Previewing: A Directed Reading-Thinking Activity

Previewing is an effective reading strategy that has been examined by researchers (Perry, 1959; Smith, 1985; Stauffer, 1969) as a technique to help students to retain textbook material. In previewing, students learn to establish purposes for reading and to make accurate predictions, actions which reinforce and enhance the learning process. Yet, many students do not bother to preview. Students open their textbooks and just start reading from page to page--an unstructured activity which severely limits the amount of learning accomplished