Reading skills (lecturers)

Each of these workshops includes a lesson plan, slides, and all relevant handouts.

The Interpreting assignments and finding information (PDF) workshop helps students to understand what their assignment requires; to identify the information they need to find; and to know where and how to search for it.

The Taking notes when reading (PDF) workshop introduces students to different methods of note taking, and how to be an efficient note taker.

The Speed reading (PDF) workshop looks at practical techniques students can adopt to increase their reading speed.

Each of these activities includes teaching notes and all relevant handouts. 

Analysing Essay Titles (PDF)
This quick activity asks students to break down essay titles into instructional, content and limiting words, in order to enable them to better understand what they are being asked to do.

Evaluating sources (PDF)
This activity is designed to teach students how to use bibliographic references to select appropriate reading material for different purposes. There is also an online version of this activity.

Types of reading (PDF)
This activity is designed to develop students' awareness of the different types of reading strategies, their purpose and examples. 

Reading skills tutorial

This tutorial is designed to help students identify strengths and weaknesses through a range of interactive activities. On completion of the tutorial students are directed to further, resources within the Reading skills student page.

• Teaching notes (PDF)
• Online tutorial

Reading with understanding e-workshop

This resource is based on our Reading with Understanding workshop, featuring video clips from the workshop and various interactive activities.

• Teaching notes (PDF)
• e-workshop

Books

• ALLEN, K. L. 2005. Study Skills: A Student Survival Guide. Wiley: Chichester.
• REYNOLDS, M.C. 2002. Reading for Understanding. Wadsworth: California.
• COTTRELL, S. 2008 The Study Skills Handbook. Palgrave: Hampshire.
• ROBERTS, J. M. 2004. Effective Study Skills, Pearson: USA
• FAIRBAIRN, G. 2001. Reading at University: A Guide for Students. Open University Press: Maidenhead.

Websites and online resources

• The Open University: Reading and note taking
  
• Using English for Academic Purposes: Reading skills for academic study
• LearnHigher Reading tutor resource
  A resource to help educators develop and deliver student workshops on academic reading. The multi-media resource includes suggested workshop content, ice-breakers, activities, and FAQs.  
  

The LearnHigher video resources on notemaking and referencing include information that relates to writing skills.

They include workshops, ice-breakers, classroom activities, FAQs and tips on running these worshops that you may like to build into your teaching.