Reading strategies

• Engels
• MBO
• Studiejaar 1,2

Today

Practising reading strategies

Context matters!

What is this text about?

A newspaper is better than a magazine. A seashore is a better place than a street. At first it is better to run than to walk. You may have to try several times.

It takes some skill, but it is easy to learn. Even young children can enjoy it.

Once successful, complications are minimal. Birds seldom get too close.

Rain, however, soaks in very fast.

Too many people doing the same thing can also cause problems. One needs lots of room.

If there are no complications it can be very peaceful. A rock will serve as an anchor.

If things break loose from it, however, you will likely not get a second chance.

What could be the title of this text?
What is the story about?

Context matters!

If the heading  was 'Flying a kite', would the article make more sense to you? 

By simply adding one word that made no sense before, it's now completely clear. Without context, content makes no sense!

Why use reading strategies?

Reading strategies can help you to:

-Better understand a text;

-Increase your motivation when reading;

-Remember the content of a text and recall the information you need;

- Do better at your exam because of the limited time you have to answer all the questions.

Some important reading strategies

1. Predictive reading (voorspellend lezen)
2. Skimming (globaal lezen, kopjes, plaatsjes, ELZA methode - eerste en laatste zin lezen van een alinea)
3. Scanning (specifieke woorden zoeken)
4. Reading in-depth (intensief lezen)
5. Inferring (afleiden) & making an educated guess (raden)

Look at these images and the text.

Prediction: what is this
text about?

Is the ELZA (eerste en laatste zin alinea lezen) method part of the skimming strategy?

Size matters

Here’s something to think about the next time you go shopping. Have you ever noticed

how many trolleys are available when you go to the supermarket? In my experience,

it seems like hundreds! But how about the number of hand baskets? 

I struggle to find even one, especially when I only need a few items. Why might this be

the case? Well it seems to be a tactic used to encourage us to buy more. If you are

walking around with an empty trolley, you are more tempted to fill it, so if you a planning

on only doing a quick shop, always try to find a basket. It will be lighter, easier to use

and is sure to save you money! 

Instruction: start skimming the text, you have 20 seconds

What is the text about?

Size matters - now read the whole text

Here’s something to think about the next time you go shopping. Have you ever noticed

how many trolleys are available when you go to the supermarket? In my experience,

it seems like hundreds! But how about the number of hand baskets? 

I struggle to find even one, especially when I only need a few items. Why might this be

the case? Well it seems to be a tactic used to encourage us to buy more. If you are

walking around with an empty trolley, you are more tempted to fill it, so if you a planning

on only doing a quick shop, always try to find a basket. It will be lighter, easier to use

and is sure to save you money! 

What can you find in large numbers at a supermarket?

1. You can always find large numbers of hand baskets at a supermarket.
2. You can always find large numbers of trolleys at a supermarket

Why can the large number of trolleys be a problem?

1. It can be a problem because you might only want a few things but be tempted to buy more because of the room in the trolley.
2. It can be a problem because you might only want a few things but be tempted to buy more because of the room in the hand basket.

How can you avoid spending more than you planned?

1. Always try to use a shopping basket instead of a trolley.
2. Always try to use a trolley instead of a shopping basket.

Why is it a good idea to use a basket instead of a trolley?

1. It is a good idea because a basket is more comfortable than a trolley, and it is so cool when you hold it.
2. It is a good idea because a basket is lighter, easier to use and may even save you money.

Scan for the word 'exceptions' - raise your hand if you have found the word 

Every time you're online, you are bombarded by pictures, articles, links and videos trying to tell their story. Unfortunately, not all of these stories are true. Sometimes they want you to click on another story or advertisement at their own site, other times they want to upset people for political reasons. These days it's so easy to share information. These stories circulate quickly, and the result is … fake news. There is a range of fake news: from crazy stories which people easily recognise to more subtle types of misinformation. Experts in media studies and online psychology have been examining the fake news phenomenon. Read these tips, and don't get fooled! 1. Check the source Look at the website where the story comes from. Does it look real? Is the text well written? Are there a variety of other stories or is it just one story? Fake news websites often use addresses that sound like real newspapers, but don't have many real stories about other topics. If you aren't sure, click on the 'About' page and look for a clear description of the organisation. 2. Watch out for fake photos Many fake news stories use images that are Photoshopped or taken from an unrelated site. Sometimes, if you just look closely at an image, you can see if it has been changed. Or use a tool like Google Reverse Image search. It will show you if the same image has been used in other contexts. 3. Check the story is in other places Look to see if the story you are reading is on other news sites that you know and trust. If you do find it on many other sites, then it probably isn't fake (although there are some exceptions), as many big news organisations try to check their sources before they publish a story.

If you know these things about online news, and can apply them in your everyday life, then you have the control over what to read, what to believe and most importantly what to share. If you find a news story that you know is fake, the most important advice is: don't share it!

In the first paragraph you can read about what kind of people MSC is looking for. Are they looking for people who do such a good job that customers will want to return?  Scan for the word return - Can you find it  or not?

MSC Cruises is looking for serious and highly motivated professionals who are keen to make a hospitality career at sea with us, providing the standards of service that ensure our clients come back on our cruise ships. A career with MSC Cruises is a job like no other. We strongly believe in career development. Promotions are based on your ability and your performance, which is tracked and shared with you every step of the way. You will need to ensure availability of at least 6 months of the contract. Cruises will float in April for a duration of 6 months. After 6 months it is possible to start working on another cruise for another 6 months directly etc.

• Meestal moet je een synoniem zoeken van het woord in de tekst - come back = return
• Als er een woord staat in de vraag en datzelfde woord komt in de tekst of in het antwoord voor, dan is het meestal (in 99,9 % van de gevallen) niet het goede antwoord - Dit heet een tekst echo 

What do you do when you scan?

Read the text, make an educated guess where it takes place

 As I walked in the door, I was amazed at the beautiful colors and smells. I knew it would be hard to decide what I would buy with my $3. The chocolate truffles looked delicious, but they were expensive. The jelly beans were not only cheaper, but so colorful! With so much to choose from, I knew I would be here a long time.

Write where you think the passage is happening and explain your answer

Read the text; 

 The water felt so good on such a hot day. I heard the other children laughing and yelling across the way.The concrete was wet from a group of teenagers splashing each other in the corner. The lifeguard watched closely to keep children from running. 

Write where you think the passage is happening and explain your answer

Read the text; 

 As we entered, a large blast of water hit the windshield. Huge flopping sponges began to slap at the hood as we slowly moved forward. Soon, there were suds spilling over the sides. I was glad the windows were rolled up!

Write where you think the passage is happening and explain your answer

Did you learn more about reading strategies today?

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See you soon!