Reading Comprehension

Reading Techniques Summary

1- Predicting/ Guessing: Provides a general orientation about the theme/ topic of the text (articles, labels, instruction manuals, etc) and helps the reader to predict about the information in the text that he/she will later check when reading the text itself. The reader can do this by:

A-Reading the title, the subtitles, headings, subheadings, etc.B-Looking at photographs, drawings, charts, graphs, tables, etc.C-paying attention to the printing that is different in size, darkness, etc.(boldface, italics)

2-Skimming: It is defined as a quick, superficial reading of a text in order to get a gist (general idea) of it. It is particularly useful to get main ideas in a text. To read, study, or examine superficially and rapidly ; especially : to glance through (as a book) for chief ideas or the plot

3- Sampling : Provides an overview of the information. The reader does this by reading the first sentence in each paragraph in a text.It is useful to get a first glance

4- Scanning : It is defined as a more specific reading of a text. The reader reads over the text looking for a specific piece of information. It can be done as a pre-reading activity as well as a post-reading one. It is useful to answer questions, multiple choice activities, etc.

5- Guessing meaning from context: This technique is very useful when the reader faces unknown key words while reading a text. The following is the procedure for getting meaning from context:

1-Look at the unknown word and decide what part of the speech is; Is it a noun, a verb, an adjective or and adverb?

2-Look at the clause, phrase, or sentence which contains the unknown word;

a- If the unknown word is a noun, what adjectives describe it? What verb is it near?What does the noun do? Or what is it done to it?

b- If the unknown word is a verb, what noun does it go with? Is it modified by an adverb?

c- If the unknown word is an adjective, what noun does it modify?

d- If the unknown word is an adverb, what verb does it modify?

3- Look at the relationship between the sentence containing the unknown word and other sentences in the paragraphs. (Read the whole paragraph)

4-Use the knowledge you have gained from steps 1-3 to guess the meaning of the word

5-Check that your guess is correct. Do the following:

a-Replace the unknown word with your guess. If the sentence makes sense, your guess is probably correct.

b-If you are not sure, you can try another step: break the unknown word down into its prefix, root and suffix. This way, you will see the base word and you will probably be able to discover its meaning.