ENG02 CO1

1. Reading and Thinking Strategies Across Text Types

Text as a Connected Discourse

• Definition: A formal and often lengthy discussion of a topic, where concepts and insights are arranged in an organized and logical manner.

• Purpose:

  • To Inform: Provides a descriptive and comprehensive discussion on the topic.

  • To Persuade: Tries to convince readers that the proposed claim or solution is better than others.

  • To Entertain: Provides a source of entertainment for readers.

• Factors Affecting the Writer’s Claims:

  • Culture: Beliefs, customs, attitudes, and language that influence the author’s perspective.

  • Social Environment: Physical surroundings, social relationships, and the culture of the time.

  • Experiences: Personal accounts or first-hand experiences that establish credibility.

Schema Theory

• Definition: Explains how readers use prior knowledge to understand and get new information from the text.

• Key Idea: Written text does not carry meaning by itself; it guides readers to retrieve or construct meaning from prior knowledge structures (schemata).

The Reading Process

1. Pre-reading:

   • Activating prior knowledge (schema).

   • Making predictions.

   • Goal-setting.

   • Scanning and skimming.

2. Reading:

   • Actual reading (independent, shared, or guided).

   • Annotating (taking notes, highlighting).

3. Responding:

   • Reacting to the reading material.

   • Group discussions.

   • Writing in reading journals.

4. Exploring:

   • Rereading the text.

   • Learning new knowledge and vocabulary.

   • Making connections to personal experiences and other texts.

5. Applying:

   • Using new knowledge to create outputs or projects.

   • Reading more related materials.

Five Thinking Strategies of Good Readers

1. Predict: Make educated guesses.

2. Picture: Form images.

3. Relate: Draw comparisons.

4. Monitor: Check understanding.

5. Correct: Fill gaps in understanding.

2. Techniques in Selecting and Organizing Information

Brainstorming

• Definition: An organized ideation process to solve problems or develop new ideas by amassing spontaneous, unrestrained contributions.

• Steps:

  1. Select a general topic.

  2. Generate ideas and make a list.

  3. Build connections and omit irrelevant ideas.

  4. Limit and choose the best ideas.

• Rules:

  • No criticism, evaluation, or judgment during the session.

  • Encourage free association and quantity over quality.

  • Build on ideas.

• Methods:

  • Idea List

  • Idea Map

  • Free Writing

  • Cubing

  • Researching

Graphic Organizers

• Definition: Tools used to visually organize information or ideas.

• Types:

  1. Mind Map: Illustrates knowledge of a concept or idea.

  2. Venn Diagram: Shows similarities and differences between two or more items.

  3. Flow Chart: Displays steps in a process.

  4. Hierarchical Topical Organizer: Shows the order of ideas in a hierarchy.

  5. Fishbone Map: Tracks root causes of a problem.

  6. Spider Map: Analyzes similarities and differences.

  7. T-Chart: Compares and contrasts two things.

  8. Compare and Contrast Matrix: Shows similarities and differences.

  9. PMI (Plus, Minus, Interesting): Evaluates positive, negative, and interesting attributes.

  10. Continuum Scale: Shows timelines or ratings.

  11. Ranking: Prioritizes elements from most to least important.

  12. Cycle: Shows how a series of events interact.

  13. KWL/KWLH: Activates prior knowledge.

  14. Synectics: Draws connections between unrelated phenomena.

  15. Cerebral Chart: Quickly amasses information.

  16. Web: Lists facts, definitions, or examples.

  17. Hypothesis Matrix: Identifies components of hypotheses.

  18. Questions: Lists a set of questions.

  19. Problem-Solution Outline: Defines problem components and solutions.

  20. Human Interaction Outline: Organizes events in terms of action and reaction.

  21. Bridging Snapshots: Shows changes over time.

Outlining

• Definition: A tool used in the writing process to organize ideas, plan the structure of the paper, and conceptualize points.

• Process:

  1. Determine the purpose, audience, and thesis.

  2. Brainstorm and list all ideas.

  3. Organize related ideas.

  4. Order material from general to specific.

  5. Label main and subheadings.

• Principles:

  1. Coordination: Ideas of the same relevance should be labeled similarly.

  2. Subordination: Minor details must be placed under major details.

  3. Division: No cluster should contain only one item.

  4. Parallel Construction: All entries in each cluster should use the same structure.

• Types:

  1. Topic Outline: Uses words and phrases.

  2. Sentence Outline: Uses complete sentences.

3. Patterns of Development

Cause and Effect

• Definition: Details why something happens, what causes it, what the effects are, and how it is related to something else.

Classification and Division

• Definition: Groups items into their parts or types.

Compare and Contrast

• Definition: Tells how something is like or different from other things.

Definition

• Definition: Explains what something is in comparison to other members of its class, along with any limitations.

Description

• Definition: Details what something looks like and its characteristics.

Exemplification

• Definition: Provides typical cases or examples of something.

Narration

• Definition: Describes what, when, and where something happened.

Persuasion

• Definition: Describes an issue and your position or opinion on the subject.

Process

• Definition: Explains how something happened, how it works, or how it is made.