ELT365 · Day 162 — Skimming: Reading for the Main Idea

Idea — Skimming is reading quickly to identify the general topic or main point. It is a skill, not a natural behaviour — learners need to practise ignoring detail to get the overview.

Example — Give learners 45 seconds to read a 200-word text and answer: what is it about in one sentence? The time pressure forces them to skim rather than read intensively.

Try — Time your learners on one skimming task this week. 45–60 seconds for 200 words is the right pressure. Adjust if they’re all finishing in 10 seconds or none are finishing at all.

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