How to skim:
Four reading techniques
Active readers use reading strategies to help save
time and cover a lot of ground. Your purpose for
reading should determine which strategy or
strategies to use.
1. Previewing the text to get an overview
What is it? Previewing a text means that you get an
idea of what it is about without actually reading the
main body of the text.
When to use it: to help you decide whether a book
or journal is useful for your purpose; to get a
general sense of the article structure, to help you
locate relevant information; to help you to identify
the sections of the text you may need to read and
the sections you can omit.
To preview, start by reading:
 the title and author details
 the abstract (if there is one)
 then read only the parts that ‘jump out’; that is:
main headings and sub headings, chapter
summaries, any highlighted text
 examine any illustrations, graphs, tables or
diagrams and their captions, as these usually
summarise the content of large slabs of text
 the first sentence in each paragraph
2. Skimming
What is it? Skimming involves running your eye
very quickly over large chunks of text. It is different
from previewing because skimming involves the
paragraph text. Skimming allows you to pick up
some of the main ideas without paying attention to
detail. It is a fast process. A single chapter should
take only a few minutes.
When to use it: to quickly locate relevant sections
from a large quantity of written material. Especially
useful when there are few headings or graphic
elements to gain an overview of a text. Skimming
adds further information to an overview.
 note any bold print and graphics.
 start at the beginning of the reading and glide your READING
eyes over the text very quickly.
 do not actually read the text in total. You may read a COMPREHENSION II
few words of every paragraph, perhaps the first and
last sentences.
 always familiarise yourself with the reading material
by gaining an overview and/or skimming before
reading in detail.
3. Scanning
What is it? Scanning is sweeping your eyes (like radar)
over part of a text to find specific pieces of information.
When to use it: to quickly locate specific information
from a large quantity of written material.
To scan text:
 after gaining an overview and skimming, identify the
section(s) of the text that you probably need to read.
 start scanning the text by allowing your eyes (or
finger) to move quickly over a page.
 as soon as your eye catches an important word or
phrase, stop reading.
 when you locate information requiring attention, you
then slow down to read the relevant section more
thoroughly.
 scanning and skimming are no substitutes for
thorough reading and should only be used to locate
material quickly. ISAE UNIVERSITY
4. Intensive reading
Teacher: Griselda Stewart
What is it? Intensive reading is detailed, focused, ‘study’
reading of those important parts, pages or chapters. Student: Yasmin Castillo
June, 22 n d 2019
When to use it: When you have previewed an article
and used the techniques of skimming and scanning to
find what you need to concentrate on, then you can slow
down and do some intensive reading.

This brochure contains a concise compilation
hbh
about what I’ve learned on the subject called
Reading Comprehension II. I really enjoyed
this class, not only because we had the
opportunity to learn about how to identify the
most important elements on a short story or
reading, like its plot, setting, characters,
conflict, and theme but we have learned so
many things on how we have to teach children
English, little tips and tricks to make children
learn by playing and being their selves without
taking out their childhood.
Class N º1
This class was a very interesting class because we
not only learned about things related to the
subject itself but we have learned tips and
techniques on how to teach English to the
children.
First, the teacher talked about what it is reading
comprehension and how important is reading
nowadays because with reading we not only learn
new things but we relate things on each story with
our lives that make us be better human and take
pieces of stories to apply them on our daily
living. The teacher explained to us an example
about the reading “Don Quixote”, a man
obsessed with the chivalrous ideals touted in
books he has read he
decides to take up his lance and sword to
defend the helpless and destroy the wicked he
dragged out Sancho Panza with him on this
strange journey failing many times they never
quit and that is something that we have to
learned, to never give up.
Second, the teacher explained us the
different elements on a short story that can
be used as guide to help us think about the
actions, themes and context of the story.
Elements like theme, setting, characters,
point of view, characterization, plot which
includes exposition statement, rising
action, conflict, climax, falling action,
resolution.
Third, we talked about the four techniques a
teacher needs to accomplish teaching: reading,
speaking, listening and writing. After that,
teacher made us write in a piece of paper five
questions: what is your name, what is your
favorite color, what is your favorite dish, what
is your favorite subject and what is your favorite
brand? After having answered all, we discussed
the answers at class person by person and at
the end we learned the best technique ever on
how to make a child listen, read, write and
speak, using all the techniques we just have
learned. Teacher taught us children learn
playing and that is the best way to teach. Never
criticize and ask by their families because not
all the children are in good terms with their
mothers and fathers.
I sincerely enjoyed this part of the class
because since I like so much teaching and
love children, I would really like to use this
technique on my classes due to the fact I can
make children learn by playing and also
knowing better each other.
Finally, we read an interesting reading called
“Genealogy” , then we discussed the reading at
class and resolved the questions asked at the
second part of the document and at the end the
teacher asked us to underline words we think
are different for us and for next class bring a
vocabulary with these words.
Teacher told us to read the story called “The
Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin to discuss it
in the next class and make a vocabulary with
different words extracted from the reading.
Class N º2
In this class, we discussed the different
elements of the story called “The Story of an
Hour”. We did a summary about the
characters, the setting, the plot, and we realized
these elements are useful for us on how to
understand a story and the meaning of it.
For next class, we will discuss the story called
“Eleven” by Sandra Cisneros and also as a
homework make a vocabulary with some words
of this reading.
Class N º3
We discussed a little of the elements found in
the story called “Eleven”, which was really
interesting because this story represents what
we really are when we are eleven, we have all
the past years due to the experiences we have
lived, and we can also act like if we were three
years old when we cry or make tantrums. Our
age expresses all the time and experiences we
have gone through during our lives, is not just a
flat number.
After discussing the reading, we had a small
reunion celebrating Father’s Day, we enjoy that
time thanking God for what we have learned
and friendships we have made at college.
“The more you read, the more things you
know. The more that you learn, the more
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