This document provides guidance on improving reading effectiveness for corporate communications. It discusses different reading strategies like scanning, skimming and inferring. It also covers understanding syntax, proper word order, and organizing written scripts. Tips are provided for active reading including asking questions, developing vocabulary, finding the main idea, and increasing reading speed. Different reading rates and levels of comprehension are outlined for slow, average and accelerated reading.

1. How to improve your effectiveness to
understand and use written corporate
communication

2. Objectives

Define different types of reading strategies
Practice quick reading techniques
Review grammar basic functions
Define Syntax language relationships
Identify proper word order in written language
Understanding Scripts Organization
Translate diverse typical technical terminology
Discuss different types of interpreting
Practice Technical Scripts translations

3. Attention Getter

1.75 Billion
people use
English at a
useful level
Should business be English-only?

4. Topic Relevance at Work

Improving your reading and understanding
capabilities will cut your AHT and CRP.
Locating and using relevant information is crucial to
solve customers’ issues and keep customers satisfied.
Learning how to read better will grant a more effective
master of language.

5. Big Picture
 four domains of
 Language proficiency includes
expression: speaking, writing, listening and reading.
 As part of our daily activities, we’re faced to use
different sorts of written works, e.g. scripts and
guidelines, emails and messages.
 By improving our reading skills, we can have a
better performance and develop more possibilities to
our professional careers.

6. The Art of Reading

Comprehension from Scanning, Skimming, Inferring
and other Reading Techniques

7. How Do You read?
1.
 left to right in the
Track through the sentence from
correct sequence, potentially across multiple lines of text.
2. Decode, or recognize by sight, each word in the sentence.
3. Access the meaning of each word.
4. Hold the words in sequence in memory.
5. Process the words together to determine the meaning of
the full sentence.
6. Relate the meaning of the sentence to the rest of the story
and to prior knowledge and experience.

8. Individual Activity: Questions

 Why do you think active reading skills are
important?
 What do you think are some of the advantages of
developing active reading skills?
 How do you think active reading skills can help
you in your current endeavors and profession?

9. Understanding Reading

Scientific Reading Notions comprise:
 We read from “behind the eyes”.
 Eye limitation and Tunnel Vision.
 Short and Long-term memory.
 Meaning and Prediction in learning process

10. Good Reading Habits

 A good reader reads in silence and looking for
answers to his internal questions.
 Will try to catch the most meaning from the key
words in the passage.
 Doesn’t try to memorize because it can destroy
comprehension.
 A good reader reads to internalize the new
information compared to the one he previously had.

11. Tips for Effective Reading

 Make comprehension questions
 Answer from repeating verbatim
 Relate information from experience
 Draw inferences
 Vocabulary Development
 Productive words
 Receptive words
 Guess meaning from context

12. Tips for Effective Reading - cont.
 Find the main idea

 Scanning the page
 Examine
titles, pictures, TOC, headings, subheadings, notes and
introductory sentence
 Increase speed
 Skimming the page
 Move eyes across and down page in a
steady, sweeping movement without reading word by
word
 Use eyes efficiently

13. Tornadoes in Kansas

 Kansas is known for many things -wheat, sunflowers ... and tornadoes!
What famous story set in Kansas features a tornado?
 The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum, tells the story of
Dorothy, who gets caught in a Kansas tornado and lands in the imaginary
land of Oz. This story has been dramatized on stage and film. You might
have seen the movie version, which stars Judy Garland as Dorothy.
 Tornadoes are storms with rapidly rotating winds that form a funnel cloud.
Also known as "twisters," they extend downward from the huge clouds of a
severe thunderstorm. The winds that rotate within a tornado usually reach a
speed of almost 300 miles per hour! A tornado often sweeps through an
area quickly, but it can cause considerable destruction. There have been a
number of remarkable reports of tornadoes. In one instance, a schoolhouse
was demolished while the 85 students originally inside it were carried more
than 400 feet with none killed. There was also a case of five railway
coaches, each weighing 70 tons, lifted from their tracks.

14. More Than Rapid Reading

 Fluent readers are able to adapt their reading skills to meet the
demands of the reading task before them, varying rates of
speed and levels of comprehension to suit their purpose for
reading.
 Some auxiliary techniques for rapid reading are Skimming and
Scanning.
 To skim is to pass quickly over material - as quickly as you can
- while getting a general, holistic view of the content.
 Skimming also differs in that lowered levels of comprehension
are acceptable. Aim for 50% comprehension when skimming
 If you find yourself consistently scoring 70 to 80%, you are not
skimming fast enough.

15. Skimming - Scanning

 When you apply these techniques, you don’t read every
word. Instead, you look over the reading passage quickly
to find specific facts or ideas.
 Skim the ideas before reading. The ideas often appear in
section headings. Once aware of main ideas you are
prepared to recognize important details.
 Scan or preview the material you will be reading in order
to focus on the topic. Read first sentence of each
paragraph to get an overview of the points covered.

16. DIFFERENT READING SPEEDS

MODE OF READING RATE COMPREHENSION
SLOW: Study and critical reading - used when
200 to 300
material is difficult or when high comprehension 80 - 90%
wpm
is required.
AVERAGE: Pleasure and rapid reading - used for
250 to 500
everyday reading of magazines, newspapers, 70%
wpm
independent reading, and easier texts.
ACCELERATED: Skimming and scanning - used
when the highest rate is desired. Comprehension 800+ wpm 50 - 60%
is intentionally lower.

17. Syntactical Clues
 can make you read
 Recognizing grammatical structures
faster by anticipating patterns.
 Definition
 Classification
 Comparison and contrast
 Analysis
 Cause and effect
 Anticipating the order in which the material will be
presented helps you put the facts into perspective and
to see how the parts fit into the whole.

18. Paragraph Organization -1

TYPE PATTERNS OF DEVELOPMENT SAMPLE TRANSITIONS
Description is like listing; the characters is defined as / means / is
DEFINITION that make up a description are a simple described as / is called / refers to
listing of details. / term or concept
Items are related by the comparisons similar, different / on the other
COMPARISON (similarities) that are made or by the hand / but / however / bigger
AND
CONTRAST contrasts (differences) that are than, smaller than / in the same
presented. way / parallels
One item is showed as having produced
for this reason / consequently / on
CAUSE AND another element. An event (effect) is said
EFFECT that account / hence / because /
to have happened because of some
made
situation or circumstance (cause).
the first element; another key part;
Classification & division, comparison &
TOPICAL a third common principle of
ORDER contrast, analogy, definition, examples &
organization; Brent also objected
illustrations.
to Stella's breath

19. Paragraph Organization -2
TYPE PATTERNS OF DEVELOPMENT

The information is given either from the least
SAMPLE TRANSITIONS
central, principal, chief, major,
main, key, primary,
ORDER OF important feature to the most important, or vice
significant… ! finally, lastly,
IMPORTANCE
versa. This pattern is also known as
finishing with, ending with,
hierarchical or chain of command.
least...
problem, need, difficulty,
The text presents a significant problem and
dilemma, enigma, challenge,
PROBLEM explains it in detail. Then, a possible solution is
AND issue ! answer, propose, suggest,
SOLUTION proposed. Sometimes, only the problem is
indicate, solve, resolve, improve,
presented because there is no solution.
plan, respond to a need.
The information explains the steps in a
how to, in the process of, the
particular procedure or process. The steps and
PROCESS following steps / first, second,
stages lead up to a final product or finished
third…
project.
MIXED In the real world, many texts contain sections and passages that combine two or
PATTERNS
more patterns of organization. This is perfectly normal and acceptable.

20. Scanning to locate specific information
Although this ordering may have given the reader a distorted impression of the

historical importance of X-rays, this impression will be corrected shortly as we
describe the crucial role played by X-rays in the development of modern physics. X-
rays were discovered in 1895 by Roentgen while studying the phenomena of gaseous
discharge.
Using a cathode ray tube with a high voltage of several tens of kilovolts, he noticed
that salts of barium would fluoresce when brought near the tube, although nothing
visible was emitted by the tube. This effect persisted when the tube was wrapped
with a layer of black cardboard.
Roentgen took the first steps in identifying the nature of X-rays by using a system of
slits to show that (1) they travel in straight lines, and that (2) they are uncharged, because
they are not deflected by electric or magnetic fields. The discovery of X-rays aroused
the interest of all physicists, and many joined in the investigation of their properties.
In 1899 Haga and Wind performed a single slit diffraction experiment with X-rays
which showed that (3) X-rays are a wave motion phenomenon, and, from the size of the
diffraction pattern, their wavelength could be estimated to be 10-8 cm. In 1906 Barkla
proved that (4) the waves are transverse by showing that they can be polarized by
scattering from many materials. There is, of course, no longer anything unknown
about the nature of X-rays.

21. Skimming Using First Lines of Paragraphs
Here I want to try to give you an answer to the question: What personal qualities are

desirable in a teacher?
First, the teacher's personality should be pleasantly live and attractive. This does not
rule out people who are physically plain, or even ugly, because many such have great
personal charm. But it does rule out such types as the over-excitable, melancholy,
frigid, sarcastic, cynical, frustrated, and over-bearing : I would say too, that it
excludes all of dull or purely negative personality.
Secondly, it is not merely desirable but essential for a teacher to have a genuine
capacity for sympathy - in the literal meaning of that word; a capacity to tune in to
the minds and feelings of other people, especially, since most teachers are school
teachers, to the minds and feelings of children.
Thirdly, I hold it essential for a teacher to be both intellectually and morally honest.
This does not mean being a plaster saint. It means that he will be aware of his
intellectual strengths and limitations.
A teacher must remain mentally alert. He will not get into the profession if of low
intelligence, but it is all too easy, even for people of above-average intelligence, to
stagnate intellectually.
Finally, I think a teacher should have the kind of mind which always wants to go on
learning. Teaching is a job at which one will never be perfect; there is always
something more to learn about it.

22. Lexical – Cultural –Technical

 Develop strategies for intelligent guessing of
meaning from context.
 Learn word association in situational contexts is
most useful for lexical predictability.
 Becoming familiar with culturally bound content
helps understanding
 Pre-knowledge of technical terms will make it
easier for specific support purpose.

23. Extensive Reading

Reading for pleasure helps you to be a better reader:
 Reading outside the working or environment
 Read alone with no guidance at your own level-pace
 This is reading directly for meaning
 Reinforces pleasure and usefulness
 Helps to achieve rapid and efficient reading
 “Learning to read by reading”.

24. Poor Reading Symptoms

 Lots of hesitation and pause along with frequent
retracing with the eyes.
 Constant lip movement vocalization: saying
words aloud while attempting to read silently.
 Following with finger, paying attention to words
rather than phrases.
 Poor concentration, wild guesses.
 Taking a long time, making little inference.

25. Grammar Review

Identify Syntax Relationships
for Better Language Comprehension

26. Syntax: How Words are Organized

 Every statement is a combination of words, and every statement
says something to communicate information.
 The simplest possible kind of statement - for example, “Dogs
bark” has two kinds of words in it. It has a what word, “dogs”,
and a what happens word, “bark”.
 If a person only says “dog”, no statement is made, and no
information is conveyed. A sound is made that calls to mind a
common, four-footed animal, but nothing regarding it is learned.
 The internal grammar of phrases, clauses and sentences refers to
the principles of structure and organization.
 In the syntax of English, the two most important structures are
almost certainly sentences and clauses.

27. The Sentence
 complete sense,
 Is a group of words that makes
containing a main verb and begins with a capital letter.
 Sentences are used for diverse purposes:
 To make statements
 I took some money out of the bank.
 To ask questions or make requests
 Can I help you?
 To give orders or instructions
 Stop arguing!
 To express exclamations
 You’re driving too fast!

28. Clauses
that contains a verb (and
 A clause is a group of words
other components too). A clause may form part of a
sentence or it may be a complete sentence in itself.
 Every sentence contains at least one main clause. A
main clause may form part of a compound sentence or
a complex sentence, but it also makes sense on its own.
 A subordinate clause depends on a main clause for its
meaning. Together with a main clause, a subordinate
clause forms part of a complex sentence.

29. Phrases
 that forms a
 A phrase is a small group of words
meaningful unit within a clause. There are many types:
 A noun phrase is built around a single noun
 A verb phrase is the verbal part of a clause
 An adjective phrase is built around an adjective
 An adverbial phrase is built round an adverb by
adding words before and/or after it
 In a prepositional phrase the preposition always
comes at the beginning.

30. Parts of Speech
 nouns. They tell what
 Nouns: The what words are called
is being talked about. They are identifying words, or
names. Nouns identify persons, places, or things.
 Verb: The what happens words are called verbs. They are
the action words in a statement. Without them it is
impossible to put sentences together. It is the verb that
says something about the noun: dogs bark, birds fly.
 Adjective: An adjective is a modifier. Usually it modifies,
or makes more exact, the meaning of a noun or pronoun.
 Adverb: An adverb is a modifier. Usually it modifies a
verb, an adjective, or another adverb.

31. Word Order
 two positions:
 Adjectives are usually placed in
 After linking verbs, immediately before the noun (even when
using more than one adjective.)
 After using a linking verb, the adjective describes the subject.
 Adverbs are placed in three positions depending of type:
 Connecting adverbs such as “however”, “consequently” are
placed at the beginning of a sentence, followed by comma.
 Adverbs of frequency: such as “often” and “never” are placed
in the middle before the verb.
 Adverbs of manner are placed at the end to illustrate how,
where and when something is done: “carefully”, “downstairs”

32. Imperative Mood

 Is the form of the verb that makes direct commands and
requests. It is made using the base form of the verb (refers to 2nd
person, but the subject is omitted):
 “If this is coffee, please bring me some tea; but if this is tea,
please bring me some coffee”.
 "Shut up, Brain, or I'll stab you with a Q-tip!“
 "Get up, stand up, Stand up for your rights. Get up, stand up,
Don't give up the fight.“
 This is the mood that is used in all technical scripts.
 “Ask customer to reset the device”
 Tell customer, “Wait until weather clears up”
 It uses different types of sentence combinations

33. Reported and Direct Speech

 In reported speech, the actual words are not usually
quoted directly. Usually, they are summarized or
paraphrased and there are no special punctuation
issues to take into account.
 In direct speech, various punctuation conventions
are used to separate the quoted words from the rest
of the text: this allows a reader to follow what’s
going on.

34. Passive Voice

 The passive voice is a grammatical construction
(specifically, a "voice") in which the subject of a
sentence or clause denotes the recipient of the action
(the patient) rather than the performer (the agent).
 In the English language, the English passive voice is
formed with an auxiliary verb (usually be or get) plus
a participle (usually the past participle) of a
transitive verb.

35. Final Section Activity

 Refer to your workbook and complete the
exercises for this part of the training.
 Raise your hands when done.
 Report your answers to the class.

36. Improving Script
Reading

Improving understanding of technical content scripts
to accurately translate instructions to customers

37. Better Script Reading 

Communication – refers to the CCRs verbal and written interactions
with both coworkers and customers.
Job Knowledge -CCRs ability to use established processes, policies
and procedures in serving customers while staying current with all
relevant business info.
Problem Solving -refers to the CCRs effective use of tools and
resources to resolve customer issues.
Accountability CCRS taking ownership of performance related issues
and compliance with company policies and procedures.

38. Better Script Reading 
Service
Talk
Time
 Customer
Levels
The time Transfer Experience
Percent of a CCR Rate
calls speaks to Surveys to
Frequency see how
answered in customer
in which a satisfied
x number of without
Hold or CCR customers
seconds.
Wrap. transfers are.
calls.
AHT Hold Callback Q.A.
Average Rate Resolves
The
time to Frequency problem
amount
complete in which and
of time a
a call customers efficiently
customer
including call back and
is on
Talk within 7 effectively
hold.
Time, Ho days. use call
ld and mechanics.
Wrap)

39. Answers for Every Agent!

 We benefit from Agent Answer Center in many ways:
 In-depth technical scripts
 Decision Support Tools
 Product and equipment information
 How to by Function Tool
 Visual cable diagrams
 Much more!

40. Effective Script Use
 effectively and ensure that
 Helps you to do your job more
our customers are assisted by knowledgeable CCRs.
 Following all steps outlined is important and will ensure
the right solution is provided to the customer.
 Will result in a higher percentage of our customers’
technical problems being solved over the phone and will
decrease the number of UTRs and ERPs.
 Helps you educate customers as to what the problem and
root cause might be. Scripts help ensure that you are
doing everything in your power to fix issue over phone.

41. Script Organization

Topic Title: describes the topic covered on the page
General Information: describes the purpose of the data that follows.
Critical Information: Displays relevant information of topic.
Script Menu: Contains links to topic-specific related scripts.
Sub-Topic Title: describes the specific topic covered on link
Sub-topic definition: Outlines the script content.
Quotes: Verbiage to repeat to customers.

42. Technical Terminology
 Educational
Access Card Programming Land-Based
Advanced Compatible Phone Line
Eligible
Products Customer Local Channels
Email
All Day Customer Locks and
Purchase Entertainment Limits
Service
Agreement Equipment LNB
Escalate
Digital Picture
Bar Code Digital Sound
High Definition
(HDTV)
Bill Disconnect Inconvenience
Discount
Blackouts Installer
Dish (Antenna

43. Technical Terminology
Main
Menu
Partial Credit
Partial
month

Rating Limit Satellite
charge Signal
(prorate) Receiver
Manufacturer
Password Serial
Reconditioned Reschedule number
Pay Per View
Mirroring Website
Phone Line Spending
NSF Reimburse Reset
Program Limits
Model (non- Provider Wireless
sufficient Refund Phone
funds) Programming Residence Splitter
Jack
Guide Relocate
Mover's Programmin
Connection g Packages Retail store Sports
Rental Plan Subscription
Purchase
Multi-Sat History Requirements
System Test
Multi- Purchase
Switch Limit

44. Translating

How to Translate Written Passages
from English to Spanish

45. The Four Step Process


46. Build Confidence and Credibility

• As technical agents we use scripts to provide
solutions.
We can gain • Troubleshooting scripts are a tool to
customers’ accurately assist our customers
trust by • We must provide clear and easy to follow
instructions.
using • We must use words that the customer will
effective understand.
word • We should offer more explanation if a
choices customer is technically challenged.
• We must translate instructions and general
information to common Spanish speakers.

47. Translating To Spanish

• A word-for-word translation can be
used sometimes depending on the
sentence structure.
• El equipo está trabajando para terminar el informe
would translate into English as The team
Literal is working to finish the report.
Translation
• El equipo experimentado está trabajando
para terminar el informe translates into
English as The experienced team is working
to finish the report ("experienced" and
"team" are reversed).

48. Oblique Translation

When the structural
or conceptual
elements of the •Transposition
source language •Modulation
cannot be directly
translated without •Adaptation
altering meaning or
upsetting the •Reformulation
grammatical and
stylistics elements of •Compensation
the target language.

49. Transposition

It is possible
This is the English to replace a
English
process Hand knitted
Grammatical often has the word
where parts (noun +
structures verb near category in
of speech participle)
the the target
are often becomes
change their beginning of language
different in a sentence; without
Spanish
sequence Tejido a mano
different Spanish can altering the
when they (participle +
languages. have it closer meaning of
are adverbial
to the end. the source
translated. text.
phrase).

50. Modulation

Consists of using a phrase that
is different in the source and
target languages. “Te lo dejo”
means literally I leave it to you
but translates better as You can The translator generates a change in
have it. the point of view of the message
without altering meaning.

51. Adaptation

Adaptation occurs when It is a shift in cultural
It involves changing the
something specific to one environment. Should
cultural reference when a
language culture is expressed “pincho” (a Spanish
situation in the source
in a totally different way that restaurant menu dish) be
culture does not exist in the
is familiar or appropriate to translated as “kebab” in
target culture.
another language culture. English?

52. Reformulation / Equivalence

The process is
creative, but not always
Here you have to
easy. Would you have
express something in a
translated the movie
completely different
The Sound of Music into
way, for example when
Spanish as La novicia
translating idioms or
rebelde (The Rebellious
advertising slogans.
Novice in Latin
America)?

53. Compensation

In general terms compensation can be used when something
cannot be translated, and the meaning that is lost is expressed
somewhere else in the translated text.
One definition is: "making good in one part of the text
something that could not be translated in another".
One example is the problem of translating nuances of
formality from languages that use forms such as Spanish
informal tú and formal usted into English which only has
'you', and expresses degrees of formality in different ways.

54. Spanglish Jargon
Spanglish
Banqueta
Cercas
Español
Acera
Cerca
 Spanglish
Apachurre
Aparcarse
Español
Presionar
Estacionarse
Diferiencia Diferencia Ahí nos vidrios Nos vemos
Dineros Dinero Chispada Torcida
Entons Entonces Escuincle Niño
Haiga Haya Estar de Pelos Estar bien
Mayugar Magullar Frisalo Detenlo
Nadien Nadie Mimitas Imagen Borrosa
Negocea Negocia Monos Imagen clara
Nomás Nada mas Mueble Vehículo
Pantunflas Pantuflas Orale Si
Pior Peor Puchale Presionar
Platiado Plateado ¡Que oso! ¡Qué Vergüenza!
Pon tu Supón que Rufo Techo
Pos Pues Simon Si
Restorán Restaurante Traila Trailer
Sasque? Sabes que Troca Camion

55. Translation Practice

 Carlos and Alexandra go shopping frequently. Alex tries on expensive
dresses at the store, but Carlos does not get angry. Usually, she does not
spend a lot of money, but she takes a long time shopping.
 Alex goes to the fitting room, she undresses, she tries on several dresses of
famous designers, she looks at herself in the mirror, and she forgets about
Carlos. He gets tired of waiting, sits on a sofa, and falls asleep.
 While Carlos sleeps, Alex goes to the shoe department and puts on several
pairs of shoes. Then she goes to the perfume and makeup section, and she
buys herself several beauty products. She knows Carlos does not get upset
because she does not spend too much money.
 Later, Alex says good-bye to the saleslady, and she meets Carlos. He wakes
up. He is surprised because Alex is carrying many packages, and he
worries a bit. Alex says she does not spend too much money, and Carlos
calms down. They go to the cafeteria, and they have an afternoon snack. As
usual, it is late, and they decide it is not worth it to go to the men's
department.

56. Summary

Your primary role is to resolve customer service and technical issues
over the telephone.
Having knowledge of language fundamentals and how to effectively
communicate with your callers by using the tools that you are
provided with will enable you to effectively meet your goals.
Your ability to understand written and oral language, communicating
clearly and educating customers will help build customer satisfaction
and loyalty.

57. Review of Objectives
Can you…?

Define different types of reading strategies and Techniques?
Define grammar basic functions?
Define Syntax language relationships?
Identify proper word order in written language?
Understand Scripts Organization?
Translate diverse typical technical terminology?
Discuss different types of interpreting?
Practice Technical Scripts translations?

58.  Harvard Business Review

 http://hbr.org/
 Microsoft Encarta Online Encyclopedia 2007
 Teaching English as a Second Language to Adults, Methodology
 Nicholas Elson- TESL Talk Special Edition, Vol. 14, Nos. 1&2,1983.
 http://oxforddictionaries.com
 http://www.about.com/
 http://aacliteracy.psu.edu/index.php/page/show/id/1
 http://www.universalteacher.org.uk/lang/engstruct.htm#syn
 http://www.interproinc.com/articles.asp?id=0303
 Translation and Language, St. Jerome, Manchester, 1997
 http://www.palomar.edu/reading/r110hybrid/Module%205/mod5.1
skim.htm
 http://www.bbc.co.uk/skillswise/english