ENHANCED COMMUNICATION SKILLS

UNIT 2: READING
Reading
 Reading is indeed a part of almost all aspects of
human life.
 It is reading that makes us highly intellectual
beings who have ever existed on this planet.
 Many organisms exist alongside us; however,
only humans have the capability to read.
 In reading, the eye serves as the scanner, and
the brain is the processor, in which both must
work harmoniously to achieve comprehension.
 It is popularly known as an active dialogue
between the author and it is also known as the
basic tool for learning in all subjects.
 It is a subtle and complex process that involves
sensation, perception, comprehension,
application and integration.
 It is a process of thinking, evaluating, imagining,
reasoning and problem solving. The efficient
reader is expected to be able to perform these
mental activities with reasonable proficiency.
Miles Zintz (1972), however, illustrates the reading
process as follows:
Step 1: Word Perception – The ability to pronounce the word
as a meaningful unit.
Step 2: Comprehension – The skill in making individual words
construct useful ideas as they are read in context.
Step 3: Reaction – A judgment on what the author has said.
Step 4: Integration – The ability to assimilate idea or concept
into one’s background of experience so that it is useful part of
the individual’s total experience.
Reading Comprehension
 the ability to comprehend or understand, what you
are reading.
 an intentional and active part of reading and takes
place before, during and after you read something.
 By being able to comprehend what you are reading,
you can extract meaning from the text and better
realize what the author is trying to convey.
2 COMPONENTS OF READING COMPREHENSION
 Vocabulary knowledge
- the ability to understand the language being
used
 Text comprehension
- is using this language to develop an awareness
of what the meaning is behind the text.
Comprehension is an important aspect of reading.
When you read, strive to understand and extract
meaning for better overall awareness of what you
Why are reading comprehension skills important?
- Reading comprehension is important for several
reasons and can provide many benefits.
- Being able to effectively read can improve both
your personal and professional life and can
increase your overall enjoyment of reading.
- Knowing how to understand a text can help
boost your knowledge in certain areas and help
you learn new skills and information faster.
ADDITIONAL BENEFITS OF GOOD READING
COMPREHENSION SKILLS INCLUDE:
 Being able to understand, analyze and respond to
documents and written communication in the
workplace
 Improved your ability to write clearly and effectively
 The ability to comprehend and engage in current
events that are in written form such as newspapers
 Increased ability to focus on reading for an extended
period
 Better enjoyment of and motivation to read
Word perception involves sensation. The eyes see the
printed symbols with the aid of light rays that strike the
retina. Together the eyes move in a swift and well-
coordinated manner, jumping from word to word in a series
of fixations. Reading takes place when the eyes pause or rest.
The eyes do not really see much nor read when they are
constantly in motion.
 The distance or the number of words between
fixation points is called the span of perception or
recognition span.
 A good reader makes few fixations and fewer
regressions or backward eye movements. Therefore,
his perception span is much longer than that of a
poor reader.
 Word perception also involves the identification of
the printed symbol and the meaning intended by the
author. For example, the reader identifies the
combination of the letter c-a-t as cat and not as cot
or cut. The printed word, then, acts as a trigger to
release a meaning which the reader already
possesses. To this task known as a decoding process,
one should possess certain skills that include:
1. Use of sight vocabulary and configuration memory
 2. Use of context clues to determine pronunciation and
meaning
3. Determine pronunciation and meaning through an
analysis of the structure or parts of a word consisting
of its roots and affixes and inflected, or derived in
form
4. Relate the sound of the spoken word to its visual or
graphemic symbol, a process referred to as phonetic
analysis; and
5. Use of dictionary to determine pronunciation and
meaning of words resistant to analysis through the
use of other skills.
Comprehension requires the fusion of meaning of
separate words into a chain of related ideas. On the
literal level, one reads to understand the passage – its
main thought, specific details, sequence, and directions
to be followed. The implied level involves making
inferences, sensing relationships, drawing conclusions,
and recognizing the author’s purpose, tone, and feeling.
These skills help the reader to grasp the total meaning
of the passage.
F STRATEGIES TO IMPROVE YOUR READING
COMPREHENSION SKILLS:
1. Improve your vocabulary - Knowing what the words you
are reading mean can improve your ability to comprehend the
meaning of the text. To improve your vocabulary, you can:
 Take an online vocabulary quiz to assess your current
level of vocabulary understanding
 Use flashcards to quiz yourself on words you don’t
know once or twice a week
 Make a point to use newly learned words in verbal
and written communication
 Read as much as possible to improve your ability to
guess what a word means in a certain context
 Make a list of unfamiliar words as you read and look
them up in the dictionary
2. Come up with questions about the text you are reading -
Asking questions about what you are reading can help
improve your reading comprehension by allowing you to
become invested in the text. It can also broaden your overall
understanding of what you are reading by enabling you to
explore themes, motifs and other components of text that
you otherwise wouldn’t inquire about. The following are
examples of questions you could pose as you read:
 Why did the author begin the book at that location?
 What kind of relationship do these two characters
share?
 What do we know about the main character up to
this point in the book?
 Are there any themes that have consistently come up
throughout the book? If so, what do they mean?
The more specific your questions, the more likely you
will gain further insight into the text and its meaning.
3. Use context clues - Using context clues is a great way to
understand what you are reading even if you don’t know all
the vocabulary being used.
- Context clues can be found in the words and sentences
surrounding the word that you aren’t familiar with. To use
context clues, you can focus on the key phrases or ideas in a
sentence and deduce the main idea of a sentence or
paragraph based on this information.
- You can also look for nearby words that are synonyms or
antonyms of the word you don’t know.
4. Look for the main idea - Identifying the main idea of a
paragraph or article can help you determine the importance
of the article.
- Understanding why what you’re reading is important can
give you a better comprehension of what the author is trying
to convey.
- When reading, pause every few paragraphs and see if you
can decipher what the main idea is. Then, try to put the main
idea in your own words for even further understanding.
5. Write a summary of what you read - A great way to
increase your knowledge of what you have read is to write a
summary.
- Summarizing requires you to decide what is important in the
text and then put it in your own words.
- Summarizing allows you to determine if you truly
understand what you have read and better remember what
you have read in the long term.
6. Break up the reading into smaller sections - If you are
reading longer or more challenging text, consider breaking it
up into smaller sections. For example, you could read two
paragraphs at a time and then pause to quickly summarize
what you just read in your mind. Breaking up what you are
reading can help you feel less overwhelmed and give you a
better chance of truly comprehending the information in the
text.
7. Pace yourself - Pacing yourself is also an effective way to
work on your reading comprehension skills by allowing you to
set realistic goals for your reading practice and habits.
- This is especially true for books or other literature that you
find challenging.
-Set a goal for yourself that you know you can meet each day.
For example, rather than saying that you want to read an
entire book in two days, say that you will read three chapters
a night. This allows you to reach your goals and also provides
adequate time for you to process what you are reading
between each session.
Reaction
-includes the ability to judge accuracy, quality, or worth.
These judgements are the results of critical reading and
experience. On the emotional level, reaction requires value
judgments, background experiences, and the ability to
recreate sensory images.
-occurs only when comprehension is fully realized. One’s
reaction is affected by culture. Out reaction toward divorce
and free love is different from the reactions of people of
western countries. Culture controls the quality and quantity
of experience available to the reader. Thus, experience
becomes the foundation stone of the reading process.
Assimilation/ Integration
-determined by the reaction of the reader. If ideas are
accepted, they become a part of his total experience.
-They are integrated with all previous related experiences. On
the other hand, wrong concepts are corrected, and new
insights are acquired.
-Integration also involves applying ideas acquired in problem
solving.
Rate
-refers to the speed of recognition, comprehension, reaction,
and assimilation.
-flexible.
-vary according to the reader’s purpose and the difficulty of
the materials.
FLUENCY, VOCABULARY, 7 READING COMPREHENSION
1. Fluency
- ability to read with speed, accuracy and vocal
expression.
- a child’s ability to effortlessly and correctly read,
speak, and write English.
- Fluency in reading should include consistent
speed, accuracy, and the use of proper
expression.
- achieved when a child is no longer focusing on
how to read. Helping children read fluently is
very important to a successful literacy program.
- linked directly to comprehension, and once it is
achieved, a student can start focusing on the
meaning of what they read.
- can be achieved by using a literacy program that
combines phonemic awareness, phonics
instruction, and vocabulary. The NRP suggests
that there is a commonality in fluency research,
stating that fluency develops through lots of
reading practice.
2. Vocabulary - knowledge of words and word meaning
- can be defined as the knowledge of words and
their meanings.
- The purpose of teaching vocabulary is for
children to understand words and to use them
to acquire and convey meaning.
- an important component of a literacy program
because the more words that a child knows and
understands the more the child will comprehend
when reading.
Vocabulary is an important component in a successful
literacy program because:
 Vocabulary knowledge increases comprehension,
which is vital to a child’s ability to do well in school.
 A greater vocabulary increases a child’s ability to
read and write with fluency.
3. Reading Comprehension - engagement with text
- refers to a child’s understanding of what they are reading.
This not only includes reading, but also what is written.
Having students attain comprehension of what they are
reading and writing is very important. Comprehension is an
important component of an effective literacy program for a
few reasons:
 to success in academic and personal learning.
 to becoming a productive member of society.
 in obtaining and maintaining a job and being
successful in life.
TIPS TO MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR READING
COMPREHENSION PRACTICE:
Reading is a fundamental part of everyday life. The more you
incorporate and prioritize reading and understanding what
you read, the better your overall reading comprehension will
become. These tips can help you make the most of your time
when practicing your reading skills.
 Eliminate distractions
- When you are distracted, your ability to
comprehend what you are reading is negatively
impacted. When reading—even if it’s a simple
email—eliminate distractions and focus solely on
the text. This will help you learn to hold your
attention to what you read and enable you to
know whether you understand what you are
reading.
 Read a book below your reading level
 - Starting with books below your reading level will
allow you to develop a baseline of your reading
comprehension and build on that. Instead of
starting with books or other text that you find
challenging, read something that is comfortable
and that you can easily comprehend. You can
take an online quiz to establish the reading level
you are currently at.
 Re-read text to ensure understanding
- If you finish a sentence or paragraph and realize
that you don’t understand what it was trying to
convey, take the time to re-read it until you do.
Try to read more slowly the second time around
and look up definitions for any words you don’t
know the meaning of.
 Read aloud
- Reading aloud incorporates both visual and
audio learning into your reading comprehension
practice. It also forces you to slow down and
gives you more time to process what you are
reading.
WHY IS READING COMPREHENSION IN THE
WORKPLACE SO IMPORTANT?
 Proficient reading comprehension in the workplace is
a crucial skill every employee need so they can do
their job well. It’s vital across practically all industries
and sectors, but especially for office jobs
 In essence, reading comprehension includes
understanding written communication by identifying
the main idea behind a message, analyzing it,
recognizing what the author said, and taking action
based on that information.
 Nowadays, most people chat, email, or message
each other in their personal and working lives.
 At the workplace, employees will receive tasks from
their superiors communicated in writing, either via
email or chat. In order for them to perform these
tasks well, team members need excellent reading-
comprehension skills.
 Employees who understand written instructions and
what is required from them without any problems
will communicate better with colleagues and
perform their duties to a higher standard.
 Therefore, as the hiring manager at your
organization, it is important to test prospective
employees’ reading-comprehension skills during the
hiring process.
 By using a reading-comprehension test, you will
know if your next hire has difficulties following
written texts and you can assign training courses to
alleviate any future problems.
BENEFITS OF EXCELLENT READING COMPREHENSION
IN THE WORKPLACE
As mentioned, reading comprehension is a vital skill most
employees need to do their jobs to a satisfactory level. Some
of the main benefits you can expect from employing people
with excellent reading-comprehension skills are:
1. Receiving and following instructions
- Every day, employees receive written
instructions from their superiors. If an employee
has a poor understanding of the language they
are using, their work process will become
tedious and unproductive.
- Therefore, for employers, it is vital to have
employees with good reading comprehension
skills so they can follow orders effectively.
2. Identifying important information
- Having a good understanding of a text will
enable employees to locate the most important
part of a message and take action based on that
information.
- Most of the time, what we try to say can be
summarized in a few words or sentences.
However, our line of thought doesn’t work like a
computer, and when we write something or give
instructions to someone, we may end up writing
more than necessary.
- An employee with excellent reading
comprehension can quickly analyze the structure
of a text, perceive existing relationships between
sentences, identify the most important
information, and summarize the whole thing
into concrete actions to be taken.
3. Working in a team
- Most jobs require some form of collaboration
between employees or different teams.
- Since it is expensive and time-consuming to
schedule face-to-face meetings every time
something in a project comes up, employees use
writing to ask questions and move a project
forward.
- If someone on the team cannot recognize what
their colleagues are saying, your organization
will struggle to finish tasks and clients’ projects
on time, which can lead to losses for your firm.
- However, when reading comprehension is high
among all teams, employees can work together
productively, resulting in more projects being
completed on time and enhancing your
organization’s performance.
4. Identifying errors
- Lastly, with excellent reading-comprehension
skills, employees can spot mistakes in a
document or task, ask searching questions about
the meaning of a text, and take corrective
action.
 - Humans beings frequently make mistakes,
especially when we work on a text by ourselves.
Even if we go over something 100 times and edit
it meticulously, the chances of missing a comma
or saying something by mistake are still high.
- But good reading-comprehension skills enable
employees to correct their work and that of
their colleagues thoroughly in order to present
well-written and concise texts.

FOR WHICH ROLES IS READING COMPREHENSION

PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT?
- Reading comprehension is a vital skill for any
role and every industry. There isn’t a field that
doesn’t require employees to understand even
the most basic written information.
- Of course, some jobs work specifically with
texts, documents, and statistics, including
diagrams, charts, graphs, and tables. That
includes any desk job that requires a compute.

To be more specific, the following list of jobs require strong

reading-comprehensions skills:

 Customer service
 Data analyst
 Translator
 Help-desk technician
 Editor
 Accountant
 IT specialist