Scanning for Important Information
* Horizontal Lines: These are often used to visually "block out" or de-emphasize words that aren't crucial to understanding the main idea. Think of it as a way of focusing your attention on the most important parts of the text.
* Unimportant Words: These are usually "function words" like prepositions (of, to, from), articles (a, an, the), and conjunctions (and, but, or). They provide grammatical structure but don't carry the primary meaning.
* Syllables: This is where things get a bit more nuanced. Some strategies might suggest scanning for the most important syllables within a word. This is useful for:
* Decoding unfamiliar words: Focusing on the stressed syllable (the one you emphasize when speaking) can help you pronounce the word correctly.
* Identifying the root word: Many words are built from a base word (the root) with prefixes and suffixes added. Focusing on the root syllable can help you understand the word's core meaning.
Examples
Let's say you're reading the sentence: "The big, red ball bounced across the playground."
* Scanning for Unimportant Words: You might place lines above: "The," "big," "red," "across," "the."
* Scanning for Syllables: You might focus on the stressed syllables in "bounced" and "play-ground," as they carry the most meaning.
Why This Helps
This technique helps with:
* Improving reading fluency: By skipping over less important words, you can read more quickly and smoothly.
* Understanding the meaning: Focusing on the key words and syllables helps you grasp the core idea of the text.
* Learning new vocabulary: By analyzing the structure of unfamiliar words, you can break them down and understand their meaning.
Important Note: This strategy is not a one-size-fits-all approach. Sometimes, seemingly unimportant words are crucial to understanding a sentence's meaning. It's best to use this technique in conjunction with other reading comprehension skills and to be flexible in your approach.