01/26/2024 RWSKILLS Reading Skills According to an article published by twinkl (n.d) reading skills is an ability of an individual to comprehend and interpret any written text. These skills encompass a range of cognitive processes that enable individuals to understand, analyze, and extract meaning. Exceptional reading skills can help you understand and respond to written communications such as emails, messages, letters, and other written messages. Reading skills in the workplace can improve textual communication, reducing misinterpretation and misunderstandings. There are several skills that are necessary for good reading comprehension. First, Decoding is the ability to sound out words that youngsters have heard but have not seen written down. Is often referred to as ‘sounding out’ words. This skill involves the use of phonics, where it is defined as the ability to recognize the connection between sounds and letters they make. This is an important step in the reading process because it lays the groundwork for subsequent reading skills. This skill is strongly reliant on an early linguistic phenomenon known as phonemic awareness. Children gain phonemic awareness when learning about syllables, words, or even sounds, as this awareness refers to the ability to hear and manipulate various sounds into words. Second, Fluency is the capacity to read aloud clearly, accurately, and with speed. It is a skill that is required for effective reading comprehension. It is also important for when they encounter irregular words or words that they are not familiar with as individuals that are fluent readers read smoothly with a good pace and without too many pauses. You can also observe that fluent readers cna group words together easily and use the correct tone when they are reading aloud. Third, Vocabulary, to be able to understand what you’re reading, it is a must that you know the definition of the words you’re reading. Having a rich vocabulary is an essential component of reading comprehension. Students can learn vocabulary with training, however they often learn the meaning of words through experience. The more words an individual's know, the better they are at reading and understanding the information they are reading. Fourth, Inference this refers to the connection of the information you are reading and your idea or opinions in which this would help in identifying the meaning of just what they've read. Inference happens when we read a text where its purpose or meaning is not directly written inside the text. Therefore this skill would be a help to readers as they connect the ideas and also increases retention. Writing Skill Writing Skill refers to the ability used to communicate with an individual effectively through writing. This skill is required in practically all vocations, and effective writing skills enable individuals to communicate their message clearly and easily to a bigger audience. Writing talents are not confined to artistic careers; practically every employment requires them in some form. This skill includes research, planning , outlining, revising, etc. Written skills are useful for a variety of reasons, particularly in business. They are critical for effective communication, helping employees to coordinate their work, communicate with coworkers, react to clients, and retain professionalism in written interactions. Good writing abilities increase one's professional image, job prospects, and capacity to convince and influence others in professional contexts. Furthermore, creating well-crafted application materials such as resumes and cover letters is critical for securing a job. Overall, writing abilities are an important aspect of communication and are highly valued in the job. DIFFERENCE OF ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL TEXT Academic Academic writing refers to the essays, articles, news, etc. that you do as an assignment. An academic text is done mostly to exhibit your knowledge and experience in a specific area or topic of interest. Academic papers are frequently created for someone who has more time to read and consider your ideas. For these documents, you can utilize lengthier sentences and passive voice. There are four main types of academic writing which are descriptive, analytical, persuasive and critical. Each of these types have its own purpose and usage. Descriptive is the simplest type of academic text and most used, its purpose is self explanatory, it aims to provide facts and inform the audience Analytical writing is a pretty common way to express yourself in academics. When doing a study, the author can't just stick to describing things, they need to mix it up and use different writing styles to get the point across. It's not just about giving out facts; they should also arrange them in a way that makes sense to your readers. Instead of just throwing out info, they need to explain what it means and how it all fits together. Words like "look at," "compare," "connect," "difference," and "break down" are the usual ones you'd use in analytical writing. Persuasive writing in simple terms is like analytical writing but with your opinion and with the purpose of ‘persuading’. Words such as “evaluate”, “argue”, and “suggests” signify a persuasive form of academic writing. This type of academic writing may be an interpretation, recommendation, debates, etc. just make sure that you support these with enough evidence to fully persuade your audience. And lastly, Critical writing is used for advanced pieces or work, this kind of writing is an advanced level of persuasive writing where the opinion of the author is not just what matters but also their viewpoint. This is usually used for research, dissertations, reviews and critical analysis. Professional Professional writing is aimed at colleagues, business associates, managers, and occasionally, clients. It tends to be more succinct, direct, and frequently employs the active voice. The readership for professional writing typically comprises individuals with varying levels of knowledge, perspectives, and attention spans. Business (or professional) writing aims to convey a message that will influence actions or opinions on a certain topic. The emphasis is generally on hard facts, leaving little room for the writers' opinions. As a result, professional writing is more brief and 'to the point' than academic writing, and therefore shorter. DIFFERENT ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL TEXT 1. Essay - An essay is a piece of writing that is intended to educate the reader on a specific subject or to persuade someone of something. The essay needs to have multiple crucial elements in order to make sense and convince the reader. It also needs to be well-informed. 2. Research – Is an in depth investigation usually a requirement for passing in school, it is a study of materials and other sources in order to establish facts, answer questions and reach conclusions about a particular problem or topic. 3. Thesis Dissertation - One kind of research paper that is based on your own research is a thesis. Typically, it is turned in as the capstone project for a bachelor's degree or as the last assignment in a master's program. 4. Research Proposal - research proposal is a written document that suggests a study, usually in the academic or scientific domains, and typically serves as a request for funding for the project. 5. Lab Report – Are written reports that describes and analyze a laboratory experiment. 6. Annotated Bibliography - A bibliography that includes an annotation provides a synopsis of every entry. Annotations are meant to give the reader a synopsis and assessment of each source. REFERENCES: GCU. (2022, March 21). Why is writing important? https://www.gcu.edu/blog/gcu-experience/why-writing-important Homework help canada. (2023, April 19). Academic writing vs professional writing | Homework help Canada. Homework Help. https://www.homeworkhelpglobal.com/ca/blog/academic-writing-vs-profession al-writing/ Indeed. (n.d.). How to Improve reading Skills https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/how-to-improve-r eading-skills Lee & JD. (2023, October 5). 6 reading comprehension skills. Understood. https://www.understood.o rg/en/articles/6-essential-skills-needed-for-readingcomprehension Planetspark.in. (n.d.). Types of reading skills. PlanetSpark. https://www.planetspark.in/blogs/types-of-reading-skills Taylor P. (2015, November 4). Differences between academic and professional / Business writing. LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/differences-between-academic-professional-b usiness-writing-taylor Twinkl. (n.d.). Different types of of Reading Skills and Strategies| Reading Ability. https://www.twinkl.com.ph/teaching-wiki/reading-skills The University of Sydney. (2022, October 26). Types of academic writing. https://www.sydney.edu.au/students/writing/types-of-academic-writing.html Study.com (n.d). Decoding in Reading | Definition, Strategies & Examples. https://study.com/academy/lesson/teaching-decoding-reading-strategies.html#:~:text=What %20is%20decoding%20in%20reading,by%20a%20string%20of%20letters.
