READING SKILLS

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READING SKILLS Reading is a passive or recognition skill

like listening comprehension. Writing and speaking are active or

production skills. Hence, listening and reading are known

as skills of comprehension. Speaking and writing are skills of

expression.

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READING COMPREHENSION SKILLS Comprehension is a twin process It requires understanding of what is

read/presented, and reproduction of what is comprehended.

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READING COMPREHENSION SKILLS Reading comprehension requires an

ability to understand the meaning of what is written (what has been read), and

the intelligence to express it clearly.

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Reading an active skill Though reading is a passive skill, a

good reader is active during the process of reading.

Reading can be called as an active process as it involves comprehension, guesswork, production, imagination and reproduction.

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Objectives of reading To improve reading speed To develop ability for comprehension To improve passive vocabulary To improve pronunciation, accent and

intonation (loud readings)

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Reading speed According to Edward Fry, there are three

reading speeds: study reading speed, average reading speed and skimming speed.

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Reading speedSpeed Poor Reader Good Reader

When material is difficult/ high comprehension is required

90-125 WPM

80-90 % comprehension

200-300 WPM

80-90 % comprehension

Average reading: everyday reading of newspaper, magazines etc.

150-180 WPM

70 % comprehension

350-500 WPM

70 % comprehension

Skimming Cannot skim 800+ WPM

50 % comprehension

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General hints for passage comprehension Read the passage carefully to get its general

meaning. Pause for a while to recollect and decide what

the author is trying to say. Go through the passage once more and note

down the main points. Try to read the passage intelligently to save time. When you come across difficult words try to

guess the meaning of that word according to the context.

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Locating specific information (scanning) The technique of scanning is helpful to

locate specific information. A reader has to scan the given passage

to identify required information and need not understand the rest of the passage.

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Understanding meaning of words, phrases and sentences It needs vast vocabulary. Sometimes, the meaning of difficult word

or phrase or expression from the context in which it is used.

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Understanding meaning of words, phrases and sentences In some cases a reader should be familiar with foreign

names (people/places etc.), the terminology of a particular field the sentence structures used in various

disciplines and professions.

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Understanding the logical relationship between sentences The sentences in a text are interrelated. For understanding the text we must

know the relation between the sentences.

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Assignment 1. Measure your reading speeds for

various purposes as given in the table. 2. Read different passages separately for:a. locating specific informationb. understanding meanings of words,

phrases and sentencesc. understanding logical relationship

between sentences

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Thanks