The document outlines strategies for critical reading, emphasizing the importance of evaluating texts for deeper understanding and context. It covers techniques such as annotating, contextualizing, paraphrasing, and reflecting on personal beliefs, while stressing that critical reading involves engagement and analysis rather than mere acceptance. Multiple activities are included to reinforce these strategies and to apply them practically in reading situations.

1. STRATEGIES FOR CRITICAL READING
Reading and Writing Skills 11

2. OBJECTIVES
Specifically, you will learn the
following in this module:
1. Identify the different strategies
for critical reading; and
2. Use appropriate strategies for
critical reading.

3. PRETEST
 Use the word pool below to complete the
following statements. Write the correct answer
on the blank.
Annotating Paraphrasing
Reflecting on the values Contextualizing
Outlining Critical Reading

4. 1) _______________ is placing the text on its historical or cultural
context.
2) ____________ is a strategy used when the reader underlines
important words, phrases, or questions on the margin of the text.
3) ____________ allows you to identify the basic structure and
the main idea of a text.
4) __________ is a strategy of putting into your words the idea of
the author.
5) __________ means engaging in with what you read. It is
communicating to the author and entertaining questions on the
things that you have read.

5. LESSON
 Reading effectively requires approaching texts with a
critical eye: evaluating what you read for not just
what it says, but how and why it says it. Effective
reading is central to both effective research (when
you evaluate sources) and effective writing (when
you understand how what you read is written, you
can work to incorporate those techniques into your
own writing). Being an effective reader also means
being able to evaluate your own practices, working to
develop your critical reading skills.

6.  Reading critically does not, necessarily, mean
being critical of what you read. Though at the
sound of the word, it usually connotes critic or
negative reactions. Both reading and thinking
critically do not mean being ‘critical’ about
some idea, argument, or piece of writing -
claiming that it is somehow faulty or flawed. It
is going beyond what is given.

7. Critical reading means engaging in
what you read by asking yourself
questions such as, ‘what is the author
trying to say?’ or ‘what is the main
argument being presented?’ This way
we are communicating with the
writer’s idea(s) whether we are
affirming or not.

8. Critical reading involves presenting a
reasoned argument that evaluates
and analyses what you have read.
Being critical, therefore - in an
academic sense - means advancing
your understanding, not dismissing,
and therefore closing off learning.

9. To read critically is exercising your
judgement about what you are
reading – that is, not taking anything
you read at face value. It is always
trying to know what is beyond it. It is
considering all options and thinking
relatively what will be the
consequences that it offers.

10.  When reading academic material, you will be faced with
the author’s interpretation and opinion. Different authors
will, naturally, have different slants. You should always
examine what you are reading critically and look for
limitations, omissions, inconsistencies, oversights, and
arguments against what you are reading. Opening oneself
to different readings and interpretations, you are
extending your evaluation on the veracity of the ideas
presented or given by the author. Considering the multiple
sides of issues before choosing own side is a quality of
critical thinkers.

11. As a student, you will be expected to
understand different viewpoints and
make your own judgements based on
what you have read. We can have a
better understanding of the meaning
of the text and its context as we
expose ourselves to different reading
materials.

12. Critical reading goes further than just
being satisfied with what a text says,
it also involves reflecting on what the
text describes, and analyzing what the
text means, in the context of your
studies. But how can we attain critical
reading? This module will give you
different strategies to attain it.

13. STRATEGIES IN CRITICAL READING
 1. Annotating
One of the first strategies to begin with is
annotating a text. When you annotate, you
underline important parts of the text, such as
the thesis statement, topic sentences of body
paragraphs and explanatory material. It may
include encircling important words and even
writing comments or questions as you read the
text.

14. 2. CONTEXTUALIZING
 When you contextualize a text, you place it within its
original historical or cultural context. As a reader you
should try to identify this context and consider how this
context differs from your own. To do this, you need to
consider the following:
 a. Language or ideas that appear foreign or out of date.
 b. Your knowledge of the time and place in which the
work was written.
 c. The effect these differences have on your
understanding and judgment of the reading.

15. 3. REFLECTING ON CHALLENGES TO YOUR BELIEFS AND
VALUES
 Sometimes our beliefs about an issue are
difficult to express because they are so
ingrained. We can discover these beliefs if we
will explore on the challenges that the text post
on us. Is the value presented challenge your
own value or beliefs? Does it contradict on your
beliefs? Do you feel disturbed after reading
such text?

16. 4. PARAPHRASING
 When you paraphrase a text, you put it into your
own words. This can clarify a difficult or
ambiguous passage. Unlike a summary, a
paraphrase contains all the original
information. The purpose of a paraphrase is to
simplify without changing any information. You
are not changing what is said, but how it is
said.

17. 5. OUTLINING
This can be used as a preliminary to
summarizing. Outlining allows you to
identify the basic structure of a text
and the main ideas of the text. In an
outline you are listing the main ideas
and supporting evidence of a text.
Use your own words when outlining a
text.

18. 6. SUMMARIZING
Summarizing creates a new
text by synthesizing the
material of the original.
After outlining the text, the
information is put together
again in your own words.

19. 7. EXPLORING THE FIGURATIVE
LANGUAGE
Similes, metaphors, and
symbols are all examples of
figurative language. This type of
language helps writers
illustrate their points and get
the type of reaction they want
from the reader.

20. 8. EVALUATING THE LOGIC OF AN ARGUMENT
The two parts of an argument are
claim and support. The claim is what
the writer wants the reader to accept.
That is, the claim is the idea, opinion,
or point of view of the writer. The
support is the reasons and evidence
that becomes the basis for that claim.

21. LET US TRY THIS
 Apply the “exercise your judgment” definition of
critical reading in the given situation.
 There is a trolley coming down the tracks and
ahead, there are five people tied to the tracks who
are unable to move. The trolley will continue coming
and will kill five people. There is nothing you can do
to rescue the five, except that there is a lever. If you
pull the lever, the train will be directed to another
track, which has only one person tied to it.

22.  You have two choices:
1. Do nothing and the five people will die
2. Pull the lever and save the five people but let one person die.
In this situation, most likely you will choose number two option:
pull the lever and save the five people but let one person die. This
is the least that one can do, to sacrifice one for other five to
survive. Here we need critical thinking. What is beyond the text? Is
it merely sacrificing lives? Is it to think clearly and attentively? Is it
to choose wisely on the given options? Or you have no choice at
all for your next move is already given in the text?
Today, we are always facing different challenges right on our very
noses. We tend to close our eyes and choose the lesser evil as
philosophers would say and teach.

23. ACTIVITY 1
 Identify the reading strategy being described in each
statement. Encircle the letter of the answer.
1) This reading strategy places the text within its
original historical or
cultural context.
A. Annotating
B. Contextualizing
C. Outlining
D. Summarizing

24.  2) This strategy entails identification of the basic structure of a text
and the main ideas of the text.
A. Contextualizing
B. Evaluating
C. Outlining
D. Summarizing
 3) The following are some strategies in critical reading EXCEPT one.
A. Annotating
B. Evaluating
C. Exploring
D. Summarizing

25. 4) This strategy differs from summarization because it contains all the
original information though putting it into your own words.
A. Annotating
B. Evaluating
C. Exploring
D. Paraphrasing
5) This strategy in critical reading may include underlining, encircling, or
writing comments as you read.
A. Annotating
B. Evaluating
C. Exploring
D. Summarizing

26. ACTIVITY 2
 Apply critical reading in analyzing the caption below.
Through writing your own 5-8 sentence paragraph,
express your analysis using contextualizing reading
strategy.
 Justin: ‘What I love about Chikki the most is that she
always finds a way to make me laugh or smile.’ Chikki:
‘I love that Justin supports me and allows me to grow
to my full potential in every aspect of my life. He
inspires me to be the best person I can be.’(-Caption
on the “Born for you” news article written by Joanne
Rae M. Ramirez published on The Philippine Star on
August 25, 2020 at 12:00noon.)

27. RUBRICS:
Content (the essential elements are
developed): 10 pts.
Originality (personal insights are
shared): 5 pts.
Organization (unity of thoughts and
details): 5 pts.
TOTAL SCORE 20 pts.

28. ACTIVITY 3
 Write true if the statement is correct and false if otherwise.
1. Presenting a reasoned argument that evaluates and analyses the
text read is involved in critical reading.
2. Reading one source is enough to be a critical reader.
3. Critical reading means engaging in with what you read. It is
communicating to the author and entertaining questions on the
things that you have read.
4. Annotating is a reading strategy that entails putting into your
words the idea of the author.
5. Reflecting on challenges to your beliefs and values is a reading
strategy that concerns on weighing the impact of the values
presented to the reader.

29. QUIZ
 Match the items in column A with the items in
column B. Write the letter of the correct answer
on the space provided before each number.
A.
_____ 1. It is a strategy of putting in your own
words the idea of the author.
_____ 2. It is putting personal words, underline
and circle on important words or phrases.

30. _____ 3. It is identifying the context of the text
and circle on important words or phrases.
_____ 4. It is an identification of the basic
structure and the main idea of a text.
_____ 5. It means engaging in with what you
read. It is communicating to the author.

31. B
A. Outlining
B. Critical Reading
C. Contextualizing
D. Annotating
E. Paraphrasing