Gravity and Houser

What is Synthesis?

Synthesizing a text is the process of pulling together background knowledge, newly learned ideas, connections, inferences and summaries into a complete and original understanding of the text. When students synthesize, they are made aware of how their thinking changes and evolves as they read a text.

Think of using a metaphor

Synthesizing occurs when a students merges new information with prior knowledge to form a new idea, perspective, or opinion. As students read, they remember familiar information, create new thinking, discover original ideas, and achieve insight to new perspectives. Synthesizing aids reading comprehension because it requires students to internalize new information into their own words and also combine the information with their prior knowledge. This process helps students to remember the information and be able to transfer it to new situations (Bumgarner, S., 2014).

Untitled Slide

It is a process

"language users make mental marriages of their corresponding mental representations," (Benjamin K. Bergen 2012)

We want to learn not memorize. Memorizing allows you to recite or recall information on command. Learning means you understand the meaning of the information and can apply and use that information in your life in various situations.

What to look for when Students Synthesize

• Right-Now Thinking
• Over-Time Thinking
• Refining Thinking

Too often students rush to read, but they need to take time to think about what they are reading and the connections that can be made from the thinking.