Tovani’s “I Read it, but I don’t get it”

Tovani’s “I Read it, but I don’t get it” was a very insightful look into how to help students understand and comprehend what they are reading. I enjoyed how the book used many different student dialogue examples of what students say when reading or given an assignment. It helps me be able to respond more effectively when I am asked questions by students in class.

One of the biggest problems students have when reading it seems like is zoning out or not being able to concentrate on reading. I myself struggled with this problem a lot through my education career (and to be honest still do sometimes), but what the book suggested to do to help, and that also helped me was using a reading strategy to stay focused. An easy strategy to have students use is marking the text. Marking the text simply askes students to use different symbols on the reading and write down their thinking next to the symbol. This strategy keeps students focused while reading. Another strategy I liked was double entry diaries, this strategy has students write down several quotes and for each quote the write one of several thinking options such as I wonder, or this reminds me of. Strategies like these will help the students tremendously.   

I agreed with the books emphasis on connecting the reading to the reader’s life, drawing connection to their own life, world, and other texts, by so doing the reader understands the reading better. Besides connections, another emphasis I agreed with was questioning, students need to know that it is okay to have questions about the reading. Nobody will understand a text perfectly the first read through. Questions always arise. The activity of “I wonder” poems is a great way for students to practice writing questions and to show them that it is okay and beneficial to ask questions. Students must also learn how to answer these questions as well.

Reading is becoming a more and more difficult activity for students to do and want to do, but this book helps students become better readers and therefore increases the chances of students wanting to read.