READING TECHNIQUES

There are many kinds of reading techniques, they are :
1. Skimming
Skimming is used to identify the main idea of the text quickly. We can use this technique for entire books or for shorter sections. It is also used to search out certain short passages that you have lost. Your eyes should race over the pages looking for clues which will help you. Though you feel completely lost, the act of skimming will refresh your memory and lead you to the passage. Trust your memory. If it says upper left-hand corner, look there first.


2. Scanning
Scanning is a technique that often we use for looking up a word in the telephone book or dictionary. You search for key words or ideas. In most cases, you know what you're looking for, so you are concentrating on finding a particular answer. Scanning involves moving your eyes quickly down the page seeking specific words and phrases. Scanning is also used when you find a resource to determine whether it will answer your questions. Once you have scanned the document, you might go back and skim it.

3. Sub-vocalisation
This reading is very slowly and methodically, either saying the words out loud or at least with a ‘voice’ in your head. It is painstaking but very slow. We tend to use it when trying out a recipe for the first time, or carrying out instruction as to how to assemble somethig we have bought.

4. Light Reading
This is reading fairly quickly without concentrating too hard or worrying about every single word. We often use it when reading enjoyable novel.

5. Study Reading
Study reading involves thinking about what is being read so that it is understood and can be recalled. It needs to be worked at, with time for reflection, thought, analysis, critism. Comparison, notes made, points highlighted and emphasised, arguments followed and evaluated, the hole summarised.

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UNDERSTANDING PARAGRAPH

To make we understand what the text tells about, we have to know five points of understanding paragraph, they are :

A.      Topic

Subject, or something that discussed in paragraph. Generally, topic consist of one word, but it can be consist of two words.

B.      Main Idea

To find main idea easily, we have to know the characteristics of main idea, they are :

v  Independent clause

v  Statement form

v  More specific than topic

v  Can be in first sentence, second sentence, in the middle sentence, or may be in first and last sentence.

C.      Topic  Sentence

The sentence that contains main idea. Sometimes, topic sentence is same as main idea.

D.      Details

Additional informations about main idea. If we have found the main idea, and topic sentence, the rest is details.

E.       Transitions

There are two place of transitions, within paragraph and between paragraph. Within paragraph, it means that the transitions are between sentences, and between paragraph, it means that transitions are at the beginning of paragraph.

e.g. furthermore,In addition, in fact, so, next, finnaly, but, etc.

Examples :

Computers and Education in America

In the last decade, computers have invaded every aspect of education, from kindergarten through college. The figures shows that schools have spent over two billion dollars installing two million new computers. Recently, with the explosive increase of sites on the internet computers have taken another dramatic rice.

Topic = Computers

Main idea = computers have invaded every aspect of education

Topic sentence = In the last decade, computers have invaded every aspect of education, from kindergarten through college

Details = The figures shows that schools have spent over two billion dollarsinstalling two million new computers.recently, with the explosive increase of sites on the internet computers have taken another dramatic rice.

Transition = Recently

Outdoor recreation is on the increase world wide as people have more leisure time, greater mobility, and more disposable income.  In addition there is a proliferation of new types of recreation such as mountain bike riding, snow boarding, canyoning and other emerging activities that have different environmental requirements and are often in conflict with more traditional outdoor activities.

Topic : Outdoor Recreation

Main Idea : Outdoor recreation is on the increase world wide as people have more leisure time, greater mobility, and more disposable income.

Topic Sentence : Outdoor recreation is on the increase world wide as people have more leisure time, greater mobility, and more disposable income.

Details : In addition there is a proliferation of new types of recreation such as mountain bike riding, snow boarding, canyoning and other emerging activities that have different environmental requirements and are often in conflict with more traditional outdoor activities.

Transition : in addition

Conventional methods used in the design and planning of park management facilities have depended on user surveys and traffic counts to estimate the requirements.  However these methods fall far short of the real needs of managers who need to comprehensively evaluate the cascading effects of the flow of visitors through a sequence of sites and estimating the effects of increasing visitor flows through time.

Topic : Conventional methods

Main Idea : Conventional methods used in the design and planning of park management facilities

Topic Sentence :  Conventional methods used in the design and planning of park management facilities have depended on user surveys and traffic counts to estimate the requirements.

Details : However these methods fall far short of the real needs of managers who need to comprehensively evaluate the cascading effects of the flow of visitors through a sequence of sites and estimating the effects of increasing visitor flows through time.

Transition : However

Computer simulation has typically been utilized to study biophysical environmental processes (Goodchild et al., 1993) with more recent attention being focused on "human dimensions" of environmental systems.  Many of these simulation modeling efforts employ a number of artificial intelligence techniques combined with Geographic Information System (GIS) functions to address human-environment interactions (e.g. Green, 1987; Slothower, 1996; Gimblett et al. 1996a, 1996b; Briggs et al. 1996).  Exploratory studies (eg. Berry et al. 1993; Gimblett et al. 1994; Saarenmaa et al. 1994; Gimblett and Itami 1997). Tobler (1979) and Itami (1988) have suggested the use of cellular automata (CA) as a method for simulating dynamic environmental processes over large scale landscapes, and applications of this approach have been successfully demonstrated (e.g., Green et al. 1987; Manneville et al. 1989). 

Topic : Computer

Main Idea : Computer simulation has typically been utilized to study biophysical environmental processes (Goodchild et al., 1993)

Topic Sentence : Computer simulation has typically been utilized to study biophysical environmental processes (Goodchild et al., 1993) with more recent attention being focused on "human dimensions" of environmental systems.

Details : Many of these simulation modeling efforts employ a number of artificial intelligence techniques combined with Geographic Information System (GIS) functions to address human-environment interactions (e.g. Green, 1987; Slothower, 1996; Gimblett et al. 1996a, 1996b; Briggs et al. 1996).  Exploratory studies (eg. Berry et al. 1993; Gimblett et al. 1994; Saarenmaa et al. 1994; Gimblett and Itami 1997). Tobler (1979) and Itami (1988) have suggested the use of cellular automata (CA) as a method for simulating dynamic environmental processes over large scale.

For me, English is very important. Because i want to know everything in this world, and the way is by mastering English. Actually, i have a dream to go abroad like my seniors. To reach it, of course i should improve my English capability. Now, i am trying to improve my speaking, listening, grammar, and everything about English. Not only in campus, but also at home I pcactice my English.

Topic : English

Main Idea : English is very important.

Topic Sentence : For me, English is very important.

Details : Because i want to know everything in this world, and the way is by mastering English. Actually, i have a dream to go abroad like my seniors. To reach it, of course i should improve my English capability. Now, i am trying to improve my speaking, listening, grammar, and everything about English. Not only in campus, but also at home I pcactice my English.

Transition : Actually

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READING 1

UNDERSTANDING SENTENCES

Two kind of clauses :

a.independent clause, including five basic sentences patterns

1.       S + V                                                      4.    S + V + O + C              

2.       S + V + C                                               5.    S + V + O +O

3.       S + V + O

Note :

S = subject          V = verb               O = object           C = complement

b.dependent clause

1.       adjective clause ( who, whom, which, whose,that )

e.g.  The book which you read yesterday is mine.

2.       Adverb clause ( because, because of, after, before )

e.g. Ranny goes to campus after she washed her clothes

3.       Noun clause ( what, when, where, how, why, who)

e.g. I do not know when she comes here

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CONTEXT CLUES

Context clues are words and phrases that help us to understand the meaning of sentences.

1.       Definition

Explain or give definition of something. The keywords are is, are,refers to,is/are called,means,is known as,can be called, etc.

e.g. bolu kemojo is known as traditional food of Riau.

  2.  Example

  Explain or clarify the unfamiliar words. The keywords are for example, such as,for instance,including,especially, etc .

e.g. Fitri likes many kind of fruits such as apple, pear,grape, and rambutan.

3. Cause and Effect

Explain the reason and it’s effect, there is a relationship between them. The keywords are because,because of,so.due to,as a result,so that,thus.therefore etc.

 e.g. because of his mother, he continues his study in England.

4. Contrast

Explain something contrast in the sentence. The keywords are but,though,although,yet,however, etc.

e.g. the sun was shining however it had been raining.

5.restatement

There is difficult sentence , and then we restate to be easyone. The keywords are or,in the other hand,that is, etc.

e.g. students memoryze information, in other word they learn and remember all of the material that the teachers have given.

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PUNCTUATIONS

1.       COMMA

A punctuation mark that is used to separate clauses or a list of things.

v  To separate clause, dependent and independent clauses.

By using introductory words  = when, while, although, after, before, etc.

e.g. i cook rice, when my mother is washing clothes .

v  To separate a list of things

v  To separate clauses

v  Certains adverbs ( at the beginning )

However, . . . .                   . . . . , however , . . . .

Furthermore, . . . .           . . . . , infact , . . . .

Infact, . . . .

v  Pharentetical phrases

Once upon a time , . . . .

One day , . . . .

In the class , . . . .

v  Before questions

v  Date, month, and year

v  Names

e.g. Ernawati, M.Ed

v  Geoghrapical names

e.g. I was born in Pekanbaru, Riau

v  Number

e.g. 8,888

v   Ellipsis

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UNDERSTANDING LANGUAGE PATTERNS

HOW TO MAKE COMMUNICATIONS

Communication happen by three ways, they are :

v  Talking directly, just say what we want to say by language.

e.g. ‘ i want to eat ‘ , ‘ please, come here ‘.

v  Body language, it is communication by gesture or our body.

The steps are :

1.       Be natural, it is easy to find big list of what certain gestures mean.

2.       Identify your body language patterns, It is necessary to make people understand what you mean easily .

3.       Have more than one gesture to get the message across.

Every body has different ability to understand your body language.

Say what you mean, to the point !

Try it by yourself before.

You should be able to read your body language better than anyone else.

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