READING AND
WRITING
WEEK 6
DEFINING
01 READING
EFFECTIVE
READING
02 STRATEGIES
DEFINING
03 CRITICAL READING
04 IDENTIFYING
ASSERTIONS
Contents of This Template
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
At the end of the lesson, the student should be
able to:
a. Distinguish the difference between reading
and critical reading;
b. Familiarize with the different strategies in
effective reading and critical reading and;
c. Classify what type of assertion is present in
the following sentences .
LESSON 6: CRITICAL
READING AS A FORM OF
REASONING
Reading is a
cognitive process of
decoding symbols to
derive meaning from
a text. It is always an
interaction between
the text and the
reader.
APPLYING EFFECTIVE READING STRATEGIES
Getting an Overview of the text
1. Previewing means looking at the
readily visible part of the text like titles
and subtitles.
2. Skimming and Scanning
Skimming the text means you look for
the main point of the reading and identify
the ideas that develop it. Meanwhile,
scanning the reading is looking for
APPLYING EFFECTIVE READING STRATEGIES
Using Context Clues
Context clues are words, phrases, and
sentences that surround an unfamiliar
word that can help you recognize the
meaning of an unknown word because the
text gives you information about it.
The most common types of context clues are the
following:
1. Synonyms are used when the text has
words or phrases that are similar in
meaning to the unknown word.
Example:
Alice envisaged the Jabberwock in her
mind. She imagined its sharp claws and
jaws, and then shivered in fright.
The most common types of context clues are the
following:
1. Synonyms are used when the text has
words or phrases that are similar in
meaning to the unknown word.
Example:
Alice envisaged the Jabberwock in her
mind. She imagined its sharp claws and
jaws, and then shivered in fright.
The most common types of context clues are the
following:
2. Antonym is a word that reveals the
opposite meaning in relation to the
unknown word.
Example:
The Jabberwock was relentlessly pursued
by the boy, unlike the others who gave up
easily when they heard how terrifying the
creature was.
The most common types of context clues are the
following:
2. Antonym is a word that reveals the
opposite meaning in relation to the
unknown word.
Example:
The Jabberwock was relentlessly pursued
by the boy, unlike the others who gave up
easily when they heard how terrifying the
creature was.
The most common types of context clues are the
following:
3. Examples are specific details in a text
that are used to clarify the meaning of a
word.
Example:
There are many eccentric creatures in
the forest, such as mome raths and
borogoves.
The most common types of context clues are the
following:
3. Examples are specific details in a text
that are used to clarify the meaning of a
word.
Example:
There are many eccentric creatures in
the forest, such as mome raths and
borogoves.
The most common types of context clues are the
following:
4. Explanations and Definitions
Explanations may be given as clues to
describe an unknown term. Meanwhile,
definitions may follow an unfamiliar
word. Terms like “is”, “means”, “is defined
as” and “refers to” are used with
definitions. are specific details in a text
that are used to clarify the meaning of a
word.
The most common types of context clues are the
following:
4. Explanations and Definitions
Example:
Humpty Dumpty told Alice that “brillig”
means the same thing as four o’clock in
the afternoon, because that is when
people started broiling things for dinner.
The most common types of context clues are the
following:
5. Situations
The situation in which a word is used can
also be helpful in determining the
meaning of that word. The meaning of a
word may change depending on its
context, or how and where it is used.
The most common types of context clues are the
following:
5. Situations
Examples:
a. The boy wondered if he should have
brought some back up, in case he
could not take on the Jabberwock by
himself.
b. The hero’s conquest of the Jabberwock
is an exemplary case of bravery.
APPLYING EFFECTIVE READING STRATEGIES
Using Connotation and Denotation
Denotation is the basic, precise, literal
meaning of the word that can be found in
a dictionary. Meanwhile, Connotation is
the positive, negative, or neutral feelings,
attitudes, ideas, or associations with a
word.
APPLYING EFFECTIVE READING STRATEGIES
Using Connotation and Denotation
Example:
Father
Denotation: a male parent
Connotation: association: positive
feelings: love and
respect
Whenever you read
something and you
evaluate claims,
seek definitions,
judge information,
demand proof, and
question
assumptions, you
are thinking
This type of reading goes
beyond possibly
understanding a text,
because you process the
author’s words and make
judgments after carefully
considering the reading’s
message. But why should
This shows that you do not
simply accept the message
in the page. You bring to
your reading your own
experience and
perspective, and use these
to separate yourself from
the text and judge for
yourself what you consider
Below are some techniques to help you develop
critical reading skills:
1. KEEPING A READING JOURNAL
A reading journal is similar to keeping a
diary, except you are writing your
feelings and ideas in reaction to your
reading assignment. This process allows
you to develop your impressions of the
text and connect them to your personal
experiences. This allows you to better
relate to the essay and understand the
Below are some techniques to help you develop
critical reading skills:
2. ANNOTATING THE TEXT
Simply means making notes on your
copy of the reading. This includes
highlighting or underlining important
passages and writing notes, comments,
questions, and reactions on the margins.
Below are some techniques to help you develop
critical reading skills:
3. OUTLINING THE TEXT
By locating the thesis statement, claims,
and evidence, and then plotting these
into an outline, you can see how the
writer structures, sequences, and
connects his or her ideas.
Below are some techniques to help you develop
critical reading skills:
4. SUMMARIZING THE TEXT
Summarizing the text is similar to
outlining, in that you need to get the
gist. A summary consists of getting the
main points of the essay and important
supporting details. Summarizing is a
useful skill because you can better
understand the reading if you can
recognize and differentiate major and
Below are some techniques to help you develop
critical reading skills:
5. QUESTIONING THE TEXT
Questioning the text involves asking
specific questions on points that you are
skeptical about. These may be topics
that do not meet your expectations or
agree with your personal views.
Below are some techniques to help you develop
critical reading skills:
5. QUESTIONING THE TEXT
Alternately, you should also take note of
things that you found impressive. The
following may be asked:
What type of audience is addressed?
What are the writer’s assumptions?
Is the writer persuasive in his/her
perspective?
IDENTIFYING
ASSERTION
In expository writing,
assertions become the
primary channel for a
reader to assent to a
claim.
Assertions are
declarative sentences
that claim something is
true about something
There are four
common types of
assertion, which are
classified according
to the degree of
certainty they can be
judged as true or
false. How would you
The first type of assertion is
a fact. This is a statement
that can be proven
objectively by direct
experience, testimonies
of witnesses, verified
observations, or the
results of research.
Because statements of fact
can be double-checked for
“The sampaguita’s
roots are used for
medicinal purposes,
such as an
anesthetic and a
sedative.”
The second type is an
assertion of convention. A
convention is a way in
which something is done,
similar to traditions and
norms. Conventions
depend on historical
precedent, laws, rules,
usage, and customs.
Thus, their truthfulness is
verified by how commonly
“The sampaguita
belongs to the
genus Jasminum of
the family
Oleaceae.”
Something to note about
conventions is that they
may sound factual due to
their being derived from
customs, but because they
are socially accepted ways
of doing things, they cannot
be verified objectively by
measurements.
The third type of assertion
is an opinion. Opinions are
based on facts, but are
difficult to objectively
verify because of the
uncertainty of producing
satisfactory proofs of
soundness. Opinions result
from ambiguities; the more
ambiguous a statement, the
more difficult it is to verify.
“The popularity of
sampaguita flowers
is most evident in
places of worship.”
The fourth type of assertion
is a preference.
Preferences are based on
personal choice;
therefore, they are
subjective and cannot be
objectively proven or
logically attacked.
“Sampaguitas are
the most beautiful
and most fragrant
of all flowers.”
REFERENCES:
Marella Therese A. Tiongson, [Link]. Reading and Writing Skills. REX
Book Store, Inc. 84-86 P. Florentino St., Sta. Mesa Heights, Quezon
City. P. 6-10, 15-20, 23-24
Types of Textual Evidence.
[Link]
Skills-Module-docx
. (Retrieved from June 29, 2020)