CRWT Lesson 5 Flashcards
requires critical reading to develop because a huge part of you is influenced by what you read and hear. Up to 80% of knowledge is learned through the eyes, and reading plays the biggest role
Critical thinking
Having a wider vocabulary makes comprehension easier. However, expanding one’s vocabulary, especially for those who use English as a second or foreign language, may not be a simple task. These practical tips can help you do this without having to spend hours reading hundreds of words in the dictionary each day.
- Improve your vocabulary
to give yourself a varied vocabulary background
Read a wide range of texts
An English-Filipino dictionary is useful, but remember that there are English words that cannot be directly translated directly into Filipino. Hence, relying in Webster’s is a better option, especially when studying technical terminologies. You can also install a dictionary application on your mobile phone and computer for more convenient access anytime.
Have a dictionary at all times
If you hesitate, then look it up
Never assume the meaning of a word that you are unfamiliar with
This can be a notebook or a set of index cards. This is really helpful, especially when memorizing jargons often used in your industry or field of study. Write the definition in your own words and create a sentence using the word that relates to your life. The more you associate the word to your life, the better the recall.
Keep a vocabulary journal where you write down all words that you learn on a daily or weekly basis.
Small actions can take you a long way
Learn at least three words a day and try using them in a sentence
The more frequent you apply the learned words, the more familiar they can get. Do not force it, though, just for the sake of application because it might sound awkward to those you talk with if the usage is improper or the venue is not applicable
Find opportunities to apply the learned words in actual conversations
Monitoring your reading comprehension means being conscious of your recalls. You should be aware of the words, phrases or sentences that you do not understand fully or confuse you. As you do, you need to challenge your comprehension for looking for context clues and inducing analytical thinking. Posing questions for you to answer does not fail in this sense
- Mind your reading comprehension skills
The more you can recall, the better the comprehension will be. Break
your reading up into smaller sections using the subheadings and again recite.
Remember, concentration plays a large part in your ability to comprehend so
assess your focus.
Try to recall and explain the key points on your own words after each
section.
Research tells us that reading at a slower speed often interferes with
comprehension because it forces us to resort to word for word reading.
Furthermore, let your comprehension level naturally catch up with your reading speed, and not the other way around
Avoid reading at a slower pace just to compensate for your comprehension
level
to keep focused on the text and avoid having your eyes wander
around. It can be a ruler, an index card or your finger.
Use a line guide
You can learn to increase your speed by practicing the tips discussed here once you understand your present reading rate
- Improve Your Reading Speed
An adventure novel may allow for a quick rate whereas a science text may demand a steadier rate. The type of reading that you need to do also dictates the reading rate. If you are reading for detail, you must read at a rate for comprehension. If you are reviewing, reading for general main ideas then skimming and using a faster rate is appropriate
Keep in mind that the reading pace depends on the type of material you are
reading and your goal
Increasing my/ reading rate will/ help me maximize/ my study time. This is basically like trying to read phrase for phrase instead of word for word
Proactively focus on 2-4 words at a time instead of fixating on a per word
reading basis
Pronouncing the words while you read slows down your reading speed because it forces your focus on each word rather than on groups of words. Also remember that many formal venues for reading, like the library, require silence all the time
Read with your eyes and mind
The more you read, the more proficient you become. Practice will increase speed, vocabulary, comprehension, and knowledge base. The challenge is only hard to deal with at the beginning
Practice makes perfect.
Challenging yourself from time to time will get you used to reading faster. You can challenge yourself to read a certain number of pages per hour.
Force yourself to read at a faster rate for short periods of time
Reading at an uncomfortable speed can be challenging and stressful at
the beginning, but as with any new task, doing this daily is bound to improve you.
After practicing this tip for a few days, retime yourself reading at an average rate and you should see a speed rate increase. The rate increase will only continue if you practice this technique. Check for comprehension as your reading rate 4 Reading Strategies for Critical Thinking increases to ensure that you are increasing at appropriate increments to enhance
learning
Go at a speed that is uncomfortable but you are still comprehending the
material
Pay attention to your concentration so that rereading becomes unnecessary. The habit of rereading subconsciously makes you lose focus on your first try
Avoid rereading as much as possible
Research shows a correlation between reading rate and comprehension. Slower speed does not guarantee a better understanding of the material. In fact, research implies that increasing the rate of speed often results in higher
comprehension
You should never read at a rate that is slower than your average rate
This is an active reading method that, although will seem time consuming at the beginning, can still enhance your reading comprehension and learning efficiency
- Apply The SQ3R Method—Survey, Question, Read, Recite and Review
Scan over the table of contents of a new book to have a clear
understanding of its content and plan your reading in advance. Is the
professor following the format of the book or is he/she changing how the order of
the chapters will be read? How much time is he/she allotting per chapter?
Survey the entire chapter before you start reading so that you become
familiar with what will be presented and how much time you need.
Look at the title and all subtitles to know what the chapter is about and how
it is broken up into parts. Label major headings and subheadings to show the
relationship between topics. You may also want to create your own outline based
on your syllabus for easier time management and planning of tasks.
Look at the end of the chapter aids, such as questions, summaries, etc.
This will help you select the main ideas as you read. This can also be a great
help when trying to read in advance for future discussions.
Read the introduction and/or first paragraph first. This will tell you the
purpose of the chapter and will give you an idea of its importance in relation to
your course.
Read the last paragraph. This will summarize the text and can make
understanding of the entire text easier and faster.
Be mindful of the different terminologies used. Bring out index cards and
create a terminology index as you read. The author might have used these words
to familiarize you with future topics, so pay attention.
Survey
Turn the subheadings into questions before proceeding to read so that your
mind is actively looking for answers rather than passively reading along. This
habit also helps you develop critical thinking skills in the process.
Create questions from information printed in the margins. You may also
highlight keywords or key phrases for future references.
Create questions for each graph presented. You might need to go back to
these data once you review. Also remember that teachers usually refer to graphs
when creating tests or when discussing.
Try writing out the questions so that you can periodically look at the questions
and stop to see if you can recall the information. You can also use these
questions when reviewing in the future
Question
Start reading only when you can concentrate and commit to it. It is advised
to read while sitting rather than lying down as the latter makes you very relaxed, sometimes sleepy or languid.
You must locate the main idea of each paragraph. Watching out for keywords, such as proper nouns, numbers, italicized foreign terms, jargons, etc., might help you with this.
o Identify the topic.
o Find the main idea.
o Look for the supporting details
o Underline the main idea
Read
Take time to paraphrase what you read out loud while reading. It helps you
avoid plagiarism and helps you remember the main idea at the same time.
Try to associate read material with life experience. You can use mnemonic
devices for this
Recite
The more you review and recite, the better the recall. It actually makes your study time
more efficient when this process becomes a consistent study habit.
Review starts with organization. Make sure that all notes and handouts are
inserted in date order.
Review your notes and questions created for the daily lesson or chapter.
o Review the highlighted areas of your text.
o Review the comments you made in the text as you read.
o Recite the main points of each section of the chapter.
o Review your index card file.
Develop study aids like mnemonics for material you must memorize. You
can use association, acrostics, acronyms or whatever you find comfortable with
and easy to remember.
Create an outline from your texts. This will act as a study guide for the exam.
Recite the information daily to ensure automatic recall and true learning.
Recite the information in your own words for better comprehension.
Check and recheck the information where you hesitate or are not able to
recall details.
Review
What is skimming?
Speedy reading for general meaning
Lets your eyes skip over sentences or phrases that contain details
Allows you to concentrate on identifying the central or main points
Pre-views a selection of text prior to detailed reading
Refreshes understanding of a text following detailed reading
Speed reading at basic level
Works best with non-fiction or factual texts
Speed ranges from 700-1000 words per minute
- Do Skimming
will help you locate the information quickly. It will also increase the amount of
usable material you obtain for your research
Skimming
What is scanning?
Passing the vision speedily over a selection of text to find specific words
or phrases
Skipping over large portions of texts to find what you are looking form
Speed ranges above 1000 words per minute
Covers more area than skimming within the same amount of time
Does not require reading of entire texts
May be limited to specific information and may not help the reader
understand the general idea
Do Scanning
Meant to identify main points without identifying the details
Covers 700-1000 wpm
Skimming
Meant to identify specific details without understanding the main points
Covers more than 1000 wpm
Scanning
is a comprehension strategy used by proficient readers to “read
between the lines,” make connections, and draw conclusions about the text’s meaning
and purpose
Inferences
- means concluding based on knowledge and experience
- Ability to understand implicit messages conveyed by a writer based on
the reader’s schema or background knowledge
Inference
