English Teaching

ELT365 · Day 163 — Scanning: reading to find one thing

📚60-Day ELT Masterclass — This post is part of an ongoing series. View full index →

Idea — Scanning is fast reading to locate specific information — a name, a date, a figure — without reading everything. The key is knowing exactly what to look for before you start.

Example — Scanning a timetable for the next train to Lyon: eyes move quickly over the page, ignoring everything except the Lyon column. Topic knowledge directs the search.

Try — Give learners a page from a programme or a menu. Set a specific item to find. Time them. Discuss what they did with their eyes.

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