Synonyms- are words that have the same or very similar meanings
Antonyms- are words that have the opposite meanings of each other
Homonyms – are words that are spelt and pronounced in an identical way but have different meanings and functions
Homophones – are words that are pronounced in the same way but have different meanings and spellings
Ambiguity – is a word, phrase or statement which contains more than one meaning
General sense – when the meaning of words are not stated clearly in the context of the text they may be implied
Reading strategies
Pre-reading – is useful in stimulating reader’s prior knowledge of the topic
During reading strategies – during reading this phase readers are continually engaged in connecting ideas, monitoring
understanding, summarising and asking questions
Speed reading
This is a technique that entails reading quickly through the material without skipping anything
Skimming
Skimming allows you to find the main ideas or themes without paying attention to detail. It is a technique of looking through
the material quickly to gather a general sense of the topic and how it is organised
Benefits of skimming include
It can save time
Puts you in the right frame of mind
Privides a context for further reading
It can help you decide if the book or chapter is worth reading
Or if this is the information you were looking for
Scanning
You use this strategy when you want to quickly locate specific information from a large volume of written material
Benefits of scanning
Saves time
Find specific information quickly
Eliminating the information you don’t need
Avoids information overload
Outlining
With outlining one reads through a text and formulates a broad outline of the main ideas. It is done by using the following:
Paraphrasing – writing out the main points in your own words
Summarising – writing out the main points and not the details
Intensive reading
It is detailed focused reading because your purpose is to recall information. This tupe of reading requires intensive
concentration and active involvement in the text - Steps for intensive reading :
Skim the text for main idea
Pick up main ideas, key words and transition markers
Ask yourself questions such as who, when, what, where, how
Make notes in your own words
Make a summary with your notes
Review and reflect on what you read
After reading
Evaluate what you have read, how does it fit into what you already think and know, does it confirm your ideas add to them,
conflict with them? If there are opinions do you agree with them or disagree with them
Understanding what you have read
Look at the following
Vocabulary
General sense (antonyms and contrasts )
Fact or opinion
Facts – are objective, concrete bits of information they can be found in official government and legal records and in the
physical sciences
Opinions – are based on subjective judgement and personal values rather than on information that can be verified it is a
belief that someone holds without complete proof or positive knowledge that it is correct