SUMMARIZATIONWe all require it.

So who is teaching it?

Sean P. Nash - compiled April, 2009

+AGREE or DISAGREE-

• Summarization if one of the nine most effective teaching strategies in the history of education.

• Summarization is restating the essence of text or an experience in as few words as possible or in a new, yet efficient manner.

• Information student take in during a 45 min. lecture rarely makes it to long-term memory.

• Summarization must be taught with an awareness that it is a strategy for making content “stick.”

Do you require students to summarize

within your course?

ASSIGN vs.

TEACH

SUMMARIZATIONis...

“...restating the essence of text or an

experience in as few words as possible or in

a new, yet efficient manner.”

Wormeli, 2005

“...and can be done in writing, orally,

dramatically, artistically, visually, physically,

musically, in groups or individually.”

Wormeli, 2005

WHYall the

ATTENTION?

“Summarization is among the top nine

most effective teaching strategies in the history

of education.”Marzano, 2001

FOUNDWHERE?

“summarizing &

notetaking”Marzano, 2001

“nonlinguisticrepresentations”

Marzano, 2001

“cues, questions & advanced organizers”

Marzano, 2001

“LECTURE”isn’t evil.

...but in 2009, perhaps 45 minute lectures

are.

“CHUNKING”works.

15 minutes of “lecture”followed by an active

summarizationexperience

Souza, 2001

SO WHAT DOES IT

LOOK LIKE?

MANY STRATEGIES:

• ACTIVATE STUDENT’S PERSONAL BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE

• PRIME STUDENT’S BRAINS

• TEACH TEXT STRUCTURE...

Wormeli, 2005

TEACH UNDERLYING TEXT STRUCTURE:

• enumeration

• chronological order

• compare & contrast

• cause & effect

• problem & solution

Wormeli, 2005

*PS- a solid “test taking” strategy as well!

MORE STRATEGIES:

• INTRODUCE STUDENTS TO ANALOGIES

• CHUNK TEXT AND LEARNING EXPERIENCES

• TEACH ACTIVE READING TOOLS

• STRESS SCHOLARLY OBJECTIVITY

• TEACH STUDENTS TO EVALUATE THEIR OWN SUMMARIES

Wormeli, 2005