TM
, TMN3702 ASSIGNMENT 3 - DUE DATE 31 JULY 2026
QUESTION ONE
1.1 Explain the difference between skimming and scanning as reading strategies. (2)
Skimming and scanning are two distinct rapid reading strategies that serve different
purposes in the reading process. Skimming involves quickly glancing through a text to
obtain a general overview or the main idea without focusing on every detail. According to
Grellet (1981), when skimming, the reader moves the eyes rapidly over the material to
grasp the gist, understand how the text is organised, or sense the writer’s overall intention
and tone. In contrast, scanning is a more targeted strategy in which the reader searches the
text specifically for particular pieces of information, such as a name, date, word, or fact,
without attempting to understand the entire content. Nuttall (1996) explains that scanning
requires the reader to let the eyes wander over the text until the required information is
located. The essential difference therefore lies in purpose: skimming seeks the global
meaning, while scanning seeks precise details.
1.2 Design two activities (a skimming and a scanning activity) to teach the poem
above. Justify the appropriateness of each activity. (6)
For the skimming activity, learners are given 40–45 seconds to look only at the title “THE
LITTLE TURTLE”, the colourful illustrations of the turtle, box, rocks and insects, and the first
line of each stanza. They then turn to a partner and state in one clear sentence what the
poem is mainly about. This activity is highly appropriate because the poem’s strong visual
support and repetitive structure make the overall topic immediately accessible. As Grellet
(1981) notes, skimming is most effective when learners can use textual features such as
titles and pictures to form a quick mental framework. In a Grade 4 multilingual classroom,
this brief overview builds confidence and activates prior knowledge before learners engage
with the full English text.
, TMN3702 ASSIGNMENT 3 - DUE DATE 31 JULY 2026
QUESTION ONE
1.1 Explain the difference between skimming and scanning as reading strategies. (2)
Skimming and scanning are two distinct rapid reading strategies that serve different
purposes in the reading process. Skimming involves quickly glancing through a text to
obtain a general overview or the main idea without focusing on every detail. According to
Grellet (1981), when skimming, the reader moves the eyes rapidly over the material to
grasp the gist, understand how the text is organised, or sense the writer’s overall intention
and tone. In contrast, scanning is a more targeted strategy in which the reader searches the
text specifically for particular pieces of information, such as a name, date, word, or fact,
without attempting to understand the entire content. Nuttall (1996) explains that scanning
requires the reader to let the eyes wander over the text until the required information is
located. The essential difference therefore lies in purpose: skimming seeks the global
meaning, while scanning seeks precise details.
1.2 Design two activities (a skimming and a scanning activity) to teach the poem
above. Justify the appropriateness of each activity. (6)
For the skimming activity, learners are given 40–45 seconds to look only at the title “THE
LITTLE TURTLE”, the colourful illustrations of the turtle, box, rocks and insects, and the first
line of each stanza. They then turn to a partner and state in one clear sentence what the
poem is mainly about. This activity is highly appropriate because the poem’s strong visual
support and repetitive structure make the overall topic immediately accessible. As Grellet
(1981) notes, skimming is most effective when learners can use textual features such as
titles and pictures to form a quick mental framework. In a Grade 4 multilingual classroom,
this brief overview builds confidence and activates prior knowledge before learners engage
with the full English text.
