1. Reading 101
Lesson #9
Strategies in Comprehension

2. Reading Compre Strategies
Learning Objectives:
● Students will learn an easier and faster way
to understand reading comprehension
passages.
● Students will gain a better insight to the
questions asked so as to produce better
answers.

3. What is a strategy?
A strategy is simply a technique that helps you to
achieve your intended aim or objective, faster,
better and easier.
Out of every 10 students, more than HALF will
FAIL in the reading comprehension section.
This clearly is a result of poor understanding of the
questions asked as well as the text given. Without
a deeper understanding of these two, it's unlikely
students will do well in this section.

4. Reading Strategy – SQ3R
To help you remember, the reading strategy is
abbreviated. Called SQ3R, it represents:
● Survey
● Questions
● Read, Recall & Review
It gives you a easy way to remember when
you apply this strategy.

5. Reading Strategy – SQ3R
S stands for Survey:
It is important to get an overview of what the text is
about.
In other words, without a rough idea, how can you
know the fine details needed to understand the
passage or to answer the questions later?
Read the first and last paragraphs and first
sentences in every paragraph for an overview.

6. Reading Strategy – SQ3R
Q stands for Questions:
Read the questions before the text.
This is probably one of the best-kept secrets of
examiners. The questions are designed to help
you understand the passage! This is achieved by:
1) Sequence – the questions are arranged in the
same order as the paragraphs. So reading through
the Qs will give you a rough idea of the whole text!
2) Key words – the Qs contain important details of
the story. Later, when you're reading the passage,
you will know what details to look out for!

7. Reading Strategy – SQ3R
3R = Read, Recall, Review
S and Q were pre-reading; done before reading
through the passage. 3R is when you START to
read the text.
● As you READ the passage, take down notes
of interest beside the paragraphs.
● Then, RECALL relevant information that you
know of.
● Finally, REVIEW the passage again by
reading it for all details you missed out earlier.

8. In summary
● Like all techniques, practice makes perfect.
● However, over time, it is worth your while
as you see yourself scoring higher marks
for this all-important section – worth a total
of 20 marks – the highest weightage in
ANY of the sections in Booklet A and B!