After reading the assigned texts, it is important for students to demonstrate understanding and see the relevance of their reading in terms of analyzing, evaluating, and applying the ideas in their writing. The best way to assess students’ understanding of the texts is to use post-reading activities. Post-reading can take various forms; they can be used as formal or informal assessments. Some examples of post-reading strategies are:
-
- reading questions
- critical responses
- concept mapping
- reading journal
- student-generated questions and answers.
For post-reading activities to be relevant and effective, they have to allow students to apply critical reading skills that are required for comprehension and higher order thinking. Students can also reflect on the readings and examine the techniques and strategies the authors used to produce the texts.
Post-reading is also an effective way to prepare students for more complex writing assignments that involve synthesizing ideas from multiple texts and sources and evaluating arguments of texts that address similar topics. This is especially useful in research assignments that require different levels of textual engagement and production.
Apart from reflecting on the content, in post-reading activities students can also self-assess the effectiveness of the strategies they use to read and how they can be transferred to readings in other content areas. Depending on the purpose, post-reading activities can achieve literacy goals that range from enhancing comprehension and critical reading and evaluating the use of active reading strategies to scaffolding writing and research assignments.
Attribution: “Post-reading,” by Juanita But (2020). License: CC BY-NC.
