Idea — A lead-in activates what learners already know about a topic before they meet the text. It primes top-down processing, generates interest, and sets context. Keep it short. Example — Before a text about…
Idea — Pre-teach only the vocabulary that would block comprehension — two to four words maximum. Do not pre-teach everything unusual; that removes the inferring work learners need. Example — For a text about surgery,…
Idea — Intensive reading means slow, careful reading for full comprehension: every word matters. It is the basis of detailed comprehension tasks and language analysis work. Example — Reading a contract clause or a grammar…
Idea — Skimming means reading quickly for the general idea, not detail. Readers move fast, taking in headings, first sentences, and key words. Not every text rewards it equally. Example — Skimming a news article…
Idea — Scanning means searching a text for a specific piece of information — a name, a number, a date — without reading everything. It is a real-world skill, not a test trick. Example —…
Idea — A gist task asks for the general idea of a text, not specific detail. Set it before learners read or listen. One question. Whole text. First pass only. Example — Before listening: ‘What…
Idea — Skilled readers and listeners use top-down and bottom-up processing simultaneously, switching as needed. Teaching both builds real comprehension rather than reliance on one strategy. Example — A learner hears ‘syringe’ (bottom-up) and immediately…
Idea — Bottom-up processing starts with individual sounds or words and builds meaning upward. Learners decode the text piece by piece rather than using context or schema. Example — A learner who doesn’t know the…
Idea — Top-down processing means using prior knowledge, context, and expectations to predict and understand a text. Learners draw on what they know about the world to fill gaps. Example — Seeing the headline ‘Earthquake…
Idea — Reading is self-paced; learners can re-read. Listening is real-time — the sound disappears. Each demands different sub-skills and different lesson staging. Example — A B2 reader who handles a newspaper article fluently may…