Previewing For Better Comprehension

COMPREHENSION SKILLS
Previewing for better comprehension
Preview text before reading it. This can help students improve their reading comprehension skills. Students can apply this approachwhether they're reading a short passage or an entire book. Before they begin reading, students should scan the entire text and observe its title and any chapter or subheadings. Students should then reflectbriefly on the author, the time period, the intended audience and the format of the text. Students should spend a few minutes thinking about these components and formulate their own opinions andquestions. Previewing the text beforehand gives students something to think about and helps keep their minds active while they read.

Scanning is a reading technique to be used when you want to findspecific information quickly. In scanning you have a question in your mind and you read a passage only to find the answer, ignoring unrelated information.
How to Scan:
State the specific informationyou 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 wouldquickly 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 andskip through sections of the passage
Skimming refers to the process of reading only main ideas within a passage to get an overall impression of the content of a reading
selection.
How to Skim:* Read the title.
* Read the introduction or the first paragraph.
* Read the first sentence of every other paragraph.
* Read any headings and sub-headings.
* Notice any pictures, charts,or graphs.
* Notice any italicized or boldface words or phrases.
* Read the summary or last paragraph.
Vocabulary Knowledge for Effective Reading
Vocabulary is an important prerequisite for...