Reading Comprehension

You read signposts, advertisements, storybooks and textbooks. Reading the right way can go a long way to help you understand the material you are reading. Reading is done for comprehension. Reading comprehension is an important aspect of the English language curriculum, and it helps to develop your understanding of given texts. Some reading techniques will enable you to read texts effectively and understand them readily. Knowing these techniques would help you to apply them in real-life situations and in the world of work.

The reading techniques include Scanning, Skimming and Close reading.

Fig 1.3 A person reading At the end of this section, you should be able to:

• Retrieve specific information and interpret a variety of simple texts.

Key Idea:

• Skimming, scanning and close reading a text are important ways of gleaning information from any text. These techniques will equip you with the requisite skills to be able to read your textbooks and understand any information better.

• Skimming: Skimming is a reading technique where you quickly glance through a text to grasp the main ideas and general overview without focusing on every detail.

This approach to reading helps you understand the overall content of the text without reading every word.

• Scanning: In reading, scanning refers to when you read a text quickly to find specific facts or pieces of information. This technique allows readers to locate key points without having to read the entire text thoroughly.

Can you tell the difference between scanning and skimming now?

You would notice that scanning aims at getting specific/particular facts or information while skimming looks for the general or the main information of the text.

• Close Reading: This is a method of reading that focuses on specific details of a text or passage to detect the meaning of the text. It involves examining the specific details and language used in a text or passage and allows you to uncover deeper meanings, themes, and nuances. This approach requires readers to analyse closely the text structure, language, and literary devices to gain a comprehensive understanding of the purpose of the work and the overall significance of the text.

Steps to Close Reading

₁. Read and understand the text, with a focus on the main elements and the vital details.

2. Reflect on the organisation/arrangement and patterns in the text.

3. Read the text again with a focus on organisational patterns.

Climate change is having a profound impact on Ghana’s agricultural sector. Rising temperatures and changing rainfall patterns are affecting crop yields and food security.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Ghana’s agricultural production has decreased by 10% over the past five years due to climate-related factors.

In the northern region, farmers are struggling to grow staple crops like maize and millet due to drought. The Ghana Meteorological Agency reports that rainfall in the region has decreased by 20% over the past decade. This has led to food shortages and increased poverty among farming communities.

The government has launched initiatives to promote climate-resilient agriculture.

These include the introduction of drought-tolerant crop varieties and irrigation systems. Additionally, farmers are being trained in conservation agriculture techniques to reduce soil erosion and improve water retention.

In the southern region, coastal erosion and flooding are threatening farming communities. The Ghana Coastal Commission estimates that over 1,000 acres of farmland have been lost to coastal erosion in the past year. Farmers are calling for urgent action to protect their livelihoods.

To address these challenges, Ghana needs to invest in climate-resilient infrastructure and sustainable agricultural practices. This requires collaboration between government, farmers, and international partners. By working together, Ghana can ensure food security and economic growth for its citizens.

Skimming:

1. What is the main topic of the passage?

2. What are the key points mentioned?

Scanning:

1. Find the percentage decrease in Ghana’s agricultural production due to climate change.

2. Identify the regions mentioned in the passage.

3. Locate the name of the government agency responsible for promoting climate- resilient agriculture.

Close Reading:

1. Analyze the impact of climate change on farming communities in the northern region.

2. Explain the initiatives launched by the government to promote climate-resilient agriculture.

3. Discuss the importance of collaboration in addressing climate-

Activity 1.9

Read the extract below and answer the questions that follow.

The Family System

The family is a fundamental social unit that plays a vital role in shaping individuals and society. In Ghana, the family is often extended, with multiple generations living together or in close proximity. This setup fosters a sense of community, cooperation, and a shared responsibility. Family members learn important values such as respect, obedience, and reciprocity, which are essential for building strong relationships.

Stable family provides emotional support, security, and guidance, enabling its members to develop into responsible and productive citizens. Parents or guardians serve as role models, teaching children important life skills, cultural heritage, and moral principles. A family also provides a platform for socialisation, helping individuals develop communication and interpersonal skills.

Furthermore, families in Ghana often serve as a safety net, offering financial and emotional support during difficult times.

Despite its importance, modern Ghanaian family faces numerous challenges, including urbanization, migration, and cultural changes. These factors can lead to breakdown of communication, changes in traditional roles, and increased stress levels. However, by embracing values such as love, forgiveness, and understanding, families can overcome these obstacles and continue to thrive Questions

1. How does the extended family structure contribute to community building?

2. What role do parents play in shaping the values and character of their children?

3. How can Ghanaian families balance traditional values with modernisation?

4. Examine the challenges facing the modern Ghanaian family and propose solutions.

Retrieving information is the ability to derive either the general idea or specific ideas from a given text or message. This cannot be done anyhow or with magic, so it is important that we rely on reading techniques.

Skimming and scanning techniques can be used to find general and specific information in a given text. The focus of using these techniques would be to get the information the text contains.

Another focal point at this stage is being able to interpret the text that is given. To interpret here means to explain the meaning of the text to an audience or reader. At this level of interpreting the text, the reader would have to use the close reading technique.

During close reading, you will have to pay much more attention to the details and structure of what is being read because you will need to get what the passage is about before you are able to tell the meaning of it.

Activity 3.2

Apply the three techniques for reading that we have studied on the passage below, and perform the activities that follow.

Peace and stability are vital elements in the development of any society or nation.

In today’s changing world of ours, peace is an object of man’s understanding, hope, and happiness. Indeed, that is the creator’s desire for mankind. However, the most regrettable thing in the world today is that peace continues to elude many societies and is virtually a lost concept. Millions of people have become helpless and there seems to be no permanent solutions to wars that are ravaging societies today. Many ambitious citizens contend that violence is a conventional tool for social change. Because of this, weapons are often used by people with this mindset to achieve their ambitions.

But haven’t any of these people seen the devastating effects of wars and violence?

Haven’t they come to think of the loss of millions of lives and human misery inflicted on the society because of wars? What about the millions of people who are often displaced and have to move out of their homes to refugee camps to start a new and degrading life?

Yes, this is the high price mankind has to pay to satisfy the selfish and inordinate ambition of some few persons in the society. When peace becomes an enemy to human society, misery, suffering, loss of lives, and others, become friends to humanity. Peace is indispensable in our lives and we cannot sacrifice it for anything.

1. Discuss with three members of your class; the general message/idea of the text.

2. Find the specific ideas in the text. Make a PowerPoint presentation on your findings.

3. With the support of close reading technique, tell the meaning of the passage/ text.

Acivity 3.3 Read the passage below and use the appropriate reading technique to do the activities that follow.

One month after my mother gave birth to my younger sister, my father went and informed the oldest person in the community that the newborn baby was due to be given her identity. My father, together with the oldest person, scheduled a day for the naming. On that fateful day, everybody gathered in my father’s compound to witness the activities. Then, my mother, with some older women, brought the baby and laid her on the mat that was placed in front of the oldest person. The oldest man picked up the calabash of water that had already been provided for the activity. He then called all the other elders to squat around the child. Then he took the calabash of water, poured a libation and called on the ancestors to care for the baby. He also blessed her to grow up and become a fruitful person to the family, the community, and the country as a whole. A meal made of mashed yam in oil was placed at the feet of the baby, and some drops of water were also poured at the same place by the older man. This was to signify that the child had been welcomed and accepted by the people of the community. Having done this, other children around the vicinity were also invited to squat around and play with the baby as a welcoming sign into the community. The opportunity was then given to everybody at the ceremony to share a word of advice with the child’s family as to how to take care of the baby to grow up well in order to be a useful citizen.

Activity 3.4

1. Suggest a suitable title for the passage.

2. Write down the importance of this exercise to the community.

3. Glance through the passage again and look for one specific piece of information.

4. Act out one moral lesson you have learnt from the passage.

5. Find out why the children were allowed to play a role in the ceremony.

6. Indicate why the oldest person was made to pour a libation instead of the baby’s father.

In one of our earlier lessons, we looked at the processes one has to go through when reading a text or a passage for a piece or pieces of information from the text. This exposed us to the use of techniques such as skimming, scanning, and close reading. In this lesson, we are going to go further to look at how to extract or find information that a text contains and to interpret the meaning of the information we have been able to find from the text. This cannot be done with a total devoid of the reading techniques.

These are going to help us to extract the necessary information to be able to interpret the message or the information retrieved.

Retrieving Information

This is the act of finding or extracting a message or information from a given text. This simply means one’s ability to find the information that a text or passage communicates to its audience. This message could be what one wants to know about the entire text or a particular piece of information in the text. Retrieving information cannot be done without employing the services of the techniques used in reading. For instance, if you need to know what the entire text is all about, you have to skim the text. This helps you glance through the text as quickly as possible to get the general information that the text gives out. For retrieving or extracting a particular or specific message from the text, you would use scanning to do that. This technique allows one to read the text a little slowly, paying attention to some key or leading words, and also illustrations that may lead you to that particular piece of information you are looking for.

Interpreting a Text

This is the act of explaining the meaning of the information or extracted from a given text. A piece of information may not be considered delivered when the audience do not understand the message that is given out. For this reason, it is important that we are able to interpret or tell the meaning of the information that is contained in the given passage for understanding. For you to be able to do the interpretation, employ the services of close-reading technique. This technique requires that you focus on specific details in the passage or text to be able to get the meaning of the text. Your aim here is to understand and tell the meaning of the text to someone. So, you do not take anything for granted. You have to think critically about the diction, language, style etc., of the passage before you will be in a better position to tell or interpret the meaning of the text.

Activity 7.6

Read the passage and answer the questions that follow.

The Akosombo Dam is one of the most important landmarks in Ghana. Located in the Eastern Region, it is a hydroelectric dam that generates electricity for the entire country. The dam was built in the 1960s and has had a significant impact on the development of Ghana. It has also created Lake Volta, which is the largest man-made lake in the world by surface area.

The Akosombo Dam has brought many benefits to Ghana, but it has also had some negative effects. For example, the construction of the dam led to the displacement of many people who lived in the surrounding areas. Additionally, the dam has affected the natural flow of the Volta River, which has impacted the environment and the people who depend on the river for fishing and farming. Despite these challenges, the Akosombo Dam remains a vital part of Ghana’s energy sector.

In recent years, there have been efforts to improve the management of the Akosombo Dam and minimize its negative impacts. For example, the government has implemented measures to reduce the amount of water released from the dam during the rainy season, which has helped to reduce flooding downstream. Additionally, there are initiatives to promote sustainable fishing and farming practices in the surrounding areas. By working together, we can ensure that the Akosombo Dam continues to benefit Ghana while also protecting the environment and supporting local communities.

1. Sit with a colleague and talk about the general information of the passage.

2. Tell your colleague who sat by you the specific pieces of information you can find in the passage.

3. Now, find a suitable title for the passage.

4. Based on your understanding of the passage, interpret it to one of your colleagues.

• https://youtu.be/j_72SlHIqDE?si=dG7K0xQbHGuhJiln

• https://youtu.be/-E400637oKk?si=qukOYosR3a9mWUEU

• https://youtu.be/eNfGINhN-LE?si=RNL7daFP_6izW9aQ

• https://youtu.be/j_72SlHIqDE?si=dG7K0xQbHGuhJiln FICTION and NON-FICTION Fiction: This is an imaginary work of art that is created by an author. It is imaginary because the event or story that is talked about may not have happened anywhere in the world. The writer of the work uses his or her creative ideas to create a story for us to learn from. This involves the creation of characters, settings, events, and narratives that do not necessarily exist in the real world. This means that in fiction, the authors (writers) use their creativity to write stories that are often for the purposes of entertainment or artistic expression; fiction can, however, be a profound critique of society or of a particular aspect of it. Fictional works include but are not limited to short stories, novels, and plays.

Non-fiction: Non-fiction essentially means “not fiction” or “not invented.” By contrast, non-fiction refers to factual stories about real people, places, and events. In the works of non-fiction, authors aim to give accurate and verifiable information. This implies that non-fictional works contain a certain level of truth or authenticity. These experiences, information, and explanations are grounded on reality and may be used to educate, persuade or document true events and occurrences. For instance, if you report a fight that happened in class between two of your classmates, it will be non-fiction, because the event has actually occurred. Examples of non-fiction are autobiography, biography, academic texts, journalism, and others.

The key difference between fictional and non-fictional literary works is that while fiction is creating or imagining events, places, characters, and settings, non-fiction talks of reality or facts relating to events, places, characters, and setting which can be checked for their authenticity.

Prediction: This simply means a statement of what will happen in the future. That is, looking into the future and imagining what is likely to happen or occur about an event or a situation at hand. In this context, however, we are looking at what is likely to happen either at the beginning of a text based on its title, what would happen in the middle, or at the end of a text. One is able to give this prediction by carefully observing text features (comprehension strategies) such as title of text, illustrations, bold prints, italics, headings, choice of words, and others.

A Short Guide to analysing fiction or non-fiction Fiction Plot: Examine the storyline, identifying the main events and how they connect. Look for the exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution.

Characters: Analyse the main and supporting characters. Consider their motivations, development, relationships, and roles in the story.

Setting: Describe the time and place where the story occurs. Consider how the setting influences the plot and characters.

Themes: Identify the central themes and messages. Reflect on what the author is trying to convey about life, society, or human nature.

Literary Devices: Look for symbolism, metaphors, similes, foreshadowing, and other devices. Analyse how they contribute to the story’s depth and meaning.

Point of View: Determine the narrative perspective (first-person, third-person, for

example). Consider how the point of view affects your understanding of the story.

Style and Tone: Examine the author's writing style and tone. Note the use of language, sentence structure, and how these affect your perception.

Non-Fiction _(Purpose): Identify the main purpose of the writing (to inform, persuade, entertain, and so on). Consider the intended audience.

Thesis: Locate the central argument or thesis. Summarise the main points that support this thesis.

Evidence: Evaluate the evidence and sources used. Consider the reliability, relevance, and sufficiency of the supporting details.

Structure: Analyse the organisation of the text. Look at the introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. Note how effectively the ideas flow and connect.

Author's Perspective: Consider the author's perspective and any potential biases. Reflect on how the author's background might influence her or his viewpoint.

Tone and Style: Examine the tone and style of writing. Determine how the language, formality, and rhetorical strategies impact the message.

Critical Response: Reflect on your own response to the text. Consider how your response affects your understanding of the topic and whether it challenges or reinforces your views.

In both fiction and non-fiction, a thorough analysis requires a close reading of the text, critical thinking, and an understanding of the broader context in which the work was created.

Activity 9.4

Explain in your own words to two of your friends; the importance of prediction in real life situations.

Activity 9.5

Study the two pictures below

1. What can you say about the two pictures above? Predict what they are about.

2. How will prediction help you in your reading and comprehension?

Figure 9.1.

Figure 9.2

Read the text below and perform the activities that follow.

I Thought All was Rosy in Adult Life When I was a small boy, I always thought of growing up early so I could have my freedom. This was because I saw the hard training that my parents were giving me as abuse, and so the reason for me wanting to grow fast to become an adult was in order to be free from the “abuse”.

One day I told my father that they were maltreating me so it was my desire to also become an adult so that they would stop worrying about me. My father smiled and said, “My son, I appreciate your thought, but I want to tell you that a lot goes into being an adult. It is not as you perceive it. It comes with a lot of responsibilities such as preparing shelter for your family, making sure there is always food for the family, ensuring there is peace and harmony, and others. We are not maltreating or abusing you but rather giving you that hard training so that when we are gone, you will be a useful being to yourself, your family, your community, and the nation at large.”

As young as I was, I did not regard all these as problems because I saw my father always having money on him, buying all that he needed and also there was food in the family all the time. This evidence gave me the hope that all would be well in my adult life. I thought all was going to be rosy for me.

Today, here I am, as an adult. The way I used to see things has turned upside down.

The things I saw clearly when I was young are now seen as very blurred. Nothing seems to be working perfectly for me unlike what happened to my parents. It is difficult for me to get three square meals a day not to even talk of raising a comfortable shelter or accommodation for my family. This confirms a saying that what an elder sees up in the sky when he/she is sitting on the ground, a child will climb a tree and will not see that. Now I have come to realise that my parents did not hate me for giving me that hard training but rather loved me. If I had ignored the training entirely, my life would have been worse. With the experiences above, I got to realise that all is not rosy in adult life.

Activity 9.6

1. With the aid of the title, predict what is likely to be the end of the text.

Discuss it with a colleague.

2. Discuss with colleagues how prediction helps in text comprehension.

3. Would you consider this text as fiction or non-fiction? Why?

Activity 9.7

1. Read the passage below carefully As I walked through the dense forest on my way back from the village market, I couldn't shake off the feeling that I was being watched. The trees seemed to loom over me, casting long shadows in the fading light of day. I had heard stories about this forest, how it was home to ancient spirits and curses. I had always dismissed them as mere myths, but now I wasn't so sure. Suddenly, I heard a faint rustling in the bushes ahead. I froze, my heart pounding in my chest.

2. Predict what happens next before you read the next paragraph.

As I stood there, a figure emerged from the shadows. It was tall and gaunt, with eyes that seemed to bore into my soul. I tried to run, but my legs felt heavy and unresponsive. The figure began to move towards me, its eyes fixed on me with an unnerving intensity. I tried to scream, but my voice was caught in my throat. Just as the figure was about to reach out and grab me, everything went black.

3. Was your earlier prediction in line with the continuation of the story?

4. Predict what happens next after the second paragraph.

5. Invite three of your friends and sit together to write down a prediction of what happens next and end the story. Support your prediction with evidence from the text.

6. You and your friends should present your work in class for other friends to critique.

Reading techniques: These are the different approaches to reading that can be used to become a better, more efficient, and more successful reader. When we are given texts to read, we do not just read them for their own sake. We do that for a variety of purposes. That is, either to get the general information of the text, to find a specific message, to be able to detect the meaning of the text, or just to gain pleasure or enjoy the content of the text. For us to be able to do these, we have to apply the reading techniques that are discussed below.

Skimming: This refers to the process of reading the main ideas within a passage to get an overall impression of the content. In applying/using this approach, one has the aim of getting the overall idea of the text. Here, the detail of the text is not so important to the reader. What is important is to get the main message of the text. Because the details of the text are not needed, one may quickly read through the passage. This would be enough for the reader to get the needed information. Your eyes can be trained to read groups of words rather than individual words. As readers, we usually do not need to sound out words in our minds; skimming is hindered by such ‘sub-vocalising’.

Scanning: This refers to looking for ideas very quickly in a text to find specific details such as searching for a telephone number in a directory. Scanning approach to reading is useful when the reader has the intent of finding the details that the text contains. At this stage of reading, one is not just looking at the main or the central message of the text, but specific pieces of information in the text. Using a scanning approach is quicker than using a skimming approach.

Close Reading: This refers to the method of reading that focuses on the specific details of a passage or text in order to discern meaning. The main purpose for applying this reading technique is to help the reader discern or detect the exact meaning of the text.

Because the purpose of using this approach is to establish the meaning, much attention needs to be paid to the details of the text. Attention should be given to the use of language (headings/subheadings, bold prints, italics, illustrations). These text features aim to help you understand the text.

Light Reading: This is reading that is not considered too demanding. This is used when an individual reads for the purpose of leisure. When light reading is the focus, this ensures that readers find content that is interesting and relevant to them and the work at hand.

This method is useful when one is trying above all to find entertainment, where the focus is pleasure rather than on stretching the mind.

Activity 11.4

Read the passage below and perform the activities that follow The importance of education is recognised by everyone. The government allows private participation in the establishment of schools since it cannot cater for all the children in the country.

To monitor and maintain academic excellence in schools, the Ghana Education Service was established. It sets out the guidelines and standards such as the type of infrastructure to be provided in schools and the compliance with the Ghana Education Service approved syllabus. Before any approval is given for the establishment of a school, the available facilities are inspected. The qualifications of the teaching personnel are also considered in order to safeguard the interests and development of children who may have their education in such schools.

It is thus a good sign that more schools are being opened these days. It shows how important education is to us; but the emphasis should be on the quality and not the quantity. As the number of the schools in the country increases, getting more qualified teachers has become more challenging. The common practice these days is to employ senior high graduates. The move should be commended because it solves the problem of lack of teachers and provides jobs for unemployed youth.

However, there must be in-service training to prepare them for the work.

Most private school’s proprietors consider the schools as their personal property and do what they wish; they are known in some cases to ignore government policies and directives. The owners’ liberties may be in terms of the general administration of the school, fee regulation, the selection of staff and ownership of the premises. Nevertheless, they have to adhere to the standards and goals set by the government in educating our future leaders. The Ghana Education Service is the government body responsible for maintenance of standards in our schools, whether private or public. The Ghana Education Service has to be more vigilant.

In some private schools, teaching is done in isolation as the Ghana Education Service syllabuses are not used. Teachers select what their students should learn.

Some of the teachers do not allow students to express their opinion or to take their own initiatives. They are made to learn what will enable them to pass their final examination with distinction in order to advertise their school. Their own talents and skills are left undeveloped.

Some parents send their children to school without knowing about what goes on there. They do more harm than good if they fail to monitor their development and performance. The owners of the schools should not concentrate solely on the business aspect of their schools. Their attention should be focused on the standard of teaching and learning that goes on in their schools else they will be amassing wealth at the expense of the children. The owners should take courses in school management and administration to be well equipped so as to monitor school activities more effectively.

The Ghanaian child in both private and public schools should be encouraged to develop their talents. They should be given instructions based on the same syllabus as they, in the long run, take the same examination.

1. Skim through the passage above in groups, predict and discuss the central idea of the text.

2. In mixed-ability/gender grouping, employ the reading strategies/techniques to read and summarise the main ideas of the passage.

3. Discuss with a colleague why you think reading is important.

4. Research and share with the whole class the misconceptions (wrong impressions people have) about reading.

The Simple Past Tense

The simple past tense, also called the past tense, is used to talk about a completed action that did not continue into the present:

1. John Cabot sailed to America in 1498.

2. My doctor gave me an injection last year.

It is also used to refer to a past habitual activity which no longer occurs:

1. The children played football regularly.

2. My family went to the theatre every fortnight.

The time of action can be in the recent past or the distant past, and the duration of the action is not important. For example:

1. He lived in Fijai in 1976.

2. We crossed the bridge yesterday.

3. The simple past is associated with certain past-time expressions such as:

a. Frequency: often, sometimes, always:

I walked home sometimes at lunchtime.

I often brought my lunch to school.

My PEH teacher always checked class attendance.

b. A definite point in time: last week, when I was a child, yesterday, six weeks ago We watched an educational film last week.

Yesterday, I arrived in Geneva.

I played in the sand when I was a child.

c. An indefinite point in time: the other day, ages ago, a long time ago People lived in caves a long time ago.

She played the piano ages ago.

Formation of the Simple Past Tense

₁. In forming the simple past tense of regular verbs, just add -ed to the base of the verb. For example:

Play + ed = played Walk + ed = walked Stop + ed = stopped Climb + ed = climbed Absorb + ed = absorbed

2. The affirmative if the simple past tense is simple. In affirmative use, -ed is added to the base of regular verbs to have the structure, Affirmative = Subject + Verb + ed:

I skipped with the rope.

We laughed at his jokes.

My parents visited me in school even though it was raining.

3. The negative is formed by using the auxiliary did and adding not (or its contracted form n’t). In negative use, the formation looks like this – Negative = Subject + did not + infinitive (without to):

The police did not stop the bus.

They didn’t climb the wall.

4. In interrogative use, two formations are possible – positive and negative, as shown below.

a. Interrogative (Positive): Did + Subject + infinitive (without to):

Did they arrive early?

Did you accommodate them in your house?

b. Interrogative (negative): Did not + Subject + infinitive (without to):

Didn’t you brush your teeth last night?

Didn’t they cross the road at the zebra crossing?

5. The simple past tense can be formed from to be, to have, to do:

I had Waakye for breakfast.

We were his students.

They did the work well.

6. Some verbs are irregular. They do not form their past tense the same way as regular verbs. These irregular verbs include to go, to give and to come:

a. He went to his family house last night.

b. We gave the children toffees.

c. Our friends came to the show last night.

Irregular verbs are formed in a number of ways:

1. Some verbs do not change form in the simple past tense. They include hurt, put, hit, split and shut:

• I hurt myself yesterday.

• The electrician fell down and split his head.

2. Some irregular verbs change a vowel in the base form. For example, to drink changes to drank (the i changes to a):

• Maa Afia drank all the soup before I got home.

• Kafui wrote an intriguing story.

• In spite of the disappointment, Mr Teye never gave up on his dreams.

Other examples Infinitive Simple Past To run Ran To sit Sat To write wrote

3. Other irregular verbs change entirely from the base form:

• Auntie Mansa bought some cassava and plantain from the farmer.

• My family was home.

• Mamunatu hardly ate the food.

Infinitive Simple Past

To buy bought To be Was/were To eat Ate

Activity 11.3

1. Gather your friends and tell them your favourite Kweku Ananse story. (You can even tell the story just to a friend or a relative)

2. Write down at least five of the sentences you used in the story?

a. Underline all the verbs.

b. Indicate the verbs with the simple past tense.

3. Join a friend to read the sentences below.

i. I played ampe with my cousins.

ii. We watched the football game at the Essipong Sports Stadium.

iii. Kweku Ananse told his family to bury him in the farm.

iv. Okonore Yaa did as she was told by her husband.

a. Underline the verbs and write out those in the simple past tense.

b. What do you observe about the past tense?

c. Explain your answer to other friends.

4. Tell your friend what you did the previous week before. Let your friend do the same.

References

• Murphy, R. (2019). English Grammar in Use (5th ed.). Cambridge University Press.

• Carter, R., et al; McCarthy, M. (2020). Cambridge Grammar of English: A Comprehensive Guide (2nd ed.) Cambridge University Press.

• Azar, B. S., et al; Hagen, S. A. (2021). Understanding and Using English Grammar (5th ed.).

Pearson Education.

• Roach, P. (2009). English phonetics and phonology: A practical course (4th ed.). Cambridge University Press.

• Wiredu. F. J, (1992). Organised English Structure, with A Self-Study and Practice Book for students of Training colleges, the Polytechnics and the Universities: Academic Publications Accra.

With the aid of Reading techniques, we are going to summarise short stories bringing out the important ideas and unimportant ideas in a text. Reading techniques are strategies and methods used to enhance comprehension, speed, and retention when reading. Some common reading techniques:

1. Skimming: This type of reading is done when you want to get the general idea of the content. You quickly move your eyes over the text focusing on headings, sub-headings, and keywords. You don’t read everything but pick up enough to understand the main points.

2. Scanning: The purpose is to find specific information in a text. It is used when you want to search for particular words, phrases, or figures without reading everything. This is useful for finding dates, names, or facts.

3. Active Reading: This type of reading is done to engage deeply with the text for better understanding and retention. It is used when you want to annotate a text, highlight key points, ask questions, summarise sections, and take notes. This method is useful for studying or reading complex material.

We also have Critical Reading, Speed Reading, Intensive and Extensive Reading and other types of reading techniques as you have learnt in some of your Reading Comprehension lessons.

ACTIVITY 13.1

1. Call two of your friends and form a group with them. Taking turns, narrate a story to your friends. Your other group members should pay attention to the speaking cues you will use while you tell your story. Observe the beginning and end, facial expressions, tone of voice and gestures. Again, observe the signal words for the main ideas and the subsidiary ideas.

2. From the story you just listened to and still with your friends, agree about the Topic sentence that makes up the story.

3. With the help of your friends, write down the important ideas in the story on a sheet of paper and write down the unimportant ideas on another sheet of paper.

4. Discuss with your friends why you think some ideas are considered as main ideas and why some ideas are not important based on the story you listened to.

Activity 13.2

1. Think about the term ‘summary’ and its definition in your own words.

2. Write down your answer.

Look at the following typical piece of writing about a football match:

The crowd was standing quietly and detached from the game. Suddenly, as if from nothing and nowhere, the speedy left-winger broke down his wing to the corner and from near the corner-flag sent in a high ball to the goalmouth. The striker, having accelerated his run down the middle, leapt high above the defenders and headed the ball neatly past the despairing goalkeeper. The crowd immediately was roused and joyously roared in celebration of this clever and successful passage of play. (81 words) Now consider the short summary below:

The once silent crowd roared its approval of the striker’s headed goal from the left- winger’s cross. (15 words) The facts of the match are succinctly conveyed in the short version. The word choice is clear. The words used in the very short summary here are our own as far as possible/necessary.

In English Studies, opportunities are provided to engage with texts of a wide variety. Such texts can form a support for language learning, but also provide the common ground for discussions, for personal reading, and indeed for a variety of assessment types, particularly the formative. Above all, it is through reading of specified texts that clarity of perception can be brought to the understanding of the strengths, the complexities, and the humanity of another culture.

In one of our earlier lessons, we discussed how to use a variety of text comprehension strategies to analyse fiction and non-fiction texts. We identified some of these strategies/ techniques as skimming, scanning, close-reading, and others. In this Section, we are going further to look at some other comprehension strategies that we can use to analyse a text, whether fiction or non-fiction. These strategies would go a long way to help us predict what is likely to happen, especially, at the end of a text or a narrative. Also, it would help us to know how important it is to us in real life situations.

By the end of this section, you should be able to

• Use a variety of text comprehension strategies to analyse fiction and non-fiction texts.

Key Ideas

• Comprehension strategies are plans of actions that are carried out to accomplish or achieve a specific goal or outcome.

• A fiction text is a text that is not factual or that arises from the imagination/creativity of the writer.

• A Non-fiction text, on the other hand, is one that is produced based on facts.

• Prediction is the act of thinking into the future and imagining/clarifying what might happen.

1. Look closely at the following pictures.

Figure 18.1

Figure 18.2

Figure 18.3:

2. Suggest the significance of Figures 18.1, 18.2 and 18.3

3. How do pictures help in understanding a text? Write down at least three points.

4. Compare your answers with your friend’s answers for feedback.

Comprehension strategies are techniques or methods that readers use to understand, interpret, and retain information from what they read or hear. These strategies help improve comprehension by actively engaging the reader or listener with the material, making it easier to grasp and remember the content. Some text comprehension strategies include:

1. Previewing: Scanning the text before reading to get an overview of the content, structure, and main ideas.

2. Questioning: Asking questions about the text before, during, and after reading to focus on key points and to fully understand the material.

3. Visualising: Creating mental images or visual representations of the content to better understand and remember the information.

4. Summarising: Condensing the information into a brief summary to capture the main ideas and essential details.

5. Making Connections: Relating the material to personal experiences, to other texts, or to world events genuinely to deepen understanding.

6. Inferencing: Using clues from the text and prior knowledge to make logical guesses about what is not explicitly stated.

7. Monitoring: Keeping track of one's own understanding while reading and recognising when something doesn’t make sense, and then taking steps to clarify or reread.

8. Predicting: Anticipating what will happen next in a text, which helps to maintain engagement and enhances comprehension.

Comprehension strategies are summed up as a set method of understanding plans of actions that are carried out to accomplish or to achieve a specific goal or outcome. They serve as processes or procedures that one has to follow in getting something from a text or getting the meaning of a text realised or achieved. Comprehension strategies are mostly applied in works of fiction and sometimes, in non-fiction.

A fictional text as has been stated is a text that is not factual but is based on the imagination/ creativity of the writer. This implies that the writer or the narrator had not encountered such a text or story that is being provided for an audience. Thus, the producer of the text or story can essentially visualise what might be happening somewhere and decide to make something out of it for an audience.

A non-fiction text, on the other hand, is one that is produced based on facts. This text or narrative is produced from what actually took place or happened. This is a version of a real-life event.

Text Analysis and Predictions

One of the text comprehension strategies that we will focus on in this lesson is prediction.

Prediction is a comprehension strategy where readers use clues from the text, along with their prior knowledge, to anticipate what will happen next or what the text will be about.

Prediction, again, is the act of thinking into the future and imagining/proclaiming what might well happen. It is possible for one to do prediction based on the kind of data or statistics available to the person. It simply means foreseeing the future. Prediction is an essential ingredient in our life as it helps us to plan and to make projections into the future, so we are not taken by surprise by circumstances. This strategy in reading a written work keeps readers engaged and helps them actively interact with the text, which in turn enhances understanding.

How Prediction Works

Before Reading:

• Title and Cover: Look at the title, cover, and any illustrations, blurbs or summaries.

Based on these, predict what the text might be about.

• Prior Knowledge: Think about what you already know about the topic, genre, or author, and use that information to make predictions.

During Reading:

• Context Clues: Pay attention to the plot, characters, setting, and details as you read.

Use these clues to anticipate what might happen next in the story or what a section of the text might explain.

• Adjusting Predictions: As you get more information, compare it to your initial predictions. Adjust your predictions based on new evidence.

After Reading:

• Reflection: After finishing the text, think about whether your predictions were accurate. Reflecting on your predictions can help deepen your understanding of the text. Some brief jottings of your predictions on the way through will assist in shaping your memory and judgement.

Apart from applying reading techniques such as skimming, scanning, close-reading and others to analyse and also to predict a text, there are some other strategies that can be employed in analysing texts. These are called text features. Text features are elements found within written texts that help the reader understand and navigate the content.

Some text features that can also help us analyse texts and make predictions include but are not limited to titles, headings, sub-headings, illustrations, bold print, italics. These features are not to be taken lightly when we come across them in our reading as they may be communicating important aspects to us. Paying serious attention to them would help us in our analysis and prediction of a given text. Taking a title like Ananse in the Land of Idiots for instance, one could immediately suspect how idiotic the people of the land might be.

Based on this, the person can easily predict doom for the people of the land.

Aside from the text features pointed out above, images or pictures we see in texts or videos are also very important because they can help us to analyse and predict texts. In a text, we may see images or pictures of people dressed in all-black, all-white, all-smock, and others. It may mean that the one dressed in black is in a sad/mourning mood; all-white could be suggesting that the person is in a joyful or happy mood; one in smock could be communicating to us the traditional or cultural background of the person.

It is very rare to see women having their hair entirely shaved. But within some ethnic groups, especially in northern Ghana, women would shave their hair entirely when they lose their loved ones like husbands (to observe widowhood). Other relatives can also do the same to show that they are mourning or grieving over the death of the loved one. So, if such is observed in a text or video, those who are familiar with such custom would be able to analyse the text or video effectively.

These and other strategies would go a long way to help us in text comprehension, in analysis, and in prediction as a whole. Learners are therefore urged to be mindful of those text features identified, and others to equip themselves well in their attempt to understand, analyse, and predict what happens in the texts. All these would enhance our reading comprehension and text analysis.

ACTIVITY 18.2

1. Take a critical look at the title of the story below. With a friend, analyse and predict what is likely to be the end of the story.

Once upon a time. There was a great famine in the animal kingdom. This was due to a long drought that had hit the kingdom.

It was so very severe that all their foodstuffs were finished, and the edible plants in the forest also dried up. The kingdom was left with nothing to feed on.

Sensing that he and his family were going to die in no time, a rabbit came up with a plan that he thought could help them survive the famine. The plan was that he should go to tell the king that anybody who backbites or speaks ill about another person should be killed, and the corpse would then be given to the one that is talked about to use as food to feed the family. So, he went and discussed it with the king whom he asked to make a decree.

The next day, the king summoned his elders to the palace and laid the idea before them. After a thorough deliberation on it they came to agreement that it was a laudable idea. They even argued that it was going to prevent people from saying evil or bad things about others. So, the king made it a decree and it was announced to everybody.

On the next day, the rabbit quickly mobilised his family members and they went to make a farm on a rocky land along the road that links the community to the market. Whenever they saw any animal approaching on the way to the market they would bend down pretending to be farming. So, when the animal reaches them (rabbit and his family), the animal will automatically announce, ‘I can’t believe what I am seeing: how can you farm on this rocky land?’. Whenever the rabbit hears this, he would immediately rush and tell the king about it and that animal would be killed for him and his family for food.

This continued until all the other animals became worried.

One day a guinea fowl decided that she was going to end the suffering of the animals at the hands of the rabbit and his family. We all know that a guinea fowl has no hair. She decided that she was going to tie up her hair in the market, knowing very well that when she got to the rabbit, he would say something.

She dressed up and set off for the market. When she reached the rabbit’s farm, as usual, the rabbit started using his hoe against the rocks so that noise was produced to attract the attention of the guineafowl. Seeing no sign of getting the guineafowl attracted, the rabbit jumped up, greeted the guineafowl and asked, ‘My dear friend, where are you heading to’? The guinea fowl answered, ‘I am going to tie up my hair in the market’. Hearing this, the rabbit decided to say something but was very well aware that if he were to say anything against the guinea fowl, he would become food for the guinea fowl. He then decided to dig a hole and speak into it so that the guinea fowl would probably not hear.

He dug the hole and said, "If I am not to speak the truth, where are the hairs that you are going to tie”?

Immediately the guinea fowl heard this, she returned and went and reported the rabbit to the king. So, the rabbit was killed for the guinea fowl for food.

This confirms that wisdom is not in the head of only one person.

2. If you were the king and his council of elders of this kingdom, would you have decreed this idea provided by the rabbit? Discuss this in groups and share the outcome of the discussion with the entire class.

Activity 18.3

Identify and discuss with two of your colleagues, the main idea of the story below.

There once was a boy who grew bored while watching over the village sheep. He wanted to make things more exciting. So, he cried out that he saw a lion chasing the sheep. All the villagers came running to drive the lion away. However, they saw no lion. The boy was amused, but the villagers were not. They told him not to do it again. Shortly after, he repeated this cry. The villagers came running again, only to find that he was lying. Later that day, the boy really sees a lion walking amongst the flock. He jumped up and called out for help. But no one came this time because they thought he was still joking around…… Glossary Analyse To examine something by breaking it into its smaller components.

Comprehension Understanding

Strategy A plan that is put in place for one to follow to accomplish/ achieve a goal.

1. From the text above, identify the main idea behind the boy’s cry?

2. If the story had continued, predict what you think would have been the end result.

3. Analyse and interpret to colleagues, the main idea in the text.

Extended Reading

₁. Dadzie, A.B.K and Grant, N. (2008). New Gateway English for Senior High School Book 1 (2nd ed.). Longman Publications

2. Sandy, A.J. (2020) English for Senior Secondary Schools Book 1(volume 1). Independently Published

3. Victor, Y. et al; Leonard, A. (2008). Black Star Series Book 1 (volume 1). Cambridge University Press

4. Old newspapers

5. Any English Language Textbooks approved by NaCCA

6. Sample texts and pictures from social media References

• Carter, R., et al; McCarthy, M. (2020). Cambridge Grammar of English: A Comprehensive Guide (2nd ed.) Cambridge University Press.

• Azar, B. S., et al; Hagen, S. A. (2021). Understanding and Using English Grammar (5th ed.).

Pearson Education.

• Roach, P. (2009). English phonetics and phonology: A practical course (4th ed.). Cambridge University Press.

• Wiredu. F. J, (1992). Organised English Structure, with A Self-Study and Practice Book for students of Training colleges, the Polytechnics and the Universities: Academic Publications Accra.

Acknowledgements List of Contributors

Name Institution

Beatrice Antwiwaa Boateng Oti Boateng SHS, Koforidua

Jennifer Afua Kyei-Baffour Sakafia Islamic SHS, Kumasi

Isabella Sika Keh Achimota School

N-yalamba Jerry Njomoun Tatale E.P. Agric SHS

In Section 18 and some other sections, we discussed in detail some text comprehension strategies that we can use/apply in our reading of given texts (whether fiction or non- fiction) to be able to analyse the texts. We looked at reading techniques like skimming, scanning, close-reading, and light reading. We went further to look at some other features of texts that can help us analyse them. These, we identified as titles of texts, headings/sub- headings, bold prints, italics, examples, illustrations, pictures/images, and videos in texts.

In this Section, focus our attention on non-fiction texts.

By the end of this Section, you should be able to:

• Use a variety of text comprehension strategies to analyse fiction and non-fiction texts.

Key Ideas

• Fiction is an imaginary literary work that is created for the exploration of ideas.

It is not necessarily based on facts or on what really happened.

• Non-fiction is a narrative that is based on facts or what actually transpired. It aims to give a true account of real things or events.

• Comprehension strategies are a variety of different approaches we employ in reading a given text to gain understanding as we aim to analyse the text.

Comprehension strategies are plans of actions that are carried out to accomplish or achieve a specific goal or outcome. In other words, comprehension strategies are a variety/different approaches we employ in reading a given text to get an understanding of the text. These serve as processes or procedures that one has to follow in getting the analysis of the text realised or achieved.

A fictional text is a text that is not factual, or a text that is based on the imagination/ creativity of the writer. This implies that the writer or the narrator had not encountered such a text or story that is being given out to the audience. Thus, the producer of the text or story can just think around any happening anywhere and decide to make something out of it for the audience.

Non-fiction text, on the other hand, is one that is produced based on facts. This text or narrative is produced from what actually took place or happened. This is a real-life event. Examples of non-fictional works include history books, travel guides, biography, autobiography, and others. While the perspective might be different, the essential facts and chronology generally remain unchanged.

So, in our attempt to analyse non-fiction text, we can apply the text comprehension strategies identified above. Apart from these ones, there are some other strategies one can also use to be able to analyse a given non-fiction text. Consider the following:

1. Identifying the main idea and summarising it is a strategy that would help readers analyse a text. Getting to know the main idea of a text would go a long way to help one determine what is important and what is not. This would help the readers summarise/write it in their own words. In doing so, the person would be able to analyse the text.

2. Questioning is another strategy one can employ. That is, asking and answering questions about the text serves as a very significant approach to nonfiction analyses. The questions could be what the text is about, what elements are in the text, what does the writing seek to achieve, and others.

3. Visualising is also not out of place. Thus, when learners are reading, they can visualise/ create their own mental images of the text or take advantage of the illustrations that may be embedded in the text. This allows them better to appreciate and analyse the text under consideration.

4. In addition to the above is prediction. When learners make predictions about the text, they are able to analyse the text based on the title that may be given.

They then begin to have expectations based on their previous knowledge about a similar topic. As they read, they may review their prediction since they would have more information about the text. As they predict, they begin to have a clue as to what might happen at the end. This would help in the analyses of the given nonfiction text.

5. The strategy of retelling a story (narrative) cannot be omitted. With this, learners are asked to retell the story they have read in their own words. This would force them to analyse the story in order to determine what is important in the story.

When doing this, learners are not just recounting the story, but also drawing their own conclusions about it. This amounts to exploring the story/narrative. This is because without analysing, learners would not be able to retell it.

6. When we are analysing a nonfiction narrative, it is also important that we consider these elements of the narrative; setting (when and where the events of the text take place), characters and characterisation (people or animals involved in the narrative, and how they develop over time), plot (story line, which includes one or more problems that need to be solved), theme (the main idea or lesson the author wants readers to learn).

If you pay keen attention to these text comprehension strategies and the earlier ones, you would be able to better predict and analyse non-fiction texts. Learners are therefore encouraged and advised not to turn a deaf ear to these and many more strategies in their attempt to analyse comprehension texts.

Know, Want-to-know, and Learned (KWL)

As part of the efforts to analyse a text, learners could be asked in groups to brainstorm the title/topic of a text to come out with what they know or can say about the title before they start to read the text. They are also asked to state what they need or want to know about the text. And after reading, they state what they have learned from the text.

All of these procedures would help the learners to fill the prediction form at the appropriate columns of the form - starting from what they know based on the topic (K), what they want to know from the text (W), and what they have learned at the end of the reading the text (L). This constitutes a prediction. After this, learners present and explain to the class what they have on the KWL form, and state what has taken place at each level of the reading.

If one is able to do this effectively, it would greatly help in analysing any given text.

ACTIVITY 23.1

1. Read the passage below and perform the activities that follow.

I never thought of the benefit I was going to reap until I was stopped halfway to the destination. I thought that life belonged to me alone and nobody would have to bother me with the way I have to live. I cared not about what happened to other people around me. I would always get annoyed with people whenever they tried to say a word of advice to me. I felt they were encroaching into my life.

To avoid my family and other acquaintances, I took to the streets of a nearby town. I would roam the whole day, feeding on any little food that came my way. Walking alone became boring for me. So, I had to seek the company of other street guys. They allowed me to join them, and I soon became one of them.

After roaming during daytime, I would go and pass my night on the veranda of a storeroom. This continued for some time, so I began feeling real boredom. To clear this, I decided to find out from colleagues where they slept. They told me that since they came together, they never slept at night. I wondered what they did at night that they never slept. Being so curious, I made them take me to where they sat. When we got there late in the evening, they lit some round folded papers. I did not know the content of the papers, but they started smoking it. One of them offered it to me to also smoke, saying that if I do, I would never fall asleep. I tried to decline the offer, but they insisted. I finally took it and also smoked. Truly, nothing like sleep came to me that day. I then got involved fully in the activity.

I continued this for some time but realised that my way of thinking and behaving started changing day by day. Whenever I sat alone, I felt like shouting, laughing, and sometimes getting annoyed but at nothing.

I started becoming lean and weak. Fortunately, an old man from my community met me in town and was surprised to see me in such a terrible condition. The next day, from nowhere, I was surrounded by some guys from my community. They bundled me up and sent me home. From then, I could not get access to my guys in town. A few weeks after, I regained myself.

2. Read the passage critically one more time. Sit with three of your colleagues, analyse it and bring out the main idea out of it.

3. Taking the title into consideration, predict what would have happened to the writer if he had been left in town to continue with his life.

4. Share your group’s prediction with the entire class and support it with evidence from the text.

Activity 23.2

1. Based on the knowledge you have gained from the text above, and other experiences, write a non-fiction text on a topic of your choice.

2. Prepare a flip chart or PowerPoint presentation of the non-fiction you have written.

Read the passage below carefully and answer the questions that follow it Education is the key to unlocking your full potential. It is the foundation upon which you can build a successful future. In Ghana, where we face many challenges such as poverty and unemployment, education is even more crucial.

Education helps you acquire knowledge, skills, and values that can lift you out of poverty. With education, you can secure better-paying jobs, improve your standard of living, and support your families.

Education empowers women and girls, giving them a voice and the ability to make informed decisions about their lives. Educated women are more likely to participate in the workforce, earn higher incomes, and contribute to their communities.

Education drives economic growth by producing skilled workers, innovators, and entrepreneurs. As Ghana strives to become a middle-income country, education is critical to achieving this goal.

Education improves health outcomes by teaching you how to make informed decisions about your health, nutrition, and well-being. Educated individuals are more likely to adopt healthy habits and seek medical care when needed.

Education unlocks opportunities for personal growth, travel, and cultural exchange. It broadens your perspective, helps you understand different cultures, and prepares you for an increasingly globalised world.

In conclusion, education is a powerful tool that can transform your life, your community, and your country. As a Ghanaian student, you have the opportunity to access education and unlock your full potential. Embrace it, work hard, and strive for excellence.

1. State the main ideas from the extract above.

2. Identify some text comprehension strategies that can help you analyse non- fiction text.

3. Interpret the main ideas you identified in Question 1 above.

4. Watch the video below https://youtu.be/vpGKJDTu0Zs?si=p9pW_HScICKTZQmB Make predictions intermittently (beginning, middle and at the end) as you watch the video.

5. Create a non- fiction text of three paragraphs each on the following topics:

a. Climate change

b. Drug abuse

c. Discipline

d. Tolerance

e. Teenage pregnancy Extended Reading ₁. Dadzie, A.B.K and Grant, N. (2008). New Gateway English for Senior High School Book 1 (2nd ed.). Longman Publications

2. Sandy, A.J. (2020) English for Senior Secondary Schools Book 1(volume 1).

Independently Published

3. Victor, Y. et al; Leonard, A. (2008). Black Star Series Book 1 (volume 1). Cambridge University Press Glossary Biography A life story of someone written/told by another person.

Autobiography A life story of someone written by oneself.

Acknowledgements List of Contributors

Name Institution

Beatrice Antwiwaa Boateng Oti Boateng SHS, Koforidua

Jennifer Afua Kyei-Baffour Sakafia Islamic SHS, Kumasi

Isabella Sika Keh Achimota School

N-yalamba Jerry Njomoun Tatale E.P. Agric SHS