COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUES- I ENGLISH READING SKILLS 19. READING STRATEGIES: GETTING THE MOST OUT OF YOUR READING There are four main components of communication namely Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking. In this Unit we will be discussing the various aspects of the first one, which is Reading. How can we get the most out of our reading?
19.0 Objectives By the end of this lesson you will: i.
ii.
monitor your understanding of reading tasks a. before reading b. during reading c. after reading distinguish the main idea from the subsidiary information
19.1 Introduction From reading the signboard on buses to directions for filling out forms, reading plays a very important role in our lives. We find ourselves reading for many different purposes. Different reading skills are needed for each of the purposes of reading. Sometimes, we may need to read each and every word to understand details, while at other times we may need to read just for the main points. It is important for us to develop a variety of reading skills to meet the purpose of our reading task. We may be able to read each and every printed word. However, comprehending the words (i.e. understanding the meaning of the words) is most important. This unit will help you develop some basic skills that you will need for various reading tasks. It will teach you some strategies you may use to understand printed matter.
19.2 Metacognitive Reading Far from being a ‘passive’ skill, reading is in fact, an active process in which readers relate information in the text to what they already know. Knowledge of the language allows readers to identify the printed words and sentences.
1