Skimming and scanning bookmark Teaching strategies for comprehension

Skim Read in this direction	Scan Read in these directions
Read the first few paragraphs, two or three middle paragraphs and the final two or three paragraphs of a text, trying to gain a basic understanding of the information. Pause occasionally to consider the structure of the text. This is especially important when scrolling through a webpage. Experiment with reading the first and last sentence of each paragraph (i.e. the topic sentence and concluding sentence). If there are pictures, charts or diagrams, glance at them briefly. This may help you to understand the main idea or point of view in the text. Generally, move your eyes horizontally and quickly as you skim; avoid reading every word. You know you have skim read successfully when you have a general idea about the meaning of the text and/or its level of engagement or readability. Practise increasing the pace at which you skim read.	Preview the structure of your text, so you can anticipate approximately where you might find the information you are scanning for. Note how the information is arranged on a page. Ask yourself: Will headings, diagrams, boxed or highlighted information guide me? Is information arranged alphabetically or numerically? Move your eyes vertically or diagonally down a page, letting them dart quickly from side to side, and keeping in mind the exact type of information that you want. Look for closely associated words that might steer you towards the detail for which you are searching. You know you have scanned the text successfully when you have found the information you were looking for.

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