INSTITUT PENDIDIKAN GURU MALAYSIAKAMPUS TUN HUSSEIN ONN

Reading Comprehension Skills

Nama Pelajar: LIM HUAT JUNNo. K/P: 920701-01-6673Opsyen: BAHASA CINA (2)Semester: SEM 1 (ambilan JUN 2010)Mata Pelajaran: English Language Proficiency Nama Pensyarah:Tarikh Serah:

Why we need scanning and skimming an article? They are different styles of reading for different situations. The technique you choose will depend on the purpose for reading. For example, you might be reading for enjoyment, information, or to complete a task. When you are given limited time: You are asked for exploring or reviewing an article, you might skim the article. You are asked for searching some information, you might scan for a particular word.

Skimming is used to quickly identify the main ideas of a text. Skimming is done at a speed three to four times faster than normal reading. People often skim when they have lots of material to read in a limited amount of time.Use skimming when you want to see if an article may be of interest in your research. Skimming works well to find dates, names, and places. It might be used to review graphs, tables, and charts.

Definition: The process of reading only main ideas within a passage to get an overall impression of the content of a reading.SKIMMING

Technique: Read the title, subtitles, subheading, and illustrations.Consider reading the first sentence of each paragraph.Read the first and last paragraphs using headings, summarizes and other organizers.

Some advantages of skimming

Improve other reading ratesLearning to skim rapidly can help you improve your speed for study reading and average reading as well.

Speeds supplementary assignmentsSkim supplementary material and you may be pleased and surprised to find how much information you will comprehend.

Keeps you informedUse skimming to building background knowledge. Skimming will help you keep informed in political affairs or other areas when you do not have the time to read very much.

Bring useful material into your attentionPeople who have the habit of skimming a large amount of material will invariably come across certain articles or parts of books that are of great importance to them. These important parts can be read more carefully, but if you had never developed the habit of skimming, you might never have become aware of this important information.

Increases your sources of referenceSkim to build up your knowledge of reference materials. Skim journals or reports in your major field of study when you don't have the time to read them thoroughly. Knowing the article exists, the author, and perhaps its main idea can be important. Citing the main idea of the article in class or in discussion with your professor will make you seem very well informed. In addition, if you want to use the article later, you will know where to find it when you are ready for more detailed perusal.

4. Read any headings and sub-headings.3. Read the first sentence of every other paragraph.5. Notice any pictures, charts, or graphs.HowTo Skim?6. Notice any italicized or boldface words or phrases.2. Read the introduction or the first paragraph.7. Read the summary or last paragraph.Read the title.

Scanning is a technique you often use when looking up a word in the telephone book or dictionary.Scanning involves moving your eyes quickly down the page seeking specific words and phrases. Scanning is also used when you first find a resource to determine whether it will answer your questions.Scanning is used to find a specific name, date, statistic, fact, without reading entire article.

Definition: A reading technique that is used when you want to find specific information quickly. In scanning, you have a question in your mind and you read a passage only to find the answer, ignoring unrelated information.

SCANNING

Technique: Look for the author's use of organizers such as numbers, letters and steps.Look for words that are bold faced, italics, or in a different font size, style, or color.

Steps in scanning an article.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.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.State the specific information you are looking for.

It is the author's message about the topic.It refers to what a paragraph or an article is about. "Main" means what is important, or key, the heart of the matter.

If there is implied main idea in a paragraph, it is difficult for us to find it. We can drawn it from facts, reasons, or examples that give hints or suggestions concerning the main idea. These hints will be clues leading you to discover the main idea in the selected text.Finding the main ideaIn English paragraphs, the Main Idea will most likely be found in one of these five places:in the first sentencein the last sentencein the middle of the paragraphin two sentences of the paragraphnot stated in the paragraph directly (implied)MAIN IDEA

Supporting ideas are the facts and details that explain or prove the topic sentence or main idea.SUPPORTING IDEAS

Supporting ideas are not as general as the main idea. They help the reader understand more about the main idea.Supporting ideas explain, describe, prove, give examples about the main idea and topic sentence.

My Best FriendClose friendships are hard to come by these days. In an ever-changing world with people striving to achieve their interpretation of success, it is hard to know who your true friends are. Fortunately, I found my best friend, Lawrence early at the tender age of seven. We were both enrolled at the same school.Lawrence was a happy-go-lucky boy who always managed to breathe fresh air into the arid classroom. He always knew what to say and would voice them at the best possible moments. Both students and teachers alike enjoyed his company and liveliness. There was hardly to ever a dull moment when he was around.Lawrence was born with a silver spoon. Her father was a businessman and her mother owned and run a boutique. Both his parents doted over him as he just like me, was the only child of the family. Lawrence can get any things he want if asked from his father and mother. Sometimes, he will share his toys and favorite food with me.Lawrence was a very nice person to be with. He comes to school each day with a perpetual smile. We used to go everywhere together and both of us were rarely seen apart. We used to talk about so many things as we walked, thoroughly enjoying our time together.One day, I went to school and forgot to ask my parents for lunch money. At first, I was not hungry and though I could bear going without a meal. But soon, my stomach began to growl. Without asking, Lawrence generously paid for my meal and drink during recess. The incident revealed to me how lucky I was to have such a caring and compassionate friend.Currently, Lawrence and I are studying in different schools. It was hard to be apart at first. However, technologies in the form of instant messaging and e-mail have helped to bridge the gap in our friendship. I sincerely hope that our friendship will never end.

Paragraph 6I sincerely hope that our friendship will never end.Paragraph 5Lawrence was generous.Paragraph 4Lawrence was a very nice person to be with.Paragraph 1Close friendships are hard to come by these days.Paragraph 3Lawrence was born with a silver spoon.Paragraph 2Lawrence was a happy-go-lucky boy.Main IdeasFrom The TextSupporting Ideas from the text:

People striving to achieve their interpretation of success.It is hard to know who your true friends are.I found my best friend at the tender age of seven. We were both enrolled at the same school.Close friendships are hard to come by these days.

He always managed to breathe fresh air into the arid classroom.He always knew what to say and would voice them at the best possible moments. Both students and teachers alike enjoyed his company and liveliness. There was hardly to ever a dull moment when he was around.Lawrence was a happy-go-lucky boy.

His father was a businessman and his mother owned and run a boutique. Both his parents doted over him as he was the only child of the family. Lawrence can get any things he want if asked from his father and mother.He will share his toys and favorite food with me.Lawrence was born with a silver spoon.

One day, I forgot to ask my parents for lunch money.At first, I was not hungry and though I could bear going without a meal. But soon, my stomach began to growl. Without asking, Lawrence was generously paid for my meal and drink during recess.The incident revealed to me how lucky I was to have such a caring and compassionate friend.Lawrence was generous.Currently, Lawrence and I are studying in different schools.It was hard to be apart at first.However, technologies have helped to bridge the gap in our friendship.I sincerely hope that our friendship will never end.He comes to school each day with a perpetual smile.We used to go everywhere together.Both of us were rarely seen apart. We used to talk about so many things as we walked.Lawrence was a very nice person to be with.

References

1. Skimming and scanning. (n.d.). Retrieved on 8 September 2010 from

http://pioneer.chula.ac.th/~pkanchan/html/skim.htm

2. Scanning and skimming. (n.d.). Retrieved on 8 September 2010 fromhttp://www.aacc.edu/tutoring/file/skimming.pdf3. Finding the Main idea. (n.d.). Retrieved on 8 September 2010 from

http://vclass.mtsac.edu/amla-51/Main%20Idea/Mainidea.htm

4. Identifying Supporting Details. (n.d.). Retrieved on 8 September 2010 from

http://elearn.mtsac.edu/amla/readingroom/details.htm

5. Identifying main ideas and supporting details. (n.d.). Retrieved on 8 September 2010 from

http://www.docstoc.com/docs/22070888/Identifying-main-ideas-and-supporting-details

6. WHERE ARE MAIN IDEAS FOUND? (n.d.). Retrieved on 8 September 2010 from http://www.ccis.edu/writingcenter/studyskills/mainidea.html

7. Skimming and Scanning. (n.d.). Retrieved on 8 September 2010 from

http://42explore.com/skim.htm

8. Jenny Tan & Ainon Zubiar, (2008), Essential English SPM, Petaling Jaya: Pearson Malaysia SDN.BHD.

Reflection

First of all, I am glad that my English Language Proficiency (ELP) assignment can be done successfully. Although this is shortest task among all my assignments, but I still feel a bit difficult to do it. This is because I seldom using English in reading and writing after my SPM examination. I would like to thank Puan Inthera as she has taught me in English Language Proficiency (ELP). When I have received this assignment from her, I do not know what I should do for this assignment. However, after listened her explanations, I got the idea to start this assignment. Firstly, I start search some information about the reading comprehension skills, such as skimming and scanning, locating main ideas and supporting ideas from the internet and library. After that, I also collect all the related notes and start my assignment. Of course, the reader will blur with my assignment if it is not well organized. Therefore, I have decided to transfer this information to mind maps.From this assignment, I learnt about reading comprehension skills. I realized that there are so many skills can be used when reading. Skimming and scanning are the skills that can be used when we are given limited time to read a text. Besides that, I learnt that main idea is the author's message about the topic while the supporting ideas are the details that explain or prove the topic sentence. Moreover, I have learnt how to organize the information effectively. If the information we found are not well organized, the readers will feel difficult to read it. On the other hand, the information that presented using graphic organizer will help the readers more understand about the details.Last but not least, I would like to thank my lecturer again as she gave me this opportunity to learn these valuable knowledge and experiences. Here, I also would like to thank some of my friends as sharing the information with me.