Rachael Matchett

When I am reading school books, or books that have a lot of information in them, I highlight everything that I think is important. Highlighting allows me to review the material without having to reread the entire chapter or section. I know when something is important if it is in bold lettering or if it is italicized. Vocabulary is something that I always highlight to either get the definition from the reading or for my reference to go and look it up in the dictionary. Lists of different things are also important to highlight. However, they can be deceiving. I always make sure to read through the lists just to make sure the points are not obviously stated above or that they have no relevance to what I am reading. I learned in school how to decipher different kinds of texts and how to determine which information is important. Even though teachers have taught me this, it was important that I practice myself in order to understand. Some people take notes and others make webs, but I enjoy highlighting. Once in a while I will type out my notes if I need it for a test or quiz. Sometimes, teachers give you handouts or study guides on what is going to be on the test or paper. If I receive one of those, then I make sure to find the answers in the book and then either write them out or type them. However, I do not think this is real learning. Just trying to go and find the answer and then memorize the facts is pointless. I will forget them within a week after. I would much rather write a paper on a topic that I enjoy then to just take a quiz or test.
I enjoy reading books that I find interesting. When I am forced to read some material, it makes me not want to do it at all. When I read, I talk to myself in my head. I read the words out loud to myself in my head, but I also paint a picture of the scene and the characters. This inner dialogue was not learned until I was a bit older. As a child, I would read out loud to myself or my peers. I had not yet learned that I could read to myself in my head. This process has made my reading much quicker and easier for me to understand.