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Reading Part 2
Academic English for Undergraduate StudyLecture 4
Improving your Reading Speed and using your Reading Skills at University
This lecture and its associated materials have been produced by Mr. Kelvin Ng (MBA, Cambridge) of iAcademy for the purposes of lecturing on the above described subject and the material should be viewed in this context. The work does not constitute professional advice and no warranties are made regarding the information presented. The Author and iAcademy do not accept any liability for the consequences of any action taken as a result of the work or any recommendations made or inferred. Permission to use any of these materials must be first granted by iAcademy.
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Speed Reading WOW!• Play Videos– Read 13,000 words a minute with Johnny Carson– Howard Berg World's Fastest Reader Fox 13 Tampa
02-16-13
Are such reading speeds possible?
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Apparently, YES!
HOWEVER, people like Howard Berg are rare. Let’s examine how average people like us read.
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Reading Facts• An average person reads between 200 to 250
words a minute (wpm)• A global survey shows how fast people read– Third-grade students = 150 words per minute (wpm) – Eight grade students = 250 – College student = 450 – “High level exec” = 575 – College professor = 675 – Speed readers = 1,500 – World speed reading champion = 4,700Source: http://www.forbes.com/sites/brettnelson/2012/06/04/do-you-read-fast-enough-to-be-successful/
http://www.execuread.com/facts/
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The more educated and success people are, the faster they can
read!
Lets see why this is true!
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Why Reading Speed Matters• Assume you are a successful manager in a big
company and need to read emails, reports, newspapers and magazines regularly– Emails and Websites• 40 a day, each 400 words, total 16,000 words
– Reports• 1 a day, each 1,500 words, total 1,500 words
– Newspapers• 20 articles a day, each 500 words, total 10,000 words
– Magazines• 2 articles a day, each 1000 words, total 2,000 words
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How many words do you need to read a day on average?
29,500 words a day
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Why Reading Speed Matters• To read 29,500 words daily you will need:– At 200 wpm, 2 hours 28 min– At 250 wpm, 1 hour 58 min– At 450 wpm, 1 hour 6 min– At 600 wpm, 50 min
• Think of how much time you will spend a week reading?
A faster reading speed means less time spent reading
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Agenda• Review of Week 3 Lecture• Week 4 Lecture Coverage– Introduction to Speed Reading– Improving our reading speed– How to read comprehension passages– How to read academic textbooks– Introduction to Reading Aloud
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Review of Week 3• What are the 3 steps to Efficient Reading?• Why do we Survey?• How do we Survey?• Why do we Skim?• How do we Skim?• Why do we Scan?• How do we Scan?• What is the difference between Skimming and
Scanning?
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Any Questions?
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Let’s get started with Lecture 4
Reading Part 2
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Lets now try to find out our reading speed
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Reading Speed Exercise• Instructions:1. I will be giving out an article now.2. Please do not start reading it.3. Prepare a watch or timer.4. When everyone is ready and when I say “Start”,
start your timers and begin reading.5. When you finish, record the time you took.6. Wait for everyone to finish.
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Reading speed Exercise
START
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Calculating your reading speed• Total number of words = 526• Reading speed = 526 / time taken seconds * 60
(WPM)
Calculate your reading speed now!
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A quick survey• How many of you read above 200 WPM, raise
your hands• Above 250 WPM?• Above 450 WPM?• Above 600 WPM?
Congratulations to ALL!
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BUT… Will I Understand?
Reading more quickly in the correct manner will not
decrease your understanding of the text!
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Lets examine how we can improve our reading speed by
20% or more very quickly!
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5 reading habits that slow us down• 1) Moving your lips to silently read every word• 2) Trying to pronounce the words silently in our
minds• 3) Reading at a constant speed throughout the
entire article– There are some sentences that we can speed though
a little faster than others
Source: http://www.ctl.ua.edu/ctlstudyaids/studyskillsflyers/reading/badreadinghabits.htm
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5 reading habits that slow us down• 4) Reading a sentence or group of words again
and again
Source: http://www.ctl.ua.edu/ctlstudyaids/studyskillsflyers/reading/badreadinghabits.htm
Sometimes, it is necessary to reread something…
reread something, especially in a difficult
passage. But habitual… in a difficult passage. But
habitual, unnecessary regressing slows you down.
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5 reading habits that slow us down• 5) Reading 1 word at a time carefully
Source: http://www.ctl.ua.edu/ctlstudyaids/studyskillsflyers/reading/badreadinghabits.htm
Do | you | sometimes|read
like | this? | Reading |word |
by | word | can | slow| your
reading | speed.
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2 Tips to improve your reading speed• 1) Use a pointer!
Wrong Thinking:
Using a pointer is for people who are poor or slow in English!
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Did you see how they read?
They were using their hands and fingers to guide their eyes!
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2 Tips to improve your reading speed• 1) Use a pointer!– A pointer can be anything that helps to guide your
eyes as they move throughout the text
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2 Tips to improve your reading speed• 2) Read small groups of words each time.Instead of reading like this
Over | 85% | of | college | work | requires | reading. | Students | intending | to | go | for | higher | studies | will | need | to | read | more | and | more | books. | It | may | not | be | possible | for | most | of | the | students | to | buy | all | the | required | books | and | read. | Hence | they | go | for | other | alternatives | such | as | going | to | libraries | or | use | internet. | In | all | these | contexts, | students | have | to | read | as | quickly | as | possible | and | comprehend | what | all |they | have | read, | only | then | they | can | perform | better | in | their | chosen | field.
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2 Tips to improve your reading speed• 2) Read small groups of words each time.Read like this!
Over 85% of college work requires reading. Students intending to go for higher studies will need to read more and more books.It may not be possible for most of the studentsto buy all the required books and read. Hence they go for other alternatives such as going to libraries or use internet. In all these contexts, students have to read as quickly as possible and comprehend what all they have read, only then they can perform better in their chosen field.
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2 Tips to improve your reading speed• 2) Read small groups of words each time.– Your eyes can take in an amazing amount of text at a
time!– The more words you can read as a group with 1 look,
the faster you will read!Kim Goodman of Chicago, Illinois holds the Guinness World Record for her ability to pop her eyes out to a protrusion of .47 inches (12 millimeters) beyond her eye sockets.
Source: http://www.zimbio.com/Guinness+World+Records/articles/14/5+World+Record+Holders+Will+Freak+Out
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Why do you think text in newspapers is printed this way?
So you can read small groups of words easily!
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Get rid of any poor reading habits and use these 2 tips… you
will be reading faster immediately!
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Any Questions?
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The reading skills you have learnt are useful and with practice you will read and
remember much more than others.
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Now let’s apply your efficient reading skills to your exams!
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Reading Comprehension• Almost every English Examination e.g. IELTS will
have a reading comprehension exercise
Source: www.veritasprep.com
An article to read
Questions to answer
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You have 2 exams, 1 in each semester.
Each will have Reading Comprehension questions.
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What students usually do• Read the article from start to finish• Read the 1st question, start reading the article
again until you find the answer.• Read the 2nd question, start reading the article
again until you find the answer.• Read the 3rd question, start reading the article
again until you find the answer.• And so on…
Oops… ran out of time!
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Is there a better way?• Exams are timed. Hence, answering the
questions correctly and quickly is important.• A Suggested Method:
1. Survey and Skim through the article2. Read the questions quickly3. Read in Detail the article4. While reading, make notes on the article to indicate
where answers can be found.5. Start reading and answering the questions. Scan the
article and start reading where the answers can be found.
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Reading Comprehension: Step 1• Survey and Skim through
the article• Read the title of the article– Give you a clue to what the
author’s main idea or opinion is
• Read the 1st sentence of each paragraph– Get the key ideas about what
the article is about
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Reading Comprehension: Step 2• Read the questions quickly• Understand what each question is asking for• Notice the key words or phrases in each question
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Reading Comprehension: Step 3, 4• Read in Detail the article• While reading, make notes on the article to
indicate where answers can be found.
Q1
Q2
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Reading Comprehension: Step 5• Start reading and answering the questions. Scan
the article for key words and phrases that indicate where the answers can be found.
You need to be familiar with some of the common questions
that will be asked.
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5 Common Type of Questions• 1) Main Idea– E.g. What is the main idea of the passage?– E.g. What is the author’s main point in the article?
• Tips– Read the Title– Read the 1st and Last Paragraphs– (If the article is complete) The last paragraph usually
contains the conclusion and summarizes the author’s main idea or opinion
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5 Common Type of Questions• 2) Supporting Ideas– E.g. How did the author support his main idea?– E.g. What evidence was provided to justify the
author’s opinions?• Tips– Look for examples provided by the author that are
helpful to or agree with his ideas
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5 Common Type of Questions• 3) Facts found in the article– E.g. What was the year in which Singapore gain its
independence?– E.g. How did World War 2 begin?
• Tips– The answers are in the article.
• 4) Opinion of an idea in the article– E.g. What do you think of the author’s idea?
• Tips– State clearly whether you agree or disagree with the
author and why.
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5 Common Type of Questions• 5) Vocabulary Development– E.g. What is the meaning of the word “Adhere” as
used in the article?• Tips– Scan the article and find the word.– Read the sentence the word is in and the sentences
before and after the word.– If you don’t know the word, try to predict or guess
it’s meaning.
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Any Questions?
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Now let’s apply your efficient reading skills to textbooks!
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Why Read Textbooks?• Lectures contain a summary of content from
several textbooks, news media, and the experiences of your lecturer.
• However, reading textbooks can be helpful to gain a deeper understanding of the subject.– Different ways of explaining concepts– More knowledge, examples, activities
• Recommended for students who want to excel– Read (or Skim) the required textbook chapters
before class– (And) the Supplementary Notes
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Reading Textbooks• Important Point:
Not Everything in the Textbook is Important!
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How to Read a Textbook?• Use the 3 Steps of Efficient Reading + • Read and understand how the textbook is
organized or written – Most modern textbooks comes with many helpful
“learning features”
Let see what some of these features are and how you should
use them!
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Learning Features of Textbooks• Chapter Story– An interesting story or piece of new that introduces
the topic of the Chapter
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Learning Features of Textbooks• Chapter Outline– Table of contents for a chapter– Tell you how the chapter is organized
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Learning Features of Textbooks• Chapter Learning Objectives– Guides you on what is important and what you must
know after reading the chapter
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Learning Features of Textbooks• Summary– Provides the most important facts– Found at the end of each Chapter
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Learning Features of Textbooks• Interviews with working professionals– Helps to understand how knowledge is practically
applied
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Learning Features of Textbooks• Useful Information about how the knowledge is
used and in demand at work– Helps to understand career choices related to the
subject
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Learning Features of Textbooks• Glossary in Text– Provides the meaning of key
terms or phrases– Found at the side margins of the
text– Helps to understand new terms
as they are introduced
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Learning Features of Textbooks• Glossary– Provides the meaning of key terms or phrases– Found at the end of the book
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Final Tips on Reading a Textbook• Play Video– How to Use Your Textbook
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Any Questions?
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An Interesting Fact
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World Book Day• Celebrated on 23 Apr
every year by UNSECO– A symbolic date for world
literature as Shakespeare and many other famous authors died on 23 April
– To encourage everyone to discover the pleasures of reading
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Interesting Reading World Records• Longest marathon reading
aloud– Deepak Sharma Bajagain
(Nepal) read aloud 17 different books from 13 authors over 113 hours 15 minutes at the Tudikhel Ground, Kathmandu, Nepal, from 19 to 24 September 2008.
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Interesting Reading World Records• Play Videos– Deepak Sharma Bajagain broke six Guinness World
Records
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Why do some people choose to read aloud?
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Why do educators worldwide recommend that parents read
to their children?
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Benefits of Reading Aloud• It engages your brain far more than reading
silently and improves your spoken English• You gain a better understanding of the feelings
and intentions of the author and hence the content
• You will better remember what you have read
You show others that reading and language skills are important and set a good example for others on how to improve their English.
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Reading aloud will also help you improve your oral presentation skills
(Week 5)
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IMPTORTANT
Week 5: Discuss 1st Assessment
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Summary: Week 4 Lecture• Be aware of Bad Reading Habits that you may
have and reduce them• Use Good Reading Tips that help you to focus
and read faster• Apply your reading skills to Reading
Comprehension questions• Reading or Skimming through Textbooks before
lectures is recommended. Use Textbooks wisely to complement the lecture notes.
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What to Expect: Week 4 Tutorial• Find your average reading speed– Practice using some of the simple techniques
described to increase your reading speed• Reading Comprehension exercises– Read various types of articles – Practice your reading and reading comprehension
skills
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