Teaching Reading Skills Flashcards

What is the main purpose of skimming a text?

Answer: To get a general overview of the content

Skimming involves reading quickly to get a general idea or overview of a text without focusing on specific details.

Which type of reading is used when a student looks for a specific phone number in a directory?

Answer: Scanning

Scanning involves moving quickly through a text to locate specific information such as names, numbers, or dates.

What does 'extensive reading' primarily aim to develop in learners?

Answer: Reading fluency and enjoyment

Extensive reading involves reading large amounts of accessible text for general understanding, aiming to build fluency and a positive attitude toward reading.

Which term describes the background knowledge and expectations a reader brings to a text?

Answer: Schema

Schema refers to the pre-existing mental frameworks and background knowledge readers draw on to predict and understand new text.

What is a pre-reading activity primarily designed to do?

Answer: Activate learners' background knowledge and interest

Pre-reading activities are designed to activate learners' schema and generate interest so they are better prepared to understand the text.

What does 'bottom-up processing' in reading involve?

Answer: Decoding text by recognizing letters, words, and sentences

Bottom-up processing starts from the smallest units—letters and words—building upward toward comprehension of larger stretches of text.

What does 'top-down processing' in reading involve?

Answer: Using prior knowledge and context to predict and interpret meaning

Top-down processing uses the reader's existing knowledge, context, and expectations to predict and construct meaning rather than decoding word by word.