Reading Comprehension Skills - Scanning

ESL Lesson Plan

By Kenneth Beare, About.com Guide

Scanning is used to discover required information to complete a given task such as making a decision about what to watch on !, or which museum to visit while visiting a foreign city. Ask students "# to read the e$cerpt before they begin the e$ercise, but rather, to focus on completing the task based on what the question requires. %t is probably a good idea to do some awareness raising of the various types of reading skills that they use naturally in their own mother tongue &i.e. e$tensive, intensive, skimming, scanning' before beginning this e$ercise. Aim: (eading practice focusing on scanning Activity: )omprehension questions used as cues for scanning a ! schedule Level:%ntermediate Outline:

*o a short awareness raising session by asking students how they go about making decisions based on schedules, short articles etc. +ocus on whether they read every word and if the read in strict order when making such a decision in their own mother tongue. (emind them that this process is the same in ,nglish and does not require that they understand every word perfectly. *istribute comprehension questions and ! schedule to students. -ake a special point of asking students to complete the e$ercise by first reading the question and then scanning for the appropriate answer. Ask students to use the ! schedule to answer the questions. o increase difficulty add a timing element &this should help students who insist on understanding every word to not do so'. )orrect activity as a class. ,$tend activity by bringing in a number of maga.ines concerning travel, entertainment or a similar activity and asking students to complete a given task / for e$ample finding a destination they would like to visit or choosing a film they would like to see. #nce again, ask students to do the e$ercise by scanning and not reading each word.

What's On? First read the following uestions and then use the !" Schedule to find the answers# 0. 1ack has a video / can he watch both documentaries without having to make a video2 3. %s there a show about making good investments2 4. 8. 5ou are thinking about traveling to the 6SA for a vacation. 7hich show should you watch2 5our friend doesn9t have a !, but would like to watch a film starring om )ruise. 7hich film should you record on your video2

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;eter is interested in wild animals which show should he watch2 7hich sport can you watch that takes place outside2 7hich sport can you watch that takes place inside2 5ou like modern art. 7hich documentary should you watch2 @ow often can you watch the news2 %s there a horror film on this evening2

!" Schedule $%$ F&% A%&

<.AA p.m.B &ational <.AA p.m.B -n.,e/th &ews / %n/depth coverage <.AA p.m.B !ravel &ews / Coin 1ack ;arsons of the most important national and international A1road / his week we for your daily news news stories. travel to sunny )aliforniaE roundup. =.AAB &ature (evealed/ %nteresting <.4AB !he Flintstones/ <.4AB !he !iddles/ ;eter documentary taking a look at the microscopic +red and Barney are at it Coins -ary for a wild universe in your average speck of dust. =.4AB again. adventure in the park. Ping . Pong *asters/ Dive coverage from =.AAB Pretty %oy/ om =.AAB 'olf (eview/ 7atch ;eking. ?.4AB -t's 0our *oney/ hat9s right and )ruise, the prettiest boy highlights from today9s this favorite game show could make or break you of them all, in an action final round of the Grand depending on how you place your bets. 0A.4AB packed thriller about -aster9s. 'reen Par)/ Stephen King9s latest monster %nternet espionage. >.4AB Shoc) from the madness. A.4AB Late &ight &ews/ Get the news ?.AAB !rac)ing the Past/ his entertaining you need to get a hard start on the upcoming %east/ he little film by Arthur Schmidt day. understood wildebeest takes a poke at the wild filmed in its natural side of gambling. surroundings with 0A.4AB &ightly &ews/ A commentary by *ick review of the day9s most Signit. important events. 0A.AAB Pum/ !hose 00.AAB *O*A: Art for Weights/ A guide to Everyone/ A fascinating successfully using documentary that helps weights to develop your you enCoy the difference physique while getting fit. between pointilism and 00.4AB !he !hree video installations. -diots/ A fun farce based 03BAAB +ard ,ay's &ight/ on those three tenors (eflections after a long, who don9t know when to hard day. call it quits. 0.AAB &ational Anthem/ )lose the day with this salute to our country.