Thinkaloud Activity A method to understand your own

Think-aloud Activity A method to understand your own reading

Think aloud n n Definition: When you read a text, you read and say aloud whatever comes to your mind. Demonstration: “Angels on a Pin” Angels on a Pin by Alexander Calandra Some time ago, I received a call from a colleague who asked if I would be the referee on the grading of an examination question. He was about to give a student a zero for his answer to a physical question, while the student claimed he should receive a perfect score and would if the system were not set up against the student. The instructor and the student agreed to submit this to an impartial arbiter and I was selected.

Think Aloud on Your Own n Prepare an audio-tape recorder. Think aloud when you read a text; audio-tape your think-alouds. Listen to your recorded think-alouds and take notes of your ¨ sense-making methods, ¨ applausive reflections, ¨ discovery of unclear/ambiguous points in the text, ¨ ideas that you consider worthy of in-depth discussion, ¨ responses that you find irrelevant to the text, ¨ unfounded discussions (discussion that cannot be supported by the text).

Follow Up on Your Think-alouds Reflect on your think-alouds and ask yourself these questions: n What connections can I make between my autobiographical response and the text? n What are my successful sense-making methods? What can I improve with my sense-making methods? n What in the text can I dig into to better understand the text? n What knowledge do I need to acquire in order to better understand the text?

Think Aloud with Group Members n n n Now, sit with your group members, face to face. Take turns to think aloud. When your partner is thinking aloud, listen quietly and take notes. After a partner is finished with his/her thinkalouds, ask him/her questions or give feedback. Write down your partners’ answers or responses to your questions and comments.

What to listen to n When listening to your partners’ think-alouds, you take notes of ¨ ways of making sense. ¨ applausive reflections ¨ points you find unclear or ambiguous. ¨ ideas you consider worthy of in-depth discussion. ¨ responses you think irrelevant to the text. ¨ unfounded discussions (discussion that cannot be supported by the text).

Tips on giving feedback n n n n Compliment on your partner’s strengths. Ask your partner to clarify unclear or ambiguous points. Invite your partner to develop in depth the ideas you considered worthy of further thought. Request your partner to show connection between his/her responses and the text. Request your partner to show relevance about the responses you found irrelevant. Ask your partner to cite passages from the text to show the foundation of his/her discussion that you thought unfounded. Make suggestions to your partner about what s/he may need to learn more in order to better understand the text.