ILS
Session 12: Previewing Text:
Skimming and Scanning
Objectives



To understand that reading is a
three stage process for the best
understanding
To apply skimming and
scanning techniques
To preview texts using I read/I
think strategies before beginning
writing.
Reading task: what is this
passage about?
If the balloons popped, the sound wouldn’t be able to
carry since then everything would be too far away from
the correct floor. A closed window would also prevent
the sound from carrying since most buildings tend to be
well insulated. Since the operation depends on the
steady flow of electricity, a break in the middle of the
wire would also cause problems. Of course, the fellow
could shout but the human voice is not loud enough to
carry that far. An additional problem is that the string
could break on the instrument. Then there would be no
accompaniment to the message. It is clear that the best
solution would involve less distance. Then there would
be fewer potential problems. With face to face contact,
the least number of things could go wrong.
Setting the Context
If the balloons popped, the sound wouldn’t
be able to carry since then everything would
be too far away from the correct floor. A
closed window would also prevent the sound
from carrying since most buildings tend to
be well insulated. Since the operation
depends on the steady flow of electricity, a
break in the middle of the wire would also
cause problems. Of course, the fellow could
shout but the human voice is not loud
enough to carry that far. An additional
problem is that the string could break on the
instrument. Then there would be no
accompaniment to the message. It is clear
that the best solution would involve less
distance. Then there would be fewer
potential problems. With face to face contact,
the least number of things could go wrong.
Corandic
Corandic is an emurient grof with many fribs. It
granks from corite, an olg which cargs like
lange. Corite grinkles several other tanances,
which garkers excarp by glarking the corite
and starping it in tranker-clarped strobs. The
tarances starp a chark which is expargated
with worters,branking a slorp. This slorp is
garped through several other corusces, finally
frasting a pragety,blickant crankle: coranda.
Coranda is a cargurt, grinking corandic and
borigen. The corandic is nacerated from the
borigen by means of loacacity. Thus garkers
finally thrap a glick, bracht, glupous grapant,
corandic, which granks with many starps.
Corandic questions

What is Corandic?

How do garkers excarp?

What is Coranda?
How to we begin reading
tasks?
Before
Reading
During
After
Before you begin reading





Look at how the text is organised - what are the
headings, subheadings, illustrations and
captions telling you about what this text might
be about?
Look for key terms in the text - annotate next to
the text what these mean. Circle any words
that you don’t know the meaning of and then
re-read the sentence and see if you can work it
out.
Read the introduction to the text and the
conclusion - summarise what you think the text
might be about.
Bullet point next to the text what you already
know about the topic.
Begin reading.
Skimming technique
What is it?
When you SKIM, you read quickly to get the main
idea of a paragraph, page, chapter or article, and a
few (but not all!) of the details.
Why do I skim
Skimming allows you to read quickly to get a general
sense of a text so that you can decide whether it has
useful information for you. You may also skim to get a
key idea. After skimming a piece of, you might decide
hat you want or need to read it in greater depth.
How do I skim?
1.
2.
3.
Read in
this
direction.
4.
5.
Read the first few paragraphs, two, or three middle
paragraphs, and the final two or three paragraphs of
a piece, trying to get a basic understanding of the
information.
Some people prefer to skim by reading the first and
last sentence of each paragraph, that is, the topic
sentences and concluding sentences.
If there are pictures, diagrams or charts, a quick
glance at them and their captions may help you to
understand the main idea or point of view in the
text.
Remember: You do not have to read every word
when you skim.
Generally move your eyes horizontally (and quickly)
when you skim
Scanning technique
What is it?
When you SCAN, you move your eyes quickly down
a page or list to find one specific detail.
Why do I scan
Scanning allows you to locate quickly a single fact, date,
name or word in a text without trying to read or
understand the rest of the piece. You may need that fact
or word later to respond to a question or to add a
specific detail to something you are writing.
How do I scan?
1.
2.
3.
Read in
this
direction.
4.
Knowing your text well is important. Make a
prediction about where in a chapter you might find
the word, name, fact, term, or date.
Note how the information is arranged on a page.
Will headings, diagrams, or boxed or highlighted
items guide you? Is information arranged
alphabetically or numerically as it might be in a
telephone book or glossary?
Move your eyes vertically or diagonally down the
page, letting them dart quickly from side to side and
keeping in mind that exact type of information that
you want. Look for other closely associated words
that might steer you towards the detail for which you
are looking.
Aim for 100% accuracy!
One last tip...

I read/I think/Therefore

As we have seen earlier in the session a great deal
of what is read by students (and teachers ) is read
but not processed and understood.

It is very easy to have a book open and read it for
30 minutes and then realise you couldn’t say a
single thing that you have read!

I read/I think/Therefore is a strategy that you can
use to begin your reading and ensure that you
identify the main points and digest what the text is
about. This technique can also be done prior to
reading proper.
Plenary

On your post-it, how can what
you have learnt in today’s
session help you with your wider
reading in your subjects?
ILS
Session 14: Reading strategies 2
Session objectives

-
-
-
Try out a range of reading
strategies that can be used;
To help reading of complex text
outside of lessons
To help summarise important
information inside lessons
To help revise for end of year
examinations
Remember...



The last session you had on
reading strategies focused on
skimming and scanning.
THINK-PAIR-SHARE - turn to
your partner and explain the
process of each one.
Have you used these strategies
since in your reading? If yes, did
it help? If not, why not?
In groups



Each group will be given a new
reading strategy to try out.
You will be given a set of
instructions for how to complete the
activity and will then need to prepare
a short presentation to feedback to
the rest of the students.
Your mission is to try and
convince them that your strategy
is the best strategy ever!!!
The reading strategies are...






KWL (3 students)
Hot Spots (4 students)
Two-column notes (2 students)
Most/least important (3
students)
Both sides now (3 students)
Sequence flow chart (3
students)
I promise...



I promise to try...
In this subject...
When...