Module I

Learning Objectives: At the end of this Module, students should be able to: 1. Generalize reading, developmental reading, and academic reading; 2. Practice the principles underlying skimming, scanning, note taking, and outlining, and; 3. Apply learning through various activities in academic reading.

Introduction

Let us begin this module by defining important terms that are essential in the understanding of the course. First, what is reading? According to William Gray, the Father of Reading, reading is a four step process that involves perception of the word, comprehension of its meaning, reaction to the meaning in terms of prior knowledge, and integration of the idea into ones background of experience (in Villamin et. Al., 1996). Chiang (1995) defined reading as a tool for acquiring knowledge. She said that it is to mans existence because it is equaled with water, food, and exercise. It brings a sense of security, belongingness, status and ultimately self-actualization, which will make man a productive and able part of the society. Grabe and Stoller (in Celce-Murcia, 2006) define reading as the primary means for independent learning, whether the goal is performing better on academic tasks, learning more about subject matter, or improving language abilities. Moreover, the website siue.edu gives us more reading definitions: Reading is going beyond merely decoding the symbols on the page. Reading should be thought of as making meaning. Reading is an interaction between the reader and the writer. Reading involves sampling the print, predicting what will come next, and then confirming or not confirming your predictions and then integrating the new information or going back to reread to see why your prediction was not confirmed.

Second, what is developmental reading? According to Hermosa and Ocampo (1998) it is a freshman course that aims to hones the students higher reading skills and strategies so that students can cope better with college work. Hermosa (in Hermosa and Ocampo, 1998) defined developmental reading in terms of teaching students how to read--- the basic processes of reading and their use in the students lives. Developmental reading in the early grades involves beginning reading where students are taught reading and are given opportunities to become fluent readers. In the intermediate grades, developmental concerns shift to advancing students word attack skills and their level of comprehension. In high school, students need instruction on how to work with expository writing, with research skills, and with skills in finding and using multiple sources of information. Now, this chapter focuses on academic reading or content area reading. What is academic reading? It is reading that focuses on reading proficiency in the content area subjects like English, Mathematics, and Science. It is a kind of reading which is different from leisure reading, meaning, the focus is on reading critically and weighing the content of what is being read. In this lesson, you will be reviewed on skimming, scanning, note-taking, and outlining skills. But before we discuss these topics, let us do some check-ups on how you fare as a reader. Surface Approach to Reading An approach that has for its primary intention the eagerness to understand the subject but is used by readers who skip valuable processes involved in reading in order to get a grade or mark or certain qualification. Characteristics of SAR: (from: Reading Academically, University of Southampton) Intention to complete task requirements. Memorize information needed for assessments. Failure to distinguish principles from examples. Treats task as an external imposition. Focus on discrete elements without integration. Un-reflectiveness about purpose or strategies.

Deep Approach to Reading (DAR) An approach used by readers when their primary purpose is to understand, engage, operate, and value the topic or subject they are reading. Characteristics of DAR:

(from: Reading Academically, University of Southampton) Intention to understand. Vigorous interaction with content. Relate new ideas to previous knowledge. Relate concepts to everyday experience. Relate evidence to conclusions. Examine the logic of the argument.

However, it must be noted that these two approaches may be applied by readers at some time. Understanding the content of the reading material fully will help any reader achieve reading success because this also transcends even in writing. Tips on Increasing Reading Speed: (from: Reading Academically, University of Southampton) 1. If you are determined and prepared to practice, then you should be able to train yourself to read faster and improve your concentration and level of comprehension. 2. Our eyes move, pause and recognize characters. Every time the eye stops it is called a fixation. (The period in which reading matter is recognized, understood and stored in memory.) The size and length of the fixation is the important factor. 3. The slower reader reads the text word by word. The average reader links together unimportant words with key words so that there are fewer fixations this increases reading speed. The fast reader is the most efficient and reads whole phrases at a time. You can train yourself to read larger chunks of text at each fixation but you will need to practice this skill. 4. Avoid backtracking when reading. Backtracking happens when you read a few words and then go back over them because you have not understood the point properly. By doing this you are interrupting the flow of reading and confusing your understanding rather than clarifying it. It is far better to get to the end of a section by reading it straight through and then re-reading it if necessary. A difficult section is often better read quickly twice than once slowly! 5. Avoid sounding out words in your head as you read. This slows you down. You need to vary your reading style and speed according to the material you are reading. Remember reading improves with practice, and the more you are familiar with advanced reading texts the more quickly you will be able to get access to the information.

Lesson Proper

SKIMMING AND SCANNING

Skimming is a fast reading technique. You use skimming if you want to skip details and get only the main points or main ideas; the gist of a chapter or impressions from an article or text. Focus is not on individual words but on large chunks of ideas found in the reading text. Our eyes when we skim move fast from left to right; down the next line and then left to right again in a rapid pace. While Scanning, on the other hand, is also a fast reading technique but this style of reading entails you to read and find specific words or phrases in the text. Browsing is also a fast reading technique that requires the reader to get only the needed information by searching or looking at volumes of books or other reading materials when there is a specific thing to be searched. For example, titles of books or articles and specific subjects or topics. NOTE TAKING AND OUTLINING As a student, you will be expected to take notes for many purposes and under many circumstances including those listed below. Oral Sources teachers lectures classmates presentations class discussions preparation for tests films in class Written Sources short stories novels essays nonfiction texts magazines and newspaper articles Internet source material

Taking notes from oral sources is very different from, and often more difficult, than taking notes from written material. Note-taking is the practice of recording information captured from another source. By taking notes, the writer records the essence of the information, freeing their mind from having to recall everything. Notes are commonly drawn from a transient source, such as an oral discussion at a meeting, or a lecture (notes of a meeting are usually called minutes), in which case the notes may be the only record of the event. Note taking is a form of self-discipline. Effective note-taking from lectures and readings is an essential skill for university study. Good note taking allows a permanent record of relevant points that you can integrate with your own writing, and that can be used for exam revision. Taking reliable, accurate notes also reduces the risk of plagiarism. It helps you distinguish where your ideas came from and how you think about those ideas. Effective note-taking requires: recognizing the main ideas identifying the information relevant to your task having a system of note-taking that works for you reducing the information to note and diagram format where possible, putting the information in your own words recording the source of the information

Hints for Good Note Taking Ten Basic Steps 1. Dont write down everything that you read or hear. Be alert and attentive to the main points. Concentrate on the meat of the subjects and forget the trimmings. 2. Notes should consist of key words, or very short sentences. As a speaker gets sidetracked you can go back and add further information. 3. Take accurate notes. You should usually use your own words, but try not to change the meaning. If you quote directly from the author, quote correctly and record the citation.

4. Think a minute about your material before you start making notes. Dont take notes just to be taking notes! Take notes that will be of real value to you when you look over them later. 5. Have a uniform system of punctuation and abbreviation that will make sense to you. Use a skeleton outline and show importance by indenting. Leave white space for later additions. 6. Omit descriptions and full explanations. Keep your notes short and to the point. Condense your material so you can grasp it rapidly. 7. Do not worry about missing a point. Leave space and try to pick up the material you miss at a later date, either through reading, questioning, or common sense. 8. Dont keep notes on oddly shaped pieces of paper. Keep notes in order and in one place. 9. Shortly after making your notes, go back and rework (not recopy!) your notes by adding extra points, spelling out unclear items, etc. Remember, we forget quickly. Budget time for this vital step just as you do for the class itself. 10. Review your notes periodically. This is the only way to achieve lasting memory. Outlining is a general plan of the material that is to be presented in a speech or a paper. The outline shows the order of the various topics, the relative importance of each, and the relationship between the various parts. Order in an Outline There are many ways to arrange the different parts of a subject. Sometimes, a chronological arrangement works well. At other times, a spatial arrangement is best suited to the material. The most common order in outlines is to go from the general to the specific. This means you begin with a general idea and then support it with specific examples. Thesis Statement of Summarizing Sentence All outlines should begin with a thesis statement of summarizing sentence. This thesis sentence presents the central idea of the paper. It must always be a complete, grammatical sentence, specific and brief, which expresses the point of view you are taking towards the subject. Types of Outlines The two main types of outlines are the topic outline and the sentence outline. In the topic outline, the headings are given in single words or brief phrases. In the sentence outline, all the headings are expressed in complete sentences.

Rules for Outlining 1. Subdivide topics by a system of numbers and letters, followed by a period. Example: I. A. B. 1. 2. a. b. II. A. B. 2. Each heading and subheading must have at least two parts. 3. Headings for parts of the paper of speech such as, Introduction and Conclusion, should not be used. 4. Be consistent. Do not mix up the two types of outlines. Use either whole sentences of brief phrases, but not both. Examples Topic Outline Choices in College and After Thesis: The decisions I have to make in choosing college courses, depend on larger questions I am beginning to ask myself about my lifes work. I. Two decisions described A. Art history or chemistry 1. Professional considerations 2. Personal considerations B. A third year of French? 1. Practical advantages of knowing a foreign language 2. Intellectual advantages 3. The issue of necessity II. Definition of the problem A. Decisions about occupation B. Decisions about a kind of life to lead III. Temporary resolution of the problem A. To hold open a professional possibility: chemistry B. To take advantage of cultural gains already made: French Sentence Outline

Choices in College and After Thesis: The decisions I have to make in choosing college courses, depend on larger questions I am beginning to ask myself about my lifes work. I. I have two decisions to make with respect to choosing college courses in the immediate future. A. One is whether to elect a course in art history or in chemistry. 1. One time in my life, I planned to be a chemical engineer professionally. 2. On the other hand, I enjoy art and plan to travel and see more of it. B. The second decision is whether to continue a third year of French beyond the basic college requirement. 1. French might be useful both in engineering and travel. 2. Furthermore, I am eager to read good books which are written in French. 3. How necessary are these considerations in the light of other courses I might take instead? II. My problem can be put in the form of a dilemma involving larger questions about my whole future. A. On the one hand I want to hold a highly-trained position in a lucrative profession. B. On the other hand I want to lead a certain kind of life, with capacities for values not connected with the making of money. III. I will have to make a decision balancing the conflicting needs I have described. A. I will hold open the professional possibilities by electing chemistry. B. I will improve and solidify what cultural proficiency in another language I have already gained, by electing French.

Practice Activities

Interactive Reading Interactive Reading recognizes the interaction of bottom-up and top-down processes simultaneously throughout the reading process (Boothe and Walter, 1999). Tick the box that applies to your present reading ability. Statement Yes 1. I tend to read very little beyond what is actually required to pass the assignment. 2. I concentrate on memorizing a good deal of what I read. 3. I try to relate ideas I come across in their topics to what I read. 4. When I read an article or book, I try to find out exactly what the No

author means. 5. Often I find myself questioning what I read. 6. When I read I concentrate on learning just those bits of information, I need to pass the assignment. 7. When I am reading, I stop from time to time to reflect on what Im trying to learn from it. 8. When I read, I examine the details carefully to see how they fit in with whats being said. 9. I like books which challenge me and provide explanations which go beyond the lectures and seminars. 10. I like books which give definite facts and information which can be easily understood. 11. I read an article straight through from start to finish. 12. I note down all the facts and figures. 13. I note the authors main arguments. 14. I think about whether the facts supported these arguments. 15. I make summary notes to use it later. (Adapted from University of Southampton, 2003. Original author: Noel Entwistle ASSIST Approaches to Studying Inventory To know the result of your check up, if you answered YES to all or most of statements 1,2,6,10,11,12,15 you are adopting a SURFACE APPROACH to your learning. If you answered YES to all or most of questions: 3,4,5,7,8,9,13,14 you are adopting a DEEP APPROACH to reading. Generally, the surface approach deals more on memorization while the deep approach focuses on understanding.

Active/Efficient Reading After finding out if you are an interactive reader, let us see if you are an active/efficient reader. Tick the box that applies to you.

tick Do you know exactly what you are looking for? Can you select important and/or relevant information for your purpose? Can you pick out key words and/or information?

Do you vary your style of reading depending on the nature of the task? When you absorb information do you know what to do with it? Do you regularly monitor your own understanding of the texts you are reading? Do you know how to improve your reading comprehension? Do you try to anticipate what is coming next?

If you have ticked four or less of these boxes, you need to be a more active reader. To become an efficient and effective academic reader, it would help to consider the following. Increasing your reading speed. Finding your way around texts i.e. gaining knowledge of how the text for your subject is put together the hidden rules for writing in your subject. Making decisions about the suitability of the text.

Let us now see how fast you read. Try out this speed test in reading: Choose a passage to read which is unfamiliar to you. Time yourself for ten minutes. Count how many words you have read in this time. Divide your total by 10.

Your answer will tell you how many words per minute you can read comfortably. If you get less than 200 words per minute (wpm) then you need to read more to become more proficient in reading. Scan the passage and answer the questions that follow. You have two minutes to do this challenge. Ramayana: A Summary Dasharatha, King of Aydohya, has three wives and four sons. Rama is the eldest. His mother is Kaushalya. Bharata is the son of his second and favorite wife, Queen Kaikeyi. The other two are twins, Lakshman and Shatrughna. Rama and Bharata are blue, perhaps indicating they were dark skinned or originally south Indian deities. A sage takes the boys out to train them in archery. Rama has hit an apple hanging from a string. In a neighboring city the ruler's daughter is named Sita. When it was time for Sita to choose her bridegroom, at a ceremony called a swayamvara, the princes were asked to string a

giant bow. No one else can even lift the bow, but as Rama bends it, he not only strings it but breaks it in two. Sita indicates she has chosen Rama as her husband by putting a garland around his neck. The disappointed suitors watch. King Dasharatha, Rama's father, decides it is time to give his throne to his eldest son Rama and retire to the forest to seek moksha. Everyone seems pleased. This plan fulfills the rules of dharma because an eldest son should rule and, if a son can take over one's responsibilities, one's last years may be spent in a search for moksha. In addition, everyone loves Rama. However Rama's step-mother, the king's second wife, is not pleased. She wants her son, Bharata, to rule. Because of an oath Dasharatha had made to her years before, she gets the king to agree to banish Rama for fourteen years and to crown Bharata, even though the king, on bended knee, begs her not to demand such things. Broken-hearted, the devastated king cannot face Rama with the news and Kaikeyi must tell him. Rama, always obedient, is as content to go into banishment in the forest as to be crowned king. Sita convinces Rama that she belongs at his side and his brother Lakshman also begs to accompany them. Rama, Sita and Lakshman set out for the forest. Bharata, whose mother's evil plot has won him the throne, is very upset when he finds out what has happened. Not for a moment does he consider breaking the rules of dharma and becoming king in Rama's place. He goes to Rama's forest retreat and begs Rama to return and rule, but Rama refuses. "We must obey father," Rama says. Bharata then takes Rama's sandals saying, "I will put these on the throne, and every day I shall place the fruits of my work at the feet on my Lord." Embracing Rama, he takes the sandals and returns to Aydohya. Years pass and Rama, Sita and Lakshman are very happy in the forest. Rama and Lakshman destroy the rakshasas (evil creatures) who disturb the sages in their meditations. One day a rakshasa princess tries to seduce Rama, and Lakshmana wounds her and drives her away. She returns to her brother Ravana, the ten-headed ruler of Lanka (Sri Lanka, formerly Ceylon), and tells her brother (who has a weakness for beautiful women) about lovely Sita. Ravana devises a plan to abduct Sita. He sends a magical golden deer which Sita desires. Rama and Lakshman go off to hunt the deer, first drawing a protective circle around Sita and warning her she will be safe as long as she does not step outside the circle. As they go off, Ravana (who can change his shape) appears as a holy man begging alms. The moment Sita steps outside the circle to give him food, Ravana grabs her and carries her off the his kingdom in Lanka. Rama is broken-hearted when he returns to the empty hut and cannot find Sita. A band of monkeys offer to help him find Sita. Ravana has carried Sita to his palace in Lanka, but he cannot force her to be his wife so he puts her in a grove and alternately sweet-talks her and threatens her in an attempt to get her to agree to marry him. Sita will not even look at him but thinks only of her beloved Rama. Hanuman, the general of the monkey band can fly since his

father is the wind, and Hanuman flies to Lanka and, finding Sita in the grove, comforts her and tells her Rama will soon come and save her. Ravana's men capture Hanuman, and Ravana orders them to wrap Hanuman's tail in cloth and to set it on fire. With his tail burning, Hanuman hops from house-top to house-top, setting Lanka afire. He then flies back to Rama to tell him where Sita is. Rama, Lakshman and the monkey army build a causeway from the tip of India to Lanka and cross over to Lanka. A might battle ensues. Rama kills several of Ravana's brothers and then Rama confronts ten-headed Ravana. (Ravana is known for his wisdom as well as for his weakness for women which may explain why he is pictured as very brainy.) Rama finally kills Ravana. Rama frees Sita. After Sita proves here purity, they return to Ayodhya and Rama becomes king. His rule, Ram-rajya, is an ideal time when everyone does his or her dharma and "fathers never have to light the funeral pyres for their sons." 1. King of Aydohya.____________ 2. Eldest son of Dasharatha._______ 3. Son of his second and favorite wife, Queen Kaikeyi._________ 4. In a neighboring city the ruler's daughter is named_____. 5. Sita indicates she has chosen Rama as her husband by putting a garland around his___. 6. Evil creatures that disturb the sages in Rama and Lakshmans meditations.________ 7. Build a causeway from the tip of India to Lanka and cross over to Lanka._____________ 8. Killed Ravana._____ 9. Is known for his wisdom as well as for his weakness for women._______ 10. Rama frees_____.

Look at the passage once more. This time skim it and write the main idea found in the given paragraphs. Paragraph 1 Paragraph 3 Paragraph 4 Paragraph 5 Paragraph 6

Paragraph 7 Paragraph 9 Choose one of the thesis statements and make an outline using any of the two outline formats: a. The abuse of alcohol and drugs can affect a person economically, psychologically, and physically. b. Benefits of recycling c. Benefits of maintaining good and healthy lifestyle

Developmental Reading I (Enhancing Reading skills) Ma. Junithesmer Doctor-Rosales, DEM Philippine Copyright 2012 by Ma. Junithesmer Doctor-Rosales. ISBN 978-95040-5-4. Published and Distributed by: Merryjo Enterprises 1020 Bilibid Viejo St., Quiapo Manila
http://www.mythome.org/RamaSummary.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Note-taking http://www.chapman.edu/students/academic-resources/tutoring-center/resources-success/studystrategies/note-taking/index.aspx http://www.lc.unsw.edu.au/onlib/pdf/notetake.pdf http://www.lavc.edu/library/outline.htm