Reading Skills and Comprehension Skills PDF

READING AND COMPREHENSION SKILLS MAJOR TOPICS TO BE COVERED What The is importa readi nce of ng? Reading Bad Definition readin of g...

READING AND COMPREHENSION SKILLS MAJOR TOPICS TO BE COVERED What The is importa readi nce of ng? Reading Bad Definition readin of g Compreh habits ension Forms/Le Types of vels of comprehe nsion Compreh ension READING SKILLS Reading is the ability to look at and decode series of written symbols. It involves the use of the eyes to pick and identify written symbols which the brain converts into meaningful words, phrases, clauses and sentences. Reading is a receptive skill where the reader gathers information from written texts/symbols such as images and writings. The eyes are the major organs employed in reading hence they play a vital role during reading. Types of Eye Movements Employed During Reading There are two major types of eye movements used during reading and these are: The saccadic eye movement and the regressive eye movement. Saccadic Eye Movement In the saccadic eye movement, the eyes move from left to right in a forward movement while picking group of words or phrases.  The eyes are expected to pick words that collocate together (e.g. adjectives and nouns, adverbs and verbs etc) and not individual words. Regressive Eye Movement  The regressive eye movement on the other hand occurs when the eyes go backward to what has been read already and then back to the initial point to continue the forward jump movement. It is a back and forth kind of movement. The essence of the regressive (backward) movement of the eyes in some cases is to ensure an in depth understanding of the text/passage being read. The Essence/Importance of Reading  You read to gain knowledge of the world around you. Reading exposes you to various experiences of life and enriches your understanding of the world around you. You also read to collect facts that can be useful to you in your academic life. Reading can also be done for pleasure or relaxation.  Reading Strategies/Methods There are different reading methods depending on the purpose of reading a material/text. Basically, there are three reading methods which include: the survey reading method, extensive reading method and the intensive reading method. 1. Survey Reading Method: This is the fastest reading method. It does not require paying much attention to what is being read. The survey reading method is used to get a general impression about a text or to locate a particular point or fact from a reading material. It is further subdivided into two:  i. Skimming  ii Scanning Skimming: This rapid reading method is used to get the general overview or gist of a text or material. It is the type of reading that enables the reader to get only the important points of a text. Examples include reading through the front pages of newspapers to get a general idea of what the newspapers are about. Scanning: This entails reading rapidly in order to find specific ideas/facts from a large amount of information. During scanning, the eye movement may not be from left to right as it is done in conventional reading but rather from top to bottom or across the pages quickly in order to locate specific information. 2. Extensive Reading Method: This method of reading is neither too fast nor too slow. It is an average reading method usually adopted while reading for pleasure or entertainment. It does not require a great deal of attention or concentration. It is used for materials that are not difficult such as novels or when reassessing a material that has been read previously. Intensive Reading Method: This method of reading is slow and is often referred to as careful or study reading. It requires a thorough and great degree of attention. Intensive reading method is demanding and requires Bad Reading Habits For effective reading to take place, poor reading habits such as the following must be avoided.  Using a pacer when reading: A pacer could be a pen, ruler or fingertips used to touch printed words while reading. This is a bad reading habit for matured readers because it usually slows down reading. It is expected that the eyes pick group of words and not a pacer. This practice is only allowed for beginners because it helps in preventing their eyes from wondering off the text or line being read. Head Movement: A good reader should not move the head when reading. Only the eyes are meant to move from left to right. Head movement slows down reading and exerts extra stress on the reader. Vocalisation/sub-vocalisation: This is the act of either pronouncing or muttering words aloud or by moving the lips while reading. Like head movement, it also slows down reading and exerts extra stress on the reader. Regressive Eye Movement: Excessive and unnecessary backward eye movement during reading does not only slow down reading but also makes comprehension difficult. Separative Reading: This entails picking individual words during reading. A good reader picks a group of words or phrases (sense units) at each glance during reading. The more the number of words one can pick, the greater the level of understanding and the lesser the stress. Steps to Effective Reading First and foremost, identify the reason why you are reading. For instance, are you reading to: i. gather general knowledge, for pleasure/entertainment etc? ii. Solve a difficult task? iii. Have an indepth knowledge or understanding of a concept or idea? iv. Criticise a concept/viewpoint? The reason for reading will determine the kind of reading method one would adopt which will in turn determine the level of attention one would pay and the length or duration of reading. The next step is to decide on what to read that will help you realise your purpose for reading. The purpose of Having identified what to read, identify the method of reading which is relevant to the purpose of reading. Choose or select the appropriate reading material which interests you so that you do not get bored. The material selected must be suitable for your level (not too difficult yet not too simple COMPREHESION SKILLS The idea that one is a good reader or listener implies that one possesses the mental ability to understand what was read or listened to. Thus, comprehension goes hand in hand with what was read or listened to. Whenever one listens to or reads a printed material, diagram, sign/symbol etc, it is expected that the reader has the skills which will enable him/her to understand what was read. Our focus in this discussion will however be on reading comprehension.  Comprehension with particular emphasis on reading can be defined as the ability to understand and interpret fully a given text. Comprehension is also defined as the “power to understand.” Comprehension as “the art of reading, understanding, and answering questions on a given passage.” Generally speaking, comprehension is about processing and understanding meaning. Comprehension is actually the goal and purpose of reading. Without it, reading cannot be said to have taken place. As a matter of fact, the purpose of reading is not yet accomplished until a reader reaches the point of gaining the full knowledge of what is written, assimilating the most beneficial contents of the given text, and using the gained knowledge to solve problems. Levels of Comprehension There are two broad levels of comprehension: i. Superficial and ii. in- depth comprehension Superficial Comprehension: The level or extent of understanding required here is not deep but rather on the surface. This level of comprehension is employed when the text being read is not that important/difficult and does not require retaining and recalling of information. For example: reading of newspapers for leisure, story books and other non –academic materials. In-depth Comprehension: The level of understanding required here is deep/serious because the passage is important and requires retention and recall. Steps to Comprehension Concentration: It is important that all forms of distractions are avoided, and both the mind and eyes are focused on the speaker or the text. A high level of concentration is required in order to achieve an in- depth comprehension of what is said or read. Being interested in what is being read: Developing an interest in the passage or speech will aid concentration which will eventually lead to comprehension. Therefore, a reader or listener must develop interest by identifying the positive goal or purpose of the passage or topic. Forms of Comprehension Testing The form of one’s comprehension is either self-tested (by the individual) or externally tested (by another person e.g. an examiner). Types of Comprehension Testing Direct Reference Testing: The comprehension skill required in this kind of testing is the literal or interpretive skill where the reader is expected to provide answers by making direct reference to the text or passage where the answers stare him or her in the face. This type of testing does not require the reader to task himself/herself mentally. Most students therefore prefer this kind of testing because of its simplicity. Inference Testing: This requires the reader to possess the ability to draw inferences or deduce meaning from a text or passage by reading in between the lines in order to answer questions whose answers are not specifically found in the passage. It also requires the reader to work out meanings of strange words from the context. Evaluative Testing: This aspect tests the reader’s ability to do a comparative study in which he/she is able to reject what he/she believes/feels is not true and accept the beneficial aspects of a written text. Because it requires a reader to make his/her own judgement/ opinion on what has been read, the level of concentration and reasoning is very high.  Possessing a wide range of vocabulary: For an in-depth comprehension to take place, it is important that the reader possesses a wide range of vocabulary related to the topic or subject. As student, it is important to read extensively so as to possess a wide range of vocabulary items. Having the ability to identify text divisions: Written have divisions such as introduction, body (content) and conclusion which pass across different but connected messages or information. For effective comprehension to take place, these main divisions must be understood to enable the reader to identify the main points, illustrations, paragraphs, and summary. It is also important to recognise transitional words(signposts), words indicating emphasis, change of idea/ thought, repetition etc. Examples include, first, second, later, then, similarly, again, in addition, etc. The ability to identify these divisions and words will aid one’s understanding of what is being read or listened to. Activating Previous knowledge: Given that nothing is entirely new, it is important that a reader relates past experiences and knowledge especially when it is related to what is being heard or listened to. This will no doubt make a topic more meaningful and better understood.  Setting a Purpose for Reading: This involves establishing what readers expect to get out of reading. Making Predictions: The moment a skilled reader picks up a text to read, they start making predictions about its contents, quality, and the initial reactions to the text. As the reading continues, the reader continues to check and revise their initial reactions and predictions. Visualising: This entails creating a mental picture of what is being read such as trying to see the setting, issues, characters, ideas etc in the text through one’s mind eye. Asking Questions: A good reader is expected to ask questions about the text, the author, opinions, responses etc which may probe deeper and in turn aid understanding, enhance clarity and so on.