Content
Before doing the first assignment in this Final Evaluation Unit, let's review a number of reading strategies you’ve studied in previous units.
Before Reading: Features of the text
As with any text – narrative, graphical or informational – the same before reading strategies apply. You were introduced to these in Unit 2. Even though the "form" is different, look at the text for the hints that will help in your understanding of the text.
Before reading a text, here are some helpful hints:
Look at the text and note the following:
- Are there pictures in the text? What do the pictures tell us about the text?
- Are there different font sizes? What is the purpose of the larger fonts?
- Are there any bolded fonts? Why are they bolded?
- Are some words in color? Are the colors significant?
- Are there sections in the text? If so, how many? What is purpose of the sections?
- Is there a headline or title? What does the headline or title suggest about the content of the text?
- Do any punctuation marks stand out? What is the function of these punctuation marks?
- Are there any marginal notes? What information is provided in the margin notes?
- Are there boxes with questions at the top, bottom, sides of the text? What is the purpose of these questions?
- Are there graphs, tables or charts? What is the purpose of these graphic organizers?
Similarly, you need to ask yourself the same questions that guided you to a better comprehension of the narrative and graphical texts in Units 1 and 2.
The next step is to ask yourself these questions BEFORE reading:
- What clues does the title/subtitle reveal?
- Based on the genre of writing, how will you read this selection?
- What expectations do you have when you read a news report?
- What information do you know about the topic?
- What information could be researched to deepen your understanding of the text?
- Why are you reading this article? What is your goal?
- What information do you hope this anecdote will include?
- What questions do you hope this anecdote will answer?
- Why do you think the author wrote this news report?
- When you scan the text features - title, subtitle, headings, illustrations, captions, bold print, italicized phrases, what details can be collected to help you prepare for reading?
Pre-Reading: Skimming and Scanning:
It is important to apply the skimming and scanning skills you acquired in the course.
Here are a few strategies that can be used when skimming:
- Read the title, subtitles, subheading, and illustrations.
- Reading the first sentence of each paragraph. This technique is useful when you're seeking specific information rather than reading for comprehension.
- Skim to find dates, names, and places.
- Skim to review graphs, tables, and charts.
Here are a few strategies when scanning:
- Look for the author's use of organizers such as numbers, letters, steps
- Look at the author's use of words - first, second, or next.
- Look for words that are bold faced, italics, or in a different font size, style, or color.
- Look at the margins, if any - sometimes the author will put key ideas in the margin.
STRATEGIES DURING READING:
- ASK QUESTIONS: Ask yourself these types of questions:
- What can I ask myself as I read this text to help me understand?
- Does this make sense?
- How does this information connect towhat I already know?
- What does the writer say about…?
- What does the writer mean by…?
- I still need answers to the question…
- UNDERSTAND THE TEXT: To help in your understanding of what you read, think aloud using the following prompts:
- At a tricky part in the text, I…
- I need to pause to think about…
- I need to take a closer look at…
- Should I break the text into “chunks”
- I need to summarize as I read
- I need to discuss what I have read.
- MAKE INFERENCES: Think aloud using the following
Prompts:
- How can I read between the lines?
- Based on what I have just read, I now realize…
- The evidence that supports my thinking is…
- I can now conclude…
- I think… because
- VISUALIZE: To better understand while reading, think aloud using the following prompts:
- I pictured what … might look like.
- I created a mental image of…
- I used the images to help me…
- MAKE CONNECTIONS: Ask yourself how can I use what I already know to help me understand this text? Make connections to the following:
- Your own experience.
- To other texts you have read.
- To the world.
Then think aloud using the following prompts:
- I already know about…
- This text reminds me of…
- This compares to…
- This text is different from… because…
- This section made me think about...
- THINK TO READ: When you get to an unfamiliar word or section, do the following:
- Look at photographs, diagrams, tables, or charts.
- Reread for meaning.
- Use context and clues for hints.
- Skip and return.
- Pause and ask questions.
- TAKE GOOD NOTES by underlining or highlighting words and phrases:
- Underline or highlight the main idea(s)
- Underline or highlight key words
- Underline or highlight symbols, colours …
Here are some questions to use DURING reading.
Monitor your level of comprehension. Apply problem-solving strategies when comprehension breaks down:
- What do you understand from the paragraph you just read?
- Could you summarize its key ideas?
- What words represent the key ideas?
- What clues in this paragraph will help you understand that unfamiliar word?
- Do you need to reread the paragraph to understand what the author is saying?
- Do you need to slow down your reading in order to understand the ideas?
- What strategies can you use to unlock the meanings in this text?
- What images can you visualize using text details in order to build your understanding?
- Do you need to stop and check the dictionary for an unfamiliar word?
- Is it essential to know its definition in order to understand the main ideas of the article? Or can you read on?
Stop or Before You Proceed
If you have any questions, please ask your teacher before proceeding to the first assignment in the Final Evaluation.
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Overview | Expectations | Content | Assignment
