BEGLA-138- UNIT- 2 Developing Reading Skills- Reading And Speaking Skills

BEGLA-138- UNIT- 2 Developing Reading Skills- Reading And Speaking Skills

INTRODUCTION

• Reading is a basic skill that we use every day in various situations.

• For example, looking at the notice board to read an advertisement for a flat or a job vacancy, reading a newspaper, a magazine or a blog.

• Some of the kinds of reading material that we usually get are

TYPES OF READING

Reading is done mainly for two purposes

(a) Reading for Pleasure

• Reading for pleasure means reading on our own free will to get intellectual satisfaction and joy.

• Mostly it is a habit and we read at a time and place of our choice.

• Studies have validated the benefits of reading for pleasure. 

• Some of the benefits of reading are improved vocabulary/spellings/grammar. 

(b) Reading for Information

• Reading for information means reading a text or common workplace document to find out some information or gain knowledge from the content, it is called reading for information. 

• This type of reading involves detailed understanding of the content with requisite personal responses like summarizing, discussing the key ideas or answering the questions.

Scanning

• Scanning means speedily darting through a text to find a specific information such as a name or a date.

• In this method, the reader does not follow the linearity of the passage. 

• The eyes are simply allowed to wander over the text until we get what we are looking for.

STUDY READING

For better academic performance, the students should be able to read carefully and thoughtfully. For this purpose, the students can adopt the following strategies:

Strategy 1: Text Marking

Strategy 2: Writing Questions

Strategy 3: Associating Graphics with Ideas

Strategy 4: Summarizing a Paragraph/Chapter

Text Marking

• These facts should be highlighted. So, they can be used for reviewing and remembering.

• The most important ideas and information include the topic, the thesis statement, the main idea, details like the date or names and even statements that differ from the main idea and points or words that are difficult to understand. marking it with pencil is better as changes can be made later if needed.

• Marking can be done in different ways.

Writing Questions

• Writing down these questions helps in sharpening understanding. 

• You can make questions using the title, headings and sub- headings and quiz questions on the text. 

• These are also called reading response questions. 

For examples

What is the meaning of the phrase/word ?

How do I know about this topic ?

Why is this example important ?

Associating Graphics with Ideas

• Under- standing graphs, charts, tables and diagrams is important. 

• A reader should study graphics carefully and connect them to the relevant part of the text. 

• Drawing or sketching also facilitate visualization.

Summarizing a Paragraph/Chapter

• Rewriting the major parts in shorter form in reports using some key words from the text and paraphrasing is very useful.

• It is especially beneficial for memorizing important information for exams.

READING FASTER 

• Fluent readers can adjust the speed of reading according to the type of content and the purpose of reading.

• Reading faster is as important as reading correctly. 

• Reading rate is measured Words Per Minute (WPM). 

Checking Reading Habits

• Pronouncing every word while reading slows the reader.

• It also obstructs comprehension.

• Good readers jump ahead for new information to read quickly.

Reading Chunks

• Reading in chunks enables forming connections between various ideas in the text. 

• It is easier for the mind to process information when it is divided into meaningful phrases.

Skipping Over Unknown Words

• Good readers skip over unknown words and do not stop reading because knowing the meaning of all the words is not needed for understanding the key ideas.

• Besides, guessing a sense of the word from the context is enough to understand the text.