Self-Portrait

Reflecting on What You Know About Yourself as a Reader, Writer, and Learner
ERWC is designed to help you to strengthen your academic preparation for college and beyond. The following questions will guide an initial metacognitive personal investigation of the way you read and write. Take three to five minutes per question to brainstorm and write responses to each of the following six questions. Please add evidence to support your position.

1. How do you feel about reading? Can you describe a time when you really enjoyed something you were reading? What do you know about how you read?
   (For example, complete the following sentences: “When I come across a passage that leaves me puzzled, I usually examine the context.” “I ask myself questions about what I’m reading when I want to analyze the meaning.” “I am more successful reading when I am engaged.”)

When I come across a passage that leaves me puzzled, I usually examine the context.” “I ask myself questions about what I’m reading when I want to analyze the meaning.” “I am more successful reading when I am engaged and actively absorbing the story and trying to evaluate the text.

2. How do you feel about writing? Can you describe a time when you wrote something that you enjoyed writing? What do you know about how you write?
   (For example, complete the following sentences: “When I don’t know how to organize my ideas for a writing assignment, I usually ____.” “When I try to persuade my reader to agree with my beliefs and opinions, I usually ____.” “I am usually more successful writing when __.”)
3. What would you like to learn about reading and writing? What reading and writing skills do you feel less confident about and would like to develop?
4. Describe a time when you set a goal for yourself and how you went about working toward the attainment of that goal. What was the goal? How did you go about trying to achieve it? What or who helped you to move toward the goal? What got in your way? Are there any goals you are currently working to achieve? If you were to describe your degree of confidence in your ability to set and achieve goals you create for yourself, how would you describe your level of confidence in setting, undertaking, and achieving goals?
5. We know from research that people tend to prefer to learn in a particular style or mode. Those learning styles include visual (by seeing), auditory (by hearing), or tactile (by doing). From what you know of yourself, in which of these three modes do you think you prefer to learn? Could you provide an example of your learning in that mode? Are there times when a combination of styles serves your learning best? If so, what are these combinations?
6. When there’s a discussion in class about a book or topic, do you like to jump in and participate? Or do you prefer to listen to the conversation and take it in? Are you comfortable asking questions in class? Or do you prefer to figure things out on your own even though you may be having trouble understanding a text or an issue? Would you challenge someone’s opinion in class if you didn’t agree with it or saw the issue in a different way?