Ann Ramies on reading and writing

Ann Ramies makes many observations of reading and writing. Throughout the years I have heard the strategies Ramies talked about, like underlining words and looking up their definitions, paying attention to details, writing in margins, etc. I think they are affective but often forget to do them. I never thought to do what she suggested about previewing the reading. It is a logical way to better understand the writer and their writing. I like all the suggestions that Ramies gave but I don’t think I would ever really do them. I mean I do my best to pay attention to details while I’m reading by highlighting and underlining but I don’t think students will really take the time to understand the writer by previewing their writing and what not. I think the main problem students come across is staying focus while reading. It took me almost all day to read the full passage, I found my mind wondering the whole time or thinking about how boring it was. I think it had to do with the fact that I have heard the things she was saying before and I didn’t find much interest in it at all. She made many good points but to me they were very redundant. They were almost common sense too, if you don’t understand or know a word, look it up. Who doesn’t think to do that? Why just struggle with it. I think I was taught to use the dictionary when I could read. Now with the technology today looking words up is as simple as typing it into your search browser or dictionary.com widget. When it comes to Ramies’s ideas on writing I have also heard of these strategies but unlike her reading strategies I do them. I do sometimes brainstorm about a topic before writing out my paper or whatever it is I’m writing. I agree with what she says about writing being a way of learning, learning about yourself and styles of writing. All in all Ramies brings up good points and strategies but nothing she said was anything new to me.