Reading

SKIMMING,

SCANNING, AND

CONTEXTUAL

CLUES

Multiple Select

Write the definition of:

Skimming

Scanning

• Skimming: Quickly reading to get a general idea.

• Scanning: Looking for hidden messages
• Skimming: Reading only the first and last paragraphs
• Scanning: Searching for specific information.

SKIMMING

Multiple Select

Which of the following are the examples of skimming?

• Reading the headlines of a newspaper.

• Magazines – to quickly discover which articles you would like to read in more detail

• Reading a bus / airplane schedule

• Reading a novel from cover to cover

Working quickly…

1.Read the title if there is one.

2.Read the introduction or the first paragraph if there is one.

3.Read the first sentence of every paragraph.

4.Notice any pictures, charts, or graphs.

5.Notice any italicized or boldface words or phrases.

6.Read the summary or last paragraph if there is one.

How to skim?

Skim this

paragraph

in 30 seconds

Skimming & Scanning: How To

When you skim and scan, you need to cover everything,
even titles, subtitles, side features, and visuals. That bit
of information you need may not be tidily packaged in a
paragraph, so you need to check the entire page--not just
the main body of the text, there are also many visual
clues that help you to find information. Heads and
subheads break up the text and identify the content of
each part. Where key terms are introduced and defined,
they appear in boldface type. Graphs and charts have
titles and/or captions that tell you what they are about.
These clues will help you to find information. . . but only
if you use them.

Multiple Select

Based on the paragraph, when you are skimming and scanning, you need to...

• Cover everything

• Check entire page

• Read every word in detail
• Focus on key words, headings, and the first and last sentences of paragraphs.
• Notice visual clues

SCANNING

Examples of Scanning:

◦ A google search list on the internet.

◦ A bus / airplane schedule

◦ A conference guide

◦ A graph

How to scan

◦ State the specific information you are looking for.

◦ Try to anticipate how the answer will appear and what clues you might use to
help you locate the answer. For example, if you were looking for a certain date,
you would quickly read the paragraph looking only for numbers.

◦ Use headings and any other aids that will help you identify which sections might
contain the information you are looking for.

◦ Selectively read and skip through sections of the passage.

Draw

1. When did the plague reach England?

2. Who seemed the most likely to be infected by the plague?

3. How did people avoid the plague?

4. What was the plague really caused by?

CONTEXTUAL
CLUES

What are contextual clues?

◦ Hints in the text that help you
understand unfamiliar words

◦ Helps you to keep reading
despite there are words that
you don’t know.

◦ Context clues are key pieces of
information that help a reader
understand the meaning of a
word without requiring them to
look it up in a dictionary
(Baumann, Edwards, Boland,
Olejnik, & Kame’enui, 2003).

Types:
• Definition
• Explanation
• Synonym Clues
• Antonym Clues
• Inference Clues
• Example Clues
• Image Clues

Source: https://helpfulprofessor.com/context-clues-examples/

Guess the Meaning!

“The town’s cathedral, a large,
important church, was built in
the 14th century.”

Multiple Choice

There is a large demand all over the United States for plants indigenous to the desert. Many people in Arizona have made a good business of growing and selling cacti and other local plants.

• native

• necessary

• foreign

• alien

Multiple Choice

I believe that if you lower taxes so that people can keep more of the money they earn, it will be an incentive for them to work harder. What is the meaning of “incentive”?

• a reason to do something

• a tax

• a small amount of money

• a good job

Multiple Choice

Exorbitant cars like Masserati, Ferrari, Lamborghini and even Bugatti can only be purchased by special orders.

What is the meaning of exorbitant?

• Expensive

• Powerful

• Famous

Multiple Choice

Due to her busy schedule she forgot to have any meals. By supper time, she's feeling famished and ready to gobble down her food.

What is famished?

• feeling faint

• extremely hungry

• super tired

EXPLICIT & IMPLIED
MAIN IDEA

Main Idea

The main idea is the general idea or main point of a passage,
news report, talk or a conversation.

A simple way to find out main ideas is to ask yourself what the
passage is about or what does the writer wants you to know about
the topic?

The main idea normally summarized in one sentence. In newspaper
report, the newspaper may be expressed in the headline.

It is important to find main ideas when reading. Main ideas help readers
remember important information and stay focus.

The main idea of a paragraph tells the topic of the paragraph. The topic
tells what all or most of the sentences are about.

There are two ways to convey the main ideas. What are they?

Why it is important?

Multiple Choice

What does explicit mean?

• Not stated in the passage

• Clearly stated in the passage

Multiple Choice

What does implied mean?

• Clearly stated in the passage

• Not clearly stated in the passage

Multiple Choice

There are many reasons why schools are great places for students. First, students can learn social skills from their classmates and teachers. Second, students are able to form a routine by going to classes daily. Third, the school provides lunches to students who may not get lunch at home.

Is the main idea explicit or implied?

• Explicit

• Implied

Multiple Choice

Hide and Seek is a great game to play outside. One player counts while the other players hide. After the counter is done, they try to find all of the other players. Another game to play outside is tag. Tag allows players to run around and catch one another.

• Explicit

• Implied

Multiple Choice

There are many streaming services that make it easier to watch movies at home. One example of a streaming service is Netflix. Netflix has many original movies and TV shows. Another example of a streaming service is Hulu. Hulu has TV shows that are sure to make your Friday night more enjoyable.

• Explicit

• Implied

Multiple Choice

Busch Gardens is a very fun place to take your family on vacation. You can enjoy the rides in the park and eat delicious food. You can also take your family to the beach for vacation. Your family will love sitting outside and listening to the waves.

• Explicit

• Implied

FIND THE MAIN
IDEA

QUICK ACTIVITY:

Multiple Choice

Bella is going to have a birthday party. She is turning fifteen on Sunday. The dress that she will wear was bought from France. Both of her parents spent a lot for this celebration. All her friends are invited to the party. What is the main idea?

• All her friends are invited

• Bella’s peach dress

• Bella’s birthday party

Multiple Choice

Everybody is busy for the Literacy Month. A school program will be held this Friday. The Kinder teachers prepared a dance number. Grade 2 students will have a song number. The Grade 3 will do a short skit.

What is the main idea?

• Song number of Grade 2 students

• School program for the Literacy Month

• The Grade 3 will do a short skit

Multiple Choice

Lillianna and Layla were at the store. They were looking for a nice gift for their mother. Lillianna wanted to buy a bag but Layla wanted a dress for her. Finally, they decided to get a small purse and a yellow dress.

What is the main idea?

• Mother’s birthday

• Buying a gift for mother

• Two girls shopping

Topic Sentence and
Supporting Details

A topic sentence is a sentence within paragraph that has the general
main idea of the whole paragraph. The topic sentence in a paragraph
normally appears at the beginning, the middle or at the end of the
paragraph.

The other sentences within the paragraph are usually the supporting
details. Supporting details are the reasons, examples, or explanations
that support the topic sentence of the paragraph.

Do you know that topic sentence and supporting details are always
related?

Multiple Choice

Where is the main idea most often found?

• In the title of the story.

• In the first couple of sentences of the paragraphs.

• In the middle of the story.

• In the end of the story.

TO SUPPORT OUR MAIN
IDEA IN A TOPIC SENTENCE,
WE WILL ADD _____________
IN OUR PARAGRAPH.

WHAT ARE THE EXAMPLES
OF SUPPORTING DETAILS ?

Multiple Choice

Select the supporting detail that doesn't fit.
Topic Sentence: My cat is afraid of everything.

• He hides under the couch when you turn the microwave on.
• He sleeps all day long.
• He runs away when you sweep the floor.
• He jumps every time the doorbell rings.

Multiple Choice

What is one supporting details from the text?
Mother gorillas do a lot for their babies. They nurse their babies. They protect them from danger. And they teach the tiny gorillas how to get along with other gorillas.

• Mother gorillas do a lot for their babies.
• They teach the tiny gorillas how to get along with other gorillas.
• Baby gorillas need their mothers a lot.
• Mother gorillas prefer to keep their babies safe.

SUMMARIZING AND
DRAWING CONCLUSIONS

UHB13102 ENGLISH FOR GENERAL COMMUNICATION

Why we should
summarize and draw
conclusions after
reading?

◦ Just reading is not enough

we should summarize
and draw conclusions

◦ To get the ultimate meaning of
things – what is important, why it
is important, how one event
influences another, how one
happening leads to another.
Simply getting the facts in reading is not enough. You must
think about what those facts
mean to you.

Difference Between
Summary and Conclusion

Conclusions are as difficult to
write as an introduction. Both of
them should have a long-lasting
impact on the reader’s mind.
While an introduction moves from
general to specific, conclusion
moves from specific to general.

A summary is nothing but a
short and clear version of its
original text, covering the main
points, facts or elements only.

A conclusion is an afterword
which contains the gist of
something, reached after
considering all the important
points.

Without a conclusion, an essay might
seem incomplete. Conclusion often
contrasted with a summary, but there
are subtle differences between the
two.

HOW TO FIND THE
MAIN POINTS?
•Identify the main
ideas (usually in the
thesis statement and
topic sentence)
•Ask yourself, “what
this essay is mostly
about?”
•Look at the title.
“what is it about?”
•Look for pictures.
•Look for repeated
words or ideas.

Put yourself in the readers
shoes. How would you
present your final thoughts
and make them
understand your
judgement towards a
certain issue, easily?

NO!

• NO quotes

• NO opinions

• NO dates/numbers (unless they are an important part of the main points; for understanding)

• NO personal pronouns (I, you, we...)

IN SUMMARY

Multiple Select

Which of the following are NOT in a summary?

• key ideas

• dates that are important to understanding

• unimportant details

• opinions

• personal pronouns

THANK YOU

DON’T FORGET TO COMPLETE YOUR WEEKLY TASK

HOW A CONCLUSION SHOULD LOOK
LIKE?

◦ The conclusion is said to be ideal when it gives an interesting insight
and should end on a positive note.

◦ Highlights the main argument (towards a certain issue) presented in
the original text.

◦ Sums up the answer to a question or issue, often stated in the
introduction. (The answer here should be your own answer or
judgement made based on the main points given)

◦ Makes a strong and long-lasting impression on the reader.

◦ It should never introduce new points.