English Detectives: Skimming and Scanning for Clues

Pupils became article detectives in English this week, searching newspaper articles for clues and picking out the information they needed. Using copies of First News, they practised two different ways to read for a purpose: skimming and scanning.

Skimming for the main idea

Skimming means reading quickly to get a sense of what an article is about. Headlines and opening lines can help readers decide which story to explore more closely.

Scanning for the clues

Scanning means looking for a specific detail, such as a name, a date or a key word. Pupils worked hard to find the details they needed and record their answers on their Article Detectives sheets. It was a practical way to see how choosing the right reading strategy makes it easier to find useful information on a busy page.

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