Mastering Signal Words: A Guide to Improving Reading Comprehension

Mastering Signal Words: A Guide to Improving Reading Comprehension

Learning Objective

At the end of the lesson, you will be able to recognize signal words in an English text and provide a text to practice.

Introduce the learning objective to the students and explain what they will be able to do by the end of the lesson.

What do you already know about signal words in English texts?

What are Signal Words?

Signal words are words that indicate the relationship between ideas in a text. They help readers understand the main points and supporting details of a text.

Explain the concept of signal words to the students and provide examples.

Types of Signal Words

There are several types of signal words, including cause/effect, comparison/contrast, chronological, and problem/solution.

List and explain the different types of signal words to the students.

Examples of Cause/Effect Signal Words

Examples of cause/effect signal words include 'because', 'since', 'therefore', and 'as a result'.

Provide examples of cause/effect signal words and explain how they show the relationship between ideas.

Interactive Exercise

Read the following text and identify the cause/effect signal words: 'The storm knocked out power to the entire city. Many people were left without electricity for days.'

Engage the students in a class exercise where they read a text and identify the signal words.

Examples of Comparison/Contrast Signal Words

Examples of comparison/contrast signal words include 'similarly', 'on the other hand', 'in contrast', and 'likewise'.

Provide examples of comparison/contrast signal words and explain how they show the relationship between ideas.

Interactive Exercise

Read the following text and identify the comparison/contrast signal words: 'John is very tall. His brother is short.'

Engage the students in a class exercise where they read a text and identify the signal words.

Text Practice

Provide a text and ask the students to identify the signal words and the type of relationship they show.

Assess the students' understanding by providing a text for them to analyze and practice identifying signal words.

Write down 3 things you learned in this lesson.

Have students enter three things they learned in this lesson. With this they can indicate their own learning efficiency of this lesson.

Write down 2 things you want to know more about.

Here, students enter two things they would like to know more about. This not only increases involvement, but also gives them more ownership.

Ask 1 question about something you haven't quite understood yet.

The students indicate here (in question form) with which part of the material they still have difficulty. For the teacher, this not only provides insight into the extent to which the students understand/master the material, but also a good starting point for the next lesson.