Instructional Design for PQ4R Method
Teaching with the PQ4R Method
I design an English reading class with the PQ4R
Method.
Use "How to Improve Our Study Habits?" as the teaching material
(Lesson One from Book One of College English published in China).
1. Assign students to preview the whole text to get the general ideas of the organization and the major points of "How to Improve Our Study Habits", asking them to pay attention to headings, and to identify what they will read about.
2. After students complete preview, divide them into groups of 4 to raise questions about what they read, using the "wh" words: how, where, when, etc. They can only work on the questions according to the headings they get or also with the topic sentences. Each group selects a secretary to note down the questions.
3. The secretary reports their questions.
4. Ask students to read the text, and try to answer the questions while reading instead of taking extensive notes.
5. After they finish reading, ask students to reflect on the material relating to things they already know, such as their own study habits, trying to analyse the pros and cons of their study habits.
6. Then, I require them to recite the text in pairs. They state points aloud, asking and answering questions in turns. They are permitted to use brief notes on main ideas.
7. In the final step - review, students work individually, asking themselves questions and trying to recall as much as possible. They can reread the material only when they are not sure of the answers.