READING SKILLS

Reading skills include Vocabulary skills Visual perceptual skills Prediction techniques Scanning Skimming Intensive reading skills

1. Vocabulary skills

Very important to develop reading skillsIt involves 1. Word meaning recognition2. Guessing the meaning of unknown words

from word structure and context

1.1 Word meaning recognition

A. first step to understand the written message

Perceive the words & phrases used develop sight recognition skill

Recognize their definitions recall their meanings Do not stop reading Do not immediately consult the dictionary Guess the meaning

1.2 Guessing the meaning of unknown words from word structure and context

While reading journals/ sport manuals some words may be difficult to comprehend

a. Analysis of word structure understand from the use of prefix/suffix/root

word Eg. Interurban Inter+ urban

b. Analysis of context cluesEg.

Illustrations Linguistic clues

Common prefixes

a/an/ill/dis- not Im/un Anti -against Bi - two, twice De - away Ex-former Hetro –different Homo-similar Inter-between Intra -within Mis- wrong Micro-small Mono-one

Multi-many Over-more Post-after Pseudo-false Pro-in support of Re- repeat Semi-half Sub-under Super-above Trans-across

Common suffixes

Able,ible- able to, can be done Ance, ence, tion-state of being Ant,ent- person Al, ly- similar to (legal, mental) Cy, cracy-condition (diplomacy) Er, or- person, degree ( writer, doctor, hotter) Ess- feminine (waitress, tigress) Ify- make,do Ful-full of Less-not Ship-being

Analysis of context clues

Look for contextual signal words illustrations Linguistic cluesEg: He is down-to-earth and you will find his

approach to life very practical (helps in inferring the meaning)

Egs.Although she is loquacious, she remains silent

before her fatherShe is discourteous, and you will never find him

polite to other people.He is very………, while his wife is scruffy.

2. Eye Reading &Visual perceptual skills

For effective eye reading one needs Accurate visual perception of words

&phrase Fixations Complete elimination of vocalization

do not read aloud as it reduces our speed Fix your eye on a particular word etc. Read word groups/thought unit Do not read word by word

Avoid vocalization or sub vocalization Improve visual perception of words etc. Rapidly recognize the meaning Concentrate while reading

3.Prediction technique

Rapid reading skill read fast

To guess the information To think ahead

-hypothesis

Predicting the contents Headings Sub headings One’s back ground knowledge of

subject graph diagram charts

Involves micro skills Use of index guess the information Scan graphic / non-verbal clues Predict the nature &scope Use discourse linguistic clues

Involves pre-reading survey of the text

a. Glancing rapidlyb. Guessing informationc. Recalling related informationd. Analysing the aids given

These make reading faster

4. Scanning skills

The technique you use when you're looking up a

name in the phone book: you move your eye

quickly over the page to find particular words or

phrases that are relevant to the task you're doing.

It's useful to scan parts of texts to see if they're going to be useful to you: the introduction or preface of a book the first or last paragraphs of chapters the concluding chapter of a book. Specific point of fact Relevant graphic details Formulae in text A word in dictionary Train/ television schedules References/bibliographical listings Examination results

Suggestions to improve reading skills

Know what you want to find Do not read everything (focused,

concentrate on information needed) Use guides and aids Know the organisation structure of the

material (Ads, news paper listings, analyse how information is structured)

Concentrate while scanning (improves visual perception an to identify the information)

5. Skimming skills

The technique you use when you're going through a newspaper or magazine: you read quickly to get the main points, and skip over the detail..

It's useful to skim: To understand the central idea/main

points To discover the purpose of the text To identify different writing patterns used

to develop ideas in text to preview a passage before you read it

in detail to refresh your understand of a passage

after you've read it in detail. Use skimming when you're trying to

decide if a book in the library or bookshop is right for you

Skimming should answer the following questions

What is the over all purpose of the text? What is the central idea? What is the logical orgnisation?[ general to specific; specific to general;

chronological; more important to less important or vice versa and so on]

What does the author intend to say (describe, instruct, report, narrate, explain,

argue, persuade, illustrate and so on…) What are the main points?

5.1 Identifying central idea

Identify What is the subject? What does the author want to say about

the subject? What is the author’s point of view? Care fully read the title/main

heading/sub-headings/opening paragraph/last paragraph

5.2 recognising main ideas

Once central idea is identified process to recognize main ideas to expand the central idea

Identify the topic sentence the discourse coherence Text organizations Meaning function of sentence patterns

accurately Semantic/discourse markers and their

function

Topic sentence

Each paragraph deal with one main idea and that is the topic sentence (beginning paragraph)

Topic sentence summarizes the paragraph

it may beGeneralized statementDescription, problem,The other sentences develop, support,

exemplify the central idea

5.2 Identifying writing patterns

While skimming discover the specific writing patterns: Definitions Description Sequence of events Generalisation Classification Illustration of examples Causes and effect Comparison &contrast

6. Intensive reading skills

Intensive Reading: Intensive reading is detailed reading that demands better

concentration and motivation. Intensive reading skill include distinguish between facts and opinions, and drawing inferences and conclusions.

a)      Detailed Reading: Intensive reading requires text analysis for critical and evaluative understanding of a text.

b)      Critical Reading: Distinguishing between facts and opinions with critical and analyse the information in a text.

c)       Inferential Reading: It is the process of knowing the unknown from the known. Inference can be defined as a statement that is based on some situations, observations, facts, or specific details.

Micro skills of intensive reading

A. understanding major & minor details B. distinguishing between factual &non-

factual information Understanding the characteristics of a

writer’s use of language Interpreting graphic information Evaluating writer’s attitude/intention Responding to more plain sense of words distinguishing between explicit &implicit

information Drawing inferences &conclusions

6.1 Distinguishing between facts &opinions

To be effective one must be critical and have analytical skill –understanding the text and as well respond

What is Fact? Fact is truth that can be objectively verified

by observation and experimentationWhat is opinion?Opinion is subjective and it can not be

objectively verifiedOne must be discern the truth

Differences between facts &opinions

FACTS1. India is an

agricultural countrySeveral Multinational companies have been opened up in India

OPINIONS India is a great

country

The coming of multinational companies have boosted the economy of India

Drawing inferences & conclusions

An inference can be defined as a statement that is based on some situations, observations, facts or specific details. Drawing inference is the knowing the unknown from the known. All the theories and laws of science have gone through the process of induction, which is an important method of drawing inferences. Induction is reasoning process of drawing general statement from specific observations. Inferences and conclusions can be drawn from the following;

Facts Specific details Examples and illustrations Factual observations Contextual clues

Examples

We may find that it is easier to pull down than to do certain amount of work by exerting small forces through large distances, rather than large forces through small distances. We can, therefore, perform certain tasks more easily in some ways than in others.