Exercise for While You Read
To read actively, it helps to think of reading consisting of a three-stage process: before you read, while you are
reading, and after you have read. At each stage, there are important tasks. This worksheet focuses on the second
stage during reading.
Reading actively means making connections between your current knowledge and what you are reading, and asking
yourself questions as you read. As you read, you are having an ongoing internal dialogue with the author in which
you reflect on, postulate and form opinions about, examine, and assess the author's arguments. This ongoing
commentary and analysis helps you, the reader, to understand and focus on the text.
While you read, use a pencil or highlighter to mark key ideas and supporting examples or evidence. Write down the
main ideas from the text(you may have more or less than 4) and write down your responses.
Main Ideas in the Text
My Responses