EFFECTIVE READING STRATEGIES
Reading & Writing Skills (GRADE 11)
1. Getting the Overview of the Text
Previewing – looking at the readily part of the text.
Like titles, pictures, visuals, graphs, and charts.
Skimming – looking for the main point of the reading
and identify the ideas that develop it. Skimming involves
quickly going through beginning and concluding sentences of paragraphs
because these talk about the topic of the text.
Scanning – looking for specific information. This is a useful
strategy that we can use from the previous poem especially when searching
for familiar words or answering specific questions like “ What weapon did the
boy used to kill the Jabberwocky?”
2. Using Context Clues
Context Clues – are words, phrases, and
sentences that surround an unfamiliar word.
a. Synonyms
b. Antonyms
c. Examples
d. Explanations and definitions
e. Situations
a. Synonyms
Synonyms are used when the text has words or phrases
that are similar in meaning to the unknown or unfamiliar
word.
Examples:
Alice envisaged the Jabberwock in her mind. She imagined
its sharp claws & jaws.
The narrator in the poem was euphoric of his son’s victory,
for he cried out triumphantly when the boy came home.
b. Antonyms
Antonyms are words that reveals the opposite
meaning in relation to the unfamiliar word.
Example:
The hero in the poem did not give in to trepidation,
rather, he bravely slayed the Jabberwock with his
sword.
c. Examples
Examples are specific details in a text that are
used to clarify the meaning of a word.
There are many mystical creatures that may exist such as
dragons, fairies, and mermaids.
The boy’s fathers was ecstatic when he found out that the
Jabberwock was killed by his son. He was laughing,
cheering and hugging his son.
d. Explanation & Definitions
Explanations may be given as clues to describe an
unknown term. When phrases like “because” or “that
is” follow an unfamiliar word, these may be
explanations.
Also, definitions as context clues ,may follow an
unfamiliar word. Terms like
“is”, “means”, “is defined as” and “refers to” are
used with definitions.
d. Explanation & Definitions
Humpty Dumpty told Alice that “brillig” means the same thing
as four o’clock in the afternoon, because that is when people
started broiling things for dinner.
Hearing someone outgrabe which means he is whistling,
belowing, and sneezing all that once- can be a funny sight.
Alice thought that toves were curious creatures, since they were
part badger, part-lizard, and part corkscrew.
Situations
The situation in which a word is used can also be
helpful in determining the meaning of that word. The
meaning of a word may change depending on its
context, or how and where it is used.
Examples:
There were monsters and demons attacking the kingdom.
A person’s demons are awake at night.
Let’s test your memory:
This is a reading strategy which includes Previewing,
Skimming & Scanning.
Getting the Overview of the Text
Let’s test your memory:
A reading strategy which involves looking at the
readily part of the text. Like titles, pictures, visuals,
graphs, and charts.
Previewing
Let’s test your memory:
A reading strategy which involves quickly going through
beginning and concluding sentences, looking for the main
point of the reading and identify the ideas that develop it.
Skimming
Let’s test your memory:
These are words, phrases, and sentences that
surround an unfamiliar word.
Context Clues
Let’s test your memory:
A type of context clue which is used when the text has words
or phrases that are similar in meaning to the unknown or
unfamiliar word.
Synonym
Let’s test your memory:
A context clue that reveals the opposite meaning in
relation to the unfamiliar word.
Antonym
Effective Reading Strategies
I. Getting Overview of the Text
(Previewing, Skimming, Scanning)
II. Using Context Clues
(Synonym, Antonym, Examples, Explanation & Definition,
Situations)
III. Using Denotation & Connotation
III. Using Denotation & Connotation
A. Denotation - is the basic and literal meaning of
the word that can be found in a dictionary.
A. Connotation - is the positive, negative or neutral
feelings, attitudes, ideas, or associations with a
word.
Using Denotation & Connotation
Example:
Father
Denotation: a male parent
Connotation:
Feeling: positive
Association: Authority, respect
Using Denotation & Connotation
Daddy
Denotation: a male parent
Connotation:
Feeling: positive
Association: love, familiarity, childhood
Flower
Denotation:
a cluster of petals, bright in color,
near the tip of a seed bearing plant.
Connotation
Feelings:
Association:
Let’s Practice!
Provide the denotation and connotation of the words below.
1) Toy
2) Fat
3) Home
4) Sun
5) Mother
6) Eagle
7) Money
8) Book
