Class #12

Irene, Nelsy, and Vanessa

Monday, November 18th, 2019

WRITING SKILL

What writing is?

-          Writing is a medium of human communication that represents language with signs and symbols. It is a method of representing language in visual or tactile form.

-          Writing, in other words, is not a language, but a tool used to make languages readable.

-          Also, writing relies on many of the same structures as speech, such as vocabulary, grammar, and semantics, with the added dependency of a system of signs or symbols. It is a means towards self-improvement.

The significance of writing skill:

      Writing skills is an important part of communication.

      It is one of the rarest and most undervalued skills among students, and few professors have the time, resources, or skills to teach writing skills effectively.

      Good writing skills allow you to communicate your message with clarity and ease to a far larger audience than through face-to-face or telephone conversations.

      Writing well is easily one of the most sought after and useful skills in the business world.

9 simple ways to improve your written Skill:

      Brush up on the basics.

      Expand your vocabulary.

      Master English spelling.

      Read regularly.

      Improve your grammar.

      Write something every day.

      Find a place that is well-suited for writing.

      Don't fall in love with what you write. It can always be improved.

      Monitor your progress. Date entries and keep your work well organized. By doing this, you will demonstrate to yourself your commitment to self-improvement.

Why is Writing Important?

      Writing is critical to becoming a good reader.

      Writing is an essential job skill.

      Writing is the primary basis upon which one’s work, learning, and intellect will

be judged—in college, in the work place and in the community.

      Writing equips us with communication and thinking skills.

      Writing expresses who we are as people.

      Writing makes our thinking and learning visible and permanent.

      Writing fosters our ability to explain and refine our ideas to others and ourselves.

      Writing preserves our ideas and memories.

      Writing allows us to understand our lives.

      Writing allows us to entertain others.

The writing process:

- Prewriting
-Writing
-Revise
-Rewrite
-Proofread
-Publish

Karen, and Ricardo

READING

Reading is a mean for language acquisition, communication, and sharing information and ideas. 

Like all the languages, it is a complex interaction between the text and the reader, shaped by prior knowledge, experiences, attitudes and the language community.

The Reading Process

The reading process involves three stages:

1.The first is the pre-reading stage, which allows the reader to activate background knowledge, preview the text, and develop a purpose for reading. A strategy for students to utilize during this stage is to look at the title of the selection and list all the information that comes to mind about the title. 

2.The second stage occurs during reading, when the reader makes predictions as they read and then confirms or revises the predictions. For example, double-entry journal enable the reader to write the text from the reading on one side and their personal reaction on the other side. 

3.The final stage occurs after reading and allows the reader to retell the story, discuss the elements of a story, answer questions and/or compare it to another text. For example, students can create summaries, where they take a huge selection and reduce it to its main points for more concise understanding. 

To improve your reading skills you need to:

•      Have clear reading goals

•      Choose the right text

•      Use the right reading style

•      Use note taking technique

Reading Comprehension has two elements:

1. Vocabulary Knowledge

2. Different Comprehension Strategies

TECHNIQUES TO HELP YOU IDENTIFY AREAS FOR DETAILED READING:

SCANNING

Scanning is the technique you might use when reading a telephone directory. You pass your vision speedily over a section of text in order to find particular words or phrases that are relevant to your current task. You can scan:

•      the introduction or preface of a text

•      the first or last summarising chapter of a text

•      the concluding or summarising chapter of a text

•      the book index.

SKIMMING

Skimming is the process of speedy reading for general meaning. Let your eyes skip over sentences or phrases which contain detail. Concentrate on identifying the central or main points. Use this technique to:

Pre-view a selection of text prior to detailed reading;
refresh your understanding of a selection of text following detailed reading.

Readers use a variety of reading strategies to decode (to translate symbols into sounds or visual representations of Pech) and comprehend.

Readers may use context clues to identify the meaning of unknown words.

OTHER TECHNIQUES:

  

UNDERLINING and HIGHLIGHTING: To pick out what seem to you the most central or important words and phrases. Do this in your own copy of texts or on photocopies - never on borrowed texts.

KEYWORDS: To record the main headings as you read. Use one or two keywords for each main point. Keywords can be used when you don't want to mark the text.

QUESTIONS: To encourage you to take an active approach to your reading. Record your questions as you read. They can also be used as prompts for follow up work.

  

SUMMARIES: To check you have understood what you have read. Pause after a section of text and put what you have read in your own words. Skim over the text to check the accuracy of your summary, filling in any significant gaps.

Reading goals

Clear reading goals can significantly help with your reading efficiency. Not everything in print will be of use to you. Use reading goals to select and prioritise information according to the task in hand.

Reading goals can be:

•      an essay or seminar subject

  

•      a report brief

  

•      a selected subject área

•       a series of questions about a specific topic.

SUMMARY

*Have a clear focus for your reading.

*Set your reading goals.

*survey the text before you spend the time and effort involved in more detailed reading.

*Scan and skim to select the text for more detailed reading.

*Scan and skim after detailed reading to reinforce your understanding.

*Use a form of note taking whilst reading in detail, to keep you concentrating.

* Aid understanding and provide you with a record of your reading.

*Using clear reading goals and a variety of reading skills is more important than increasing your reading speed.