efficient. Instead of going through all of your papers and notes, you will know exactly what to study, so it will save you time. Following these three tips will help you successfully prepare for your finals.

This was a guest blog by colleget student, Alex Tran. I would love to hear your secrets for preparing for finals. Share your thoughts below or join the conversation on facebook.com/myreadingsecrets If you liked this post, sign up for my newsletter for more tips to become a better student.

3 Secrets to Speed Up Your Studying

We’ve all been taught that reducing, reusing, and recycling can help us in the long run. We never thought that those same techniques can be used throughout college. By applying reduce, reuse, and the recycle techniques, you will be able to study in a fast and more efficient way.

1. When you reduce, you are condensing the information that you were given. Searching for key points and repeated ideas is an important step in this process. It is important to know the passage’s main ideas, so you can know exactly what it is, you need to take and learn from it. Looking at the passage’s text features can also be of help. Graphs, charts, pictures, and examples throughout the text can show you what is important and show you what you need to know. It will help you focus on the key point so your mind won’t get scattered and can remain organized. Condensing the amount of information that is given can make it easier to understand, and more importantly to remember.

2. When you reuse, you look for anything on the pages of the text that can help you get an understanding of what the key points are. Once again, looking at the pages text features can tell you exactly what you need to know or what to pay attention to while reading. Looking at the titles, headings, and subheadings can help you have an understanding of what it is that you are reading and what you are looking for. Reading the introductory paragraphs, the chapters questions, captions, and conclusion can keep your mind aware of the main idea of why you are reading. Looking at the features can help limit your reading, while you still have the best understanding of what you are reading. This technique will be proven to be more efficient in the long run.

3. When you recycle, you have a clear understanding of the information you need and don’t need, so you can toss out the useless information. Once you have all the information that you were given it is time to link that new knowledge to your already existing knowledge, or your prior knowledge. It is important for you to link these two so you can have a relative understanding of the information you’ve obtained. Once you have a relative understanding of the subject, the information becomes easier to access when it comes to using it. You will have a better understanding of what you have read, and it will not only make it easier for the upcoming test but also the chapters to follow.

The 3R’s aren’t just to help us protect our planet; it is also to help us with studying. These techniques can come in handy no matter what you are studying. The next time you find it challenging to study, give the 3R’s a try. See exactly how useful those tools can be.

This was a guest blog by colleget student, Sabrina Butts. I would love to hear your secrets for speeding up your study time. Share your thoughts below or join the conversation on facebook.com/myreadingsecrets If you liked this post, sign up for my newsletter for more tips to become a better student.

4 Context Clues to Clarify Vocabulary

Psst! Hey! Yeah, you! It’s your brain again. I have a secret tool that will save you a lot of time and stress. It's call Local GPS.

Best of all, this Local GPS tool will prevent you from getting confused while reading. I call these confusing words and ideas, road blocks, because they block the meaning from entering your working memory. Road blocks are those unknown words and phrases that cause you to stop reading and say, “Oh man, what the heck is the author talking about?” Here is a list of road blocks you need to watch out for as you read:

Revisit a vocabulary word when:
• you can’t pronounce the word
• the word is new or unknown
• you are unsure of author’s meaning

Revisit an idea when:
• you are confused.
• you notice you are thinking about other things.
• you can’t create mental images.
• you can’t make a connection.

Skipping over these road blocks isn’t helpful or a mature decision. We are no longer going to let these road blocks stop our thinking! With the help of my built in Local GPS tool we will be able to navigate these road blocks and find a direct, fast, efficient route to the meaning of these unknown words and phrases.

Local GPS is an acronym for the four different types of context clues the author uses to support a reader’s comprehension. To find the local context clues, zoom in to the sentences surrounding the difficult word. Reread the sentence before, and after the word you are trying to understand. The author often uses commas, parentheses, and hyphens to signal definitions, pronunciations, and examples to help the reader build meaning. This is your local context clue because the author’s clues are located right by the word.

The G stands for global. To find the global context clues, zoom out and look at the whole page. Scan the text features (pictures, captions, charts, and maps) to see if they can give you more information. This is called global context clues because you are taking a wide view of the text.

The P stands for prior knowledge. Sometimes the meaning is implied, which means the author doesn’t come right out and say what he means. In this case, you have to look at the text and add meaning to what the author didn’t include. Your schema will help you determine a meaning or clearer picture of the word. Prior knowledge is the third type of context clue because you can use what you already know about this word to build meaning.

The S is the final context clue. Structural analysis is looking at how the word is built. By breaking the word into smaller parts you will be able to decode the meaning. Search for prefixes, suffixes, or root words. Keep in mind working with words is a complex process. Being able to pronounce the word doesn’t mean you know the meaning. Until you know both, the pronunciation and meaning, you haven’t fixed the road block.

Remember, context clues are located within the sentence, on the page, or within your own mind. If you get lost, turn on my Local GPS to help you navigate through the road blocks, gain a deeper understanding of an abstract concept and save time from looking words up on the computer.

Reality Check

You are in the driver’s seat now. Knowing your destination or purpose to read isn’t good enough. You need to know different ways to build meaning by using the context clues on the page to help you figure out unknown words and ideas.

You are now ready to expand your understanding of how your mind builds meaning. The good news is you are independent and free to drive your mind wherever you want it to go. The bad news is your choices may lead you off the road and into a ditch. You must steer yourself over difficult words and through abstract ideas.

Your world is going so fast. Be a rebel and slow down! Once you identify a confusing word or idea, use your Local GPS to guide you to a deeper conversation and understanding of the author’s message. Beware, the more you apply these strategies, the more information you will retain andthe smarter you will become. Avoid the temptation to skip over the words/ideas due to time constraints or lack of effort. This slip of poor judgment will only result in a loss of meaning and a missed opportunity to sharpen your mind’s ability to maneuver around difficult sections of text.

I would love to hear how the Local GPS tool worked for you. Share your thoughts below or join the conversation on facebook.com/myreadingsecrets.

3 tips to Eliminate Distractions

A distraction is when someone or something blocks your mind from paying attention to the text you're reading. The best way to pay attention to what you're reading is to avoid being distracted by other stimuli.


Your mind is naturally going to be drawn to three specific stimuli:
1. New or novel thoughts:-Your brain loves to think. Control what your mind thinks by drawing pictures about the text you are reading and writing notes in the margin.
2. Loud sounds:- Sit in a quiet room with the TV off, computer off, cell phone off, and head phones out of your ears. Yes, I said OFF, not low, muted or on vibrate.
3. Fast moving objects:-When choosing a seat in class or the library, sit far way from doors and windows. This way your mind won't pay attention to people walking down the hall or cars driving on the road.

What does this mean to you as a reader? If you want to remember what you read, you must remove the distractions from your environment. By removing distractions, your mind will pay attention longer and remember more.

Remember, multi-tasking while reading is as dangerous as multi-tasking while driving! Be a safe reader and remove all distractions before you read.