, SECTION A: CRITICAL READING AND POETRY TEACHING
QUESTION 1
Pre-reading exercises used in critical reading (8 marks)
When engaging in critical reading, pre-reading exercises are essential because they
prepare the reader cognitively and emotionally for deeper engagement with a literary
text. These activities help readers approach the text actively rather than passively
(ENG2611 Study Guide, 2026).
Pre-reading exercise 1: Activating prior knowledge and experience
This exercise encourages readers to draw on their own lived experiences, beliefs, or
cultural knowledge before encountering the text. By reflecting on relevant personal
experiences, readers establish connections between the text and their own lives,
which enhances comprehension and interpretation. For example, before reading a
poem about choice or uncertainty, learners may be asked to think about a difficult
decision they have faced. This process makes the text more meaningful and allows
readers to interpret abstract ideas through familiar experiences (Rosenblatt, 1995).
Activating prior knowledge also prepares learners to engage with symbolic and
metaphorical meanings rather than focusing only on surface-level content.
Pre-reading exercise 2: Predicting meaning using textual clues
This exercise involves examining elements such as the title, opening lines, or key
vocabulary before reading the full text. Learners are encouraged to predict possible
themes, moods, or messages. This strategy transforms reading into an interactive
process, as learners read to test and refine their predictions. Prediction promotes
attentiveness and critical thinking because learners are actively searching for
confirmation or contradiction within the text (ENG2611 Study Guide, 2026). It also
helps learners cope with complex language, as they already have a conceptual
framework in place before close reading begins.
QUESTION 1
Pre-reading exercises used in critical reading (8 marks)
When engaging in critical reading, pre-reading exercises are essential because they
prepare the reader cognitively and emotionally for deeper engagement with a literary
text. These activities help readers approach the text actively rather than passively
(ENG2611 Study Guide, 2026).
Pre-reading exercise 1: Activating prior knowledge and experience
This exercise encourages readers to draw on their own lived experiences, beliefs, or
cultural knowledge before encountering the text. By reflecting on relevant personal
experiences, readers establish connections between the text and their own lives,
which enhances comprehension and interpretation. For example, before reading a
poem about choice or uncertainty, learners may be asked to think about a difficult
decision they have faced. This process makes the text more meaningful and allows
readers to interpret abstract ideas through familiar experiences (Rosenblatt, 1995).
Activating prior knowledge also prepares learners to engage with symbolic and
metaphorical meanings rather than focusing only on surface-level content.
Pre-reading exercise 2: Predicting meaning using textual clues
This exercise involves examining elements such as the title, opening lines, or key
vocabulary before reading the full text. Learners are encouraged to predict possible
themes, moods, or messages. This strategy transforms reading into an interactive
process, as learners read to test and refine their predictions. Prediction promotes
attentiveness and critical thinking because learners are actively searching for
confirmation or contradiction within the text (ENG2611 Study Guide, 2026). It also
helps learners cope with complex language, as they already have a conceptual
framework in place before close reading begins.
