Date and Time : 30-06-2020, 11:00 – 12:00 am
Facilitator: Dr. Satyawati Rawool and Dr. Narendra Deshmukh.
Focus of the webinar: Textbook reading strategies for its better understanding
At the beginning of this session, Satyavati Rawool (SR) ma’am talked about how to read textbooks, the importance of reading textbooks and the ways of reading them. She said that teachers should encourage students to read, express their views. Teachers should try to decrease students’ fear and help them to become confident.
Pradnya ma’am shared an experience where she corrected her colleague teacher who was putting too much stress on a word while reading a poem in front of the students. Pradnya ma’am said that if anyone is not reading/saying properly then it is essential to correct him/her at that time. But while doing so we should also see that the person won’t feel bad. She also emphasized on the role of parents in improving students’ reading skill. She also asked about how content creation is different from writing textbooks.
SR said that we should build confidence in parents that they can help students a lot to improve their reading skill even if they are illiterate or not expert in that subject.
Deshmukh sir said that reading is one kind of skill. He explained the purpose of reading (for exam, lecture, essay, discussion, etc.). He said that reading Mathematics and Science textbooks are also important. Also before teaching any lesson, it is essential to take reading of that particular lesson in the classroom. This will help students to understand different concepts in that lesson in a better way. He mentioned that he is using this strategy in NVM PAR project where instructors make students read the lesson before teaching and tell them to underline the words that they find difficult.
Mayuri said that while reading textbooks, we should always read to interpret and analyze. Nothing should be taken as fact or truth. We should engage in what we read (Critical reading) by asking ourselves questions such as, ‘What is the author trying to say?’ Readers should underline the key words while reading. This physical process of underlining words helps the brain to remember a few things easily. For our overall development, we should not just read to remember the things but we should try to develop our understanding too. While reading textbooks we should rethink positively about the reading matter using our own views and ideas.
Kunda ma’am mentioned that to keep our teaching on track, textbooks are essential.
Sugra ma’am said that because of the textbooks authority sometimes students do not talk. They think whatever given in the textbook is perfect, absolutely correct. At higher levels, there are no textbooks. Students refer to different books at higher and Ph. D level. This is because by reading different books, students get to know diverse views and then they can summarize those contents. Though textbooks are important. We should understand that at school level too, somewhere we should give chance to students to challenge the content given in the textbooks.
SR suggested the textbook ‘अभ्यास कसा करावा’ written by P. G. Vaidya, which is useful to improve reading skill.
Deepti madam said that it is very essential to read Mathematics textbooks too.
Report prepared by: Mayuri Pawar.