If you
search online, you will find many homepages with a lot of different reading
strategies. Here, I will focus on those strategies which I find the most
important.
Predicting
Sometimes,
when we read an article, we skip some parts of the sentences or do not read them
very carefully. This is because we usually know how the sentences end. We
predict the information. Let me give you a quick example: “After washing the
salad, you need to cut it and place it in a bowl. Add tomatoes,…” Of course you
will know that the numeration will contain vegetables. The sentences were about
the preparation of a salad and you will know what belongs in a mixed salad; or
what NOT belongs in a salad. So you will be very sure, that the sentences won’t
end with: “Add tomatoes, … and screws and nuts.”
 |
| Skimming (source:http://javieralfonsouny. blogspot.com.es/) |
Skimming
Skimming is
a form of speed reading. This means that you do not read the text in full
detail, but rather look for key words or ideas. Just imagine yourself in a
pizza restaurant. You are not sure what they have on offer and you do not want
anything in particular. You just skip from every menu entry to the next one,
looking for anything you might like. This is skimming.
Skimming also
comes in handy when you learn a new language. You will need less time looking
for desired information. Usually, you only read the first sentence of a paragraph before moving on to the next paragraph.
If you want
to learn more about skimming and also exercise your skimming skills, have a
look at that homepage. It gives you more insights and also various exercises: http://www.uefap.com/reading/efficien/skim/skim.htm
.
Scanning
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| Scanning (source: http://library.wrdsb.ca/ research/reading-for-information/) |
Scanning is
also a form of speed reading. Again, you do not read the text in full detail,
but you look at it more closely than you would do when skimming. When you think
about the pizza example: You know which pizza you want to have, but yet, you
still have a look in the menu to look if this restaurant offers your choice.
So, when
you scan for information, you already have an idea in mind. Now you just look
into the text to see if it says anything about your idea.
This game
will help you improve your scanning skills: http://www.bbc.co.uk/skillswise/game/en05skim-game-the-big-scan
.
But, when
to skim and when to scan?
This
depends on your purpose of reading. If you are not sure about the needed information, but want to get an
overview, it is better to skim the text. If you know which information you are
looking for, you will scan the text.
Another
strategy, which most of the language learner use is “intensive reading”.
You read
the text word for word and in full detail. People tend to do intensive reading
when they do not speak the language well or look for very specific information
in a text. Another reason is the level
of the text. If you read a very scientific text, you will read it more careful
then a magazine with recipes.
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