Unit 2: Read, Read, and Read More!
In this unit, you will read for the purpose of building your vocabulary for your field of study. When you begin studying a topic in college, it will be important to know the words being used and what they mean. For example, a "program" means one thing when used in computer science and another thing when used in business. In this unit, you'll learn to use strategies to find and keep track of those specialized vocabulary words. Finally, you'll practice "mapping" what you read to organize the terms and ideas you find. At the end of this unit, you'll know how to develop a larger vocabulary to help you move forward in your college studies.
Completing this unit should take you approximately 4 hours.
Upon successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
- read for the purpose of expanding your vocabulary of Standard American English terms commonly used in academic contexts; and
- demonstrate comprehension by mapping a reading for concept organization.
As you begin your program of study, you'll find that there are words specific to that field. Words that are used frequently in app development may not be used at all in marketing. Or, the same words may be used, but in very different ways. It's important to know how your field uses vocabulary and what is meant by certain words and phrases. Watch this video to see a few strategies for learning the specialized vocabulary for your field.
It can be overwhelming to keep track of all the new words and phrases you learn throughout your education. A KIM chart is a good way to help you keep track of and remember all this new vocabulary. KIM stands for keyword, information, memory cue. Using a KIM chart can help you retain the vocabulary you're learning and show you how far you've come in your academic English language abilities. Read this page on creating a KIM chart and then complete the activity.
When you're done reading and have a good understanding of the meaning of the words used, it's time to think about the ideas or concepts that the writer shared. Some articles include a lot of ideas and concepts, so it's helpful to be able to organize them in a way that's easy to refer to. Concept maps help break down large chunks of information into what's important. This helps you understand and remember what you read. Watch this video on creating a concept map, and then complete the activity.
Unit 2 Assessment
- Receive a grade
Take this assessment to see how well you understood this unit.
- This assessment does not count towards your grade. It is just for practice!
- You will see the correct answers when you submit your answers. Use this to help you study for the final exam!
- You can take this assessment as many times as you want, whenever you want.