Introduction

Making Connections is a resource that was developed to promote the self-directed use of learning strategies.

Modelling is a method of teaching learning strategies whereby the teacher verbally shows how he/she constructs meaning from the text, decides what's important, relates information across sentences, and paragraphs, deals with difficulties in making sense of the text.

This workbook was developed to try to put that method into a form that a student could use by himself or with direction from a tutor or instructor.

The reading portion uses three basic requirements for reading: Previewing, Reading for purpose, and Remembering or Supporting. It encourages the student to use a pre-reading exercise of what is already known and what they might find out from the information. Then the lesson shows how to relate what they are reading to what is already known or what they want to know. Finally the student is encouraged to use a variety of ways to learn information according to their learning style. Questions about the information at the end of each article gives the student an opportunity to test out how the strategy works for them.

The math portion uses a five step sequence: read, reflect, respond, record, and re-evaluate. It encourages the student to look for key words, important and relevant information, to restate the problem, look for a formula and estimate. The student responds with a method of solving the problem.

This resource could be used with students who have a problem in reading comprehension, or problem solving. It will give students a working relationship with a reading/ math strategy that can be transferred to other reading necessary for the workplace or other study.