Week 4: Feedback Focus

Feedback Focus Techniques

1. Reading Out Loud: I read The King, the Falcon, and the Drinking-Cup.

Before I started this technique, I pretty much knew I wasn't going to like it. I enjoy reading books aloud to children and public speaking, but when it comes to reading out loud for myself, as in for comprehension, it isn't helpful. So as I read the text out loud to myself this time, I don't really comprehend what I'm reading. I tend to focus more on the single words than whole sentences. Also, when someone else is reading to me, I don't comprehend it either because I have to visually see it to comprehend. So verbal/oral reading doesn't work for me. I have to read it in my head to comprehend the best. 

Photo of a falcon. Source: Wikimedia Commons

2. Copy-and-Delete. I read: What Makes the Lightning

This strategy worked better for me than reading aloud. But this technique is too tedious for me. I tend to read fast and comprehend main ideas, and stopping to take notes for every paragraph slows me down and takes the focus away from the entire story. I see how this would be good for taking a multiple-choice test afterward testing comprehension and details, but I don't think it's necessary for bigger details. I think the most effective for me would be to read silently and take notes after every several paragraphs on the same screen with the story next to my notes.


3. Use a Timer. I read What the Heart Desires. 

Out of all three techniques, the timer worked the best for me. I don't necessarily need a timer to stay focused but I think if I had to choose a technique to use, I would choose the timer. During the time, I honestly just read the story, which was actually very interesting and entertaining. I tend to only lose focus when reading stories that I know won't interest me, such as a history textbook.

Additional Notes:

Ranking the three strategies in terms of usefulness: 

1. Timer

2. Copy-and-delete

3. Reading Out Loud

I wasn't surprised the way these techniques affected my reading. They were interesting to try out, but I focus the best in silence or listening to music with little to no action in front of me and reading to myself. I always loved to read when I was a child, so I have mastered the art of reading to myself and staying focused without using a different method. 

For the timer, I would say the disadvantage is racing against the timer. It almost feels like you're trying to race against the timer, trying to read as much as you can in 10 minutes. When you get close to the 10-minute mark, you start to lose focus. 

For the reading out loud, the disadvantage is you can't always do this, especially if you're in a public place. The advantage is that reading verbally works best for some people to comprehend. 

The copy-and-delete is tedious, which is what I think the disadvantage is. The advantage is that you get to take notes about each paragraph, which would result in detailed notes and great comprehension, but it would take a long time and reading would be long.

Again, I would rather read silently to myself. 

I never used techniques exactly like any of the three, but I have taken notes while I've read, just like I've done for this class.