Reading Skills and Strategies in the History Classroom

Reading is the subject that affects every other subject in school. Without good reading skills, students are hampered when expected to read for assignments in science, history, math and other classes. Here are some ideas for learning about history concepts while improving students' reading abilities.

CONSIDER LEARNING STYLE

Much has been written about learning styles because there are many different schools of thought on the topic. Basically, students learn best through:seeing, hearing, or touching / manipulating. To help each child learn history concepts by reading, offer ways to approach the concepts by using all three styles. For example, if you are studying the lifestyle of Pilgrims and Native Americans, begin your study by reading excerpts from letters written by prominent Pilgrims such as John Bradford (auditory). Discuss their statements about the New World, then read text material about Native Americans to compare and contrast the information with Bradford's writing (visual). On notebook paper, make two columns-one for Pilgrims and one for Indians. In different color ink, write how their lives differed according to food, homes, dress, etc. (kinesthetic / touching). You can see how the learning styles often overlap. By using different color ink, you are also addressing the learner who remembers best by visual cues.

PURPOSEFUL READING

Give the students a reason to read. Before assigning reading of a primary source (letter, diary or journal), write questions on the board for the students to answer from their reading. Examples: What did the Pilgrims learn from the Native Americans? How did Pilgrim girls help their families in the New World? It helps to keep your focus on what is being read when you are looking for specific detail, so have the students set out on a journey to find the "treasure" (answer the questions).

ENRICH VOCABULARY

To fully understand historical information, students must have a working understanding of vocabulary relevant to the time being studied. We children of the sixties remember boring vocabulary drills and exercises. Thanks to technology, learning new vocabulary words can actually be fun! Hundreds of activities can be produced via computer. Try making a crossword puzzle using definitions as clues. Make a word search puzzle with vocabulary words. Create a story using synonyms of the vocabulary words, and have the students find the synonyms and replace them with the words being studied. Use your favorite engine search tool, type in the type of activity you want to create and print, and you will be directed to several sites. You can even make your own interactive games. (Check out http://www.funbrain.com/detect/) All these activities can by created with free programs on the internet or with software you can purchase.

Reading can be enriched and improved in every classroom subject-not just during "reading time". Know your students' learning styles, teach them how to read for a reason, and enlarge their vocabularies-these strategies will enhance any subject and help improve reading skills.