LESSON 3

ACADEMIC READING STRATEGIES

WHAT I NEED TO KNOW

Learning Competency 2.
Uses knowledge of text structure to glean the information he/she needs.

Learning Objectives: At the end of the lesson, learners are expected to:

1. identify the different reading strategies as tool in academic writing;

2. evaluate one’s purpose for reading; and
3. use knowledge of text structure to glean information he/she needs.

WHAT'S IN

Let’s Recall!

Formal language and informal language are associated with particular

choices of grammar and vocabulary.
Contractions, relative clauses without a relative pronoun and ellipsis are
more common in informal language.
So, in these sentences…
1. She has decided to accept the job.
2. She’s decided to accept the job.

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Which one is acceptable in academic writing? Yes, it’s No. 2! You are Correct!
Why? She’s is informal. It is a contraction which is unacceptable in formal writing.

We now proceed to our new lesson…but first let us answer this Pretest!

WHAT I KNOW

Let’s Answer This!

Pretend that you are a research consultant. You have been assigned the task
of researching this assignment and then writing a report that includes a
recommendation for Brillantes based on your findings.

Directions: Read the paragraph below and answer the questions that follow. Write
your answer in your notebook.

As a research consultant with Padilla Estates Inc., you have been asked to
find sales and distribution site in Cavite area for Brillantes Electrical Components,
3450
Anonas Avenue, Santa Mesa, Manila. Brillantes seeks suitable office space,
including a reception area (where three office employees could work), one private
office, and a conference/display area. Brillantes also wants 3000 square feet of
heated warehouse space. It should be equipped with a sprinkler system and have 18-
foot ceilings. If sales are successful, Brillantes may need an additional 2000 square
feet of warehouse space in the future. Brillantes needs access to Ninoy Aquino
International Airport; moreover, it must be close to trucking terminals and main
thoroughfares in an area zoned for light industry. It also seeks an impressive-looking
building with a modern executive image. Brillantes wants to lease for at least two
years with possible renewal. It needs to make a decision within three weeks. If no
space is available, it will delay until next year.

1. Who is the audience for this report?

2. What does Brillantes Company need? Why does the company need it?

3. Would you rely on primary or secondary research? How would you gather data for
this report?

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 WHAT'S NEW

Let’s Move On!

Consider this cooking analogy, noting the differences in process

:
A. Shannon has to make dinner. He goes to the store and walks through every aisle.
He decides to make spaghetti, so he revisits aisles and reads many packages
thoroughly before deciding which groceries to buy. Once he arrives home, he finds a
recipe for spaghetti, but needs to go back to the store for ingredients he forgot.

B. Taylor also has to make dinner. He wants lots of carbohydrates because he’s
running a marathon soon so he decides to make spaghetti. After checking some
recipes, he makes a list of ingredients. At the grocery store, he skims aisles to find
his ingredients and chooses products that meet his diet.

Which paragraph is clearer? Yes, it’s Paragraph A. Why?

Answer: Taylor’s process was more efficient because his purpose was clear.
So, establishing why you are reading something will help you decide how to
read it, which saves time and improves comprehension. So here are some
strategies to help you improve your skills.

WHAT IS IT

What are the Different Reading Strategies?

Strategies differ from reader to reader. The same reader may use different
strategies for different contexts because their purpose for reading changes. Ask
yourself “why am I reading?” and “what am I reading?” when deciding which
strategies to try.

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What are the Purposes of Reading?

People read different kinds of text (e.g., scholarly articles, textbooks, reviews)
for different reasons. Some purposes for reading might be

to scan for specific information

to skim to get an overview of the text
to relate new content to existing knowledge
to write something (often depends on a prompt)
to critique an argument
to learn something
for general comprehension

So, it is important that you adjust your reading strategies to your purpose of
reading. Here’s how to do it.

Before Reading

Establish your purpose for reading

Speculate about the author’s purpose for writing
Review what you already know and want to learn about the topic (see the
guides below)
Preview the text to get an overview of its structure, looking at headings, figures,
tables, glossary, etc.
Predict the contents of the text and pose questions about it. If the authors have
provided discussion questions, read them and write them on a note-taking
sheet.
Note any discussion questions that have been provided (sometimes at the end
of the text)

During Reading

Annotate and mark (sparingly) sections of the text to easily recall important or
interesting ideas
Check your predictions and find answers to posed questions
Use headings and transition words to identify relationships in the text
Create a vocabulary list of other unfamiliar words to define later
Try to infer unfamiliar words’ meanings by identifying their relationship to the
main idea
Connect the text to what you already know about the topic
Take breaks (split the text into segments if necessary)

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 After Reading

Summarize the text in your own words (note what you learned, impressions,
and reactions) in an outline, concept map, or matrix (for several texts)
Talk to someone about the author’s ideas to check your comprehension
Identify and reread difficult parts of the text
Define words on your vocabulary list and practice using them

Is it cl ear now …how w ill you p ut it into

practi ce?

WHAT'S MORE

Let’s Practice!
What’s your Purpose for Reading?
Directions: Complete these tasks. Match your Purpose in Reading with your
st
Activity. Suppose your purpose is in the 1 Column. Fill in the activity that you will do
to achieve your purpose. The first one is done for you. Write your answer in your
notebook.

PURPOSE ACTIVITY
Get an Overview of the Text I will look at headings, subheadings,
intro, abstract.
Search for a specific fact

Check what theory the author is using

Understand a concept

Analyze the steps in an argument

Compare ideas with what the author

says

You did a great job…☺☺☺

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 WHAT I HAVE LEARNED

Let’s Remember This!

Reflection….today you are able to

Use features of the text to help you read more effectively
Adapt your reading activities to match your purpose.
Find out which conditions and strategies help you study best.

WHAT I CAN DO

Let’s Do It!
Directions: Read the excerpt of an article critique. Answer the questions that follow.
Use the reading strategies you have learned from the previous discussion. Write
your answer in your notebook.

The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 expects all students to achieve proficient
levels of knowledge in core subject areas. Teachers of English language learners
(ELL) face the added challenge of providing meaningful and accessible curricula
while integrating English language and literacy development. This research study
addresses ELL students’ low science achievement in the context of national
standards and accountability in the 2006-2007 school year.
Several studies have examined the influence of professional development
interventions on students’ science achievement. Research suggests that hands-on
and inquiry-based science lessons develop literacy as well as content knowledge.
Research also indicates that students’ science achievement is positively correlated
with the amount of teacher professional development. This study builds upon existing
research by using a quasi-experimental design to assess students’ science
achievement after the first-year implementation of a professional development
intervention that focused on science achievement, literacy, and math skills.
Specifically, the study addresses three research questions: (1) whether treatment
group students show gains in science achievement, (2) whether gaps in science

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achievement change for ELL and low-literacy (retained) students in the treatment
group, and (3) whether treatment group students perform differently compared with
non-treatment group students on a statewide mathematics test, particularly on the
measurement strand that is emphasized in the intervention.

1. Is there a statement of the Problem? Write it below?

2. What is the background information of the problem? State it below?
3. Is the educational significance of the problem discussed? What is it? Write it
below.
4. What is your impression about this article? Use a concept map to illustrate your
answer.

POST ASSESSMENT

Let’s Answer This!

Multiple Choice
Directions: Choose the best strategy to use in the following conditions. Write the letter
of your answer in your notebook.
1. Determine what you think will happen in the text.
A. Visualize
B. Predict
C. Connect
D. Clarify

2. Create mental images of the settings, characters, and events in the text.
A. Connect
B. Visualize
C. Clarify
D. Evaluate

3. Stop and ask yourself questions to see if the text makes sense.
A. Clarify
B. Evaluate
C. Question
D. Predict

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4. Think about what you already know about the text. Find ways to relate the text to
yourself, other texts, and the world around you.
A. Predict
B. Visualize
C. Clarify
D. Connect

5. Think about the text as a whole and form opinions about what you read.
A. Evaluate
B. Question
C. Predict
D. Connect

6. Stopping when you are confused to reread or look up a word you don't know.
A. Connect
B. Clarify
C. Evaluate
D. Predict

7. When you give your opinion of a book or story, you are using the strategy.
A. Question B.
Evaluation C.
Summarize D.
Clarify

8. Making pictures in your mind as you read is an example of .

A. Predicting B.
Connecting C.
Visualization D.
Clarifying

9. Wondering about why a character acted in a certain why is using the

comprehension skill of .
A. Visualizing
B. B. Summarizing
C. Predicting
D. Questioning

10. "This story reminds me of something I heard on the news," is an example of

which strategy?
A. Visualizing
B. Connection
C. Clarifying
D. Summarizing