Remote Learning Guide No.

5
English 2 Class
Topic: Multitasking Reading Comprehension
Professor:
Date: May 2020

Description of the activity

This activity will help you complete different tasks for the theme “hobbies and occupations”, as
well as reach a better understanding of a text, through the use of reading comprehension
strategies, specially skimming and scanning. It must be done independently with the guidelines
provided.

Learning outcome:

● Students will apply reading comprehension strategies to identify the macro-structure of a

problem-solution text

Product (s)

Reading comprehension workshop. Once you do it, upload it in Blackboard: ADDITIONAL

CONTENT, folder: “Workshop 4 Multitasking reading ANSWERS”

Deadline

This activity must be carried out as independent work during the first hour of the second session
this week (May 7th, 8th, or 9th), according to your class schedule. In the second hour, you will be
working on the final project with the guidance of your professor.

Procedures
 Activities
First, access your English 2 course in Blackboard. In the folder ADDITIONAL CONTENT,
download the WORKSHOP No 4 MULTITASKING READING in which you will write down all
the answers for the following activities.
Once you finish your workshop, please go to your Blackboard again, then go to
Independen ADDITIONAL CONTENT and upload it in the folder “Workshop 4 Multitasking reading
t work ANSWERS”. The document must include the student’s name at the top left of the page.

Remember you until May (include date) at (include time) to upload it

Before you start working on your workshop, let us present some ideas on reading
comprehension strategies. Let us begin with vocabulary.

1. Vocabulary. It Represents one of most important skills. You do not have

to know every single word. Instead, you can use some strategies which can help
you infer the meaning of new words:

a. PREVIOUS KNOWLEDGE. It is a good idea to activate your prior vocabulary on the

subject you will read about. Ask yourself: What do I already know about this? What
experiences have I had? These questions will help you make “connections” to the
new information.

b. COGNATES. They are words in two languages (English and Spanish, in our case)
that share a similar meaning, spelling, but with different pronunciation.
English Spanish
Accept Aceptar
Global economy Economía global
Multitasking Multitarea

However, you must be careful because there are some words which sound familiar in the
two languages, but there meaning is completely different. They are called FALSE
COGNATES. For example:
ENGLISH WORD SIMILAR TO THE SPANISH WORD REAL MEANING
Large Largo Grande
Actually Actualmente De hecho
Exit Éxito Salida
Success Suceso Éxito

c. REFERENCES. They that are used to introduce vocabulary in a text, and to keep
track of them. In order to understand a text, it is necessary to understand how the
sentences related. See the following example:
The time my family arrived, they were very hungry.

Because of the boy’s hunger, he was permitted to eat early.

 d. INFERRING MEANING THROUGH CONTEXT. When you read, you don’t have to
understand every word from the text. Instead, you have to use contextual clues
which can help you deduce the meaning of the word. The following chat helps you
do it

And remember…

2. SKIMMING

This is another strategy whose purpose is

to gain a quick overview (summary) in
order to identify the main points or ideas of
a text.

When you skim a text, that is to say, when

you want to identify its main ideas, some
useful techniques include reading the first
and last sentences of paragraphs; reading
the introduction; reading the conclusion,
and/or reading the summary if it is
provided.

Check the following tips:

Besides those tips or techniques, you can use others to help you organize your material:
annotating, outlining, mapping, or timelines

Annotating means to make

explanatory notes. You may
underline passages, highlight
sections
or write in the margins of the book. 
Keep in mind that less is often
better.  Your writing in
the margins should be your reaction
to the material, or your opinion
about the information.
 Outlining is a more formal way to
organize material.  An outline
reflects an orderly arrangement of
the ideas you need to master.
Outlines move from the general to
the specific

Mapping involves a more free-form

technique than outlining.  Some
people do not do well with outlines. 
If you are that sort of person, you
might find mapping more useful.
First, write down the main idea or
thesis of some material.  Draw a
circle or box around it.  Then find
material which supports that main
idea, draw a box or circle around it,
and connect these boxes and circles
with lines.

Time lines are useful devices for

arranging chronological material. 
You can create either a vertical or
horizontal timeline in order to most
effectively arrange the ideas you
want to organize.

In your workshop, you will work on SKIMMING.

According to the text you will try to find out which of the statements expresses the main
idea of the whole text.

3. SCANNING
Another useful strategy is scanning. It is used when you want to find specific information
quickly. Here are some ideas about how to scan a text:
 • State the specific information you are looking for.

• Try to anticipate how the answer will appear and what clues you may use to help
you locate the answer

• Look for the author’s use of organizers such as numbers, letters, or the words first,
second, third, last

• Look for words that are in boldface, italics, or in different font size, style or color

• Use headings and any other aid that will help you identify which sections might
contain the information you are looking for.

Check the following charts for a quick

summary of the information.

4. IDENTIFYING
AUTHOR’S INTENTION.

The types of author’s purposes are often When an author writes something, he chooses
revealed in the answer choices: his words for a purpose.

The author’s purpose is the main reason that

s/he has for writing a text. In order to
understand the intention of the writer, you can
first ask yourself some questions:
a. To inform (explain, give information, solve a problem, contrast)
b. To describe
c. To entertain (tell, share experience, narrate,
d. To persuade

That is to say, the author’s intention is closely related to the type of text. There are many
classification od texts. What we will present here is one of the many classifications:

After reading the whole text structure, you’ll try to find the author’s purpose or intention.