Unit 1: The Nature of Academic Texts

Lesson 3
Reading a Text Critically

English for Academic and Professional Purposes

Senior High School Applied - Academic
 Would this
book of essays
be helpful for
those who are
truly interested
in changing
their ways of
thinking?

EVALUAT
ENGAGE EXPLORE EXPLAIN EXTEND 2
 ● Identify the main ideas in a variety
Learning of texts.
Objectives ● Comprehend the text by analyzing

At the end of the

and identifying the structure.
lesson, you should
be able to do the ● Critique the texts based on your
following:
comprehension.

EVALUAT
ENGAGE EXPLORE EXPLAIN EXTEND 3
Read Lewis
Carroll’s poem,
“Jabberwocky.”

Reflect if you
truly
understood it.

EVALUAT
ENGAGE EXPLORE EXPLAIN EXTEND 4
How can you find out the meanings of
the “nonsense” words of Lewis Carroll?

5
Essential Why should readers be
Question critical in reading texts?

EVALUAT
ENGAGE EXPLORE EXPLAIN EXTEND 6
 Critical Reading

Critical reading is being able to read more

actively.

It is the use of critical thinking skills to

question the text and the manner of
understanding the material.

EVALUAT
ENGAGE EXPLORE EXPLAIN EXTEND 7
 Critical Reading

It requires the reader to do the following:

● Form judgements about the text.
● Analyze, interpret, and evaluate the text.
● Question the text’s intention and meaning.

EVALUAT
ENGAGE EXPLORE EXPLAIN EXTEND 8
 Critical Reading

● Challenge assumptions of the text by

questioning its arguments and interpreting
the meaning.
● Describe, interpret, and evaluate responses.

EVALUAT
ENGAGE EXPLORE EXPLAIN EXTEND 9
What is one important step for
critical reading for analysis?

10
 Critical Reading for Analysis

The reader breaks down the text into parts to

analyze the argument of the author.

EVALUAT
ENGAGE EXPLORE EXPLAIN EXTEND 11
 Critical Reading for Analysis
● What is the overall thesis or argument of the
text?
● What are the supporting details that create the
argument? How do they relate to each other?
How do they relate to the thesis?
● What are the examples used as evidence for
the supporting points?
EVALUAT
ENGAGE EXPLORE EXPLAIN EXTEND 12
 Critical Reading for Analysis

● What are the techniques of persuasion utilized

in the text?
● What rhetorical strategies are utilized?
● What are the modes of analysis utilized?

EVALUAT
ENGAGE EXPLORE EXPLAIN EXTEND 13
What are the different ways
readers can break down a text
into parts?

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 Critical Reading for Analysis

Blame it on kids who can download music from

iTunes with a swipe of a finger. Or point to a
sluggish economy. Maybe it’s the fact that
society as a whole, while still in love with
music, would rather watch TV than gather
around a piano.

EVALUAT
ENGAGE EXPLORE EXPLAIN EXTEND 15
 Critical Reading for Analysis
Main idea: Maybe it’s the fact that society as a
whole, while still in love with music, would
rather watch TV than gather around a piano.

Supporting idea: Blame it on kids who can

download music from iTunes with a swipe of a
finger. Or point to a sluggish economy.
EVALUAT
ENGAGE EXPLORE EXPLAIN EXTEND 16
 Critical Reading for Analysis
Whatever the reason, piano sales have been
less than grand for decades, as fewer people
take up the instrument. With an average cost
of $16,000 for a new grand piano, it’s easy to
understand why those who are interested
might opt for a less expensive electronic
keyboard or buy a used one.
EVALUAT
ENGAGE EXPLORE EXPLAIN EXTEND 17
 Critical Reading for Analysis
Main idea: Whatever the reason, piano sales have
been less than grand for decades, as fewer people
take up the instrument.

Supporting idea: With an average cost of $16,000

for a new grand piano, it’s easy to understand why
those who are interested might opt for a less
expensive electronic keyboard or buy a used one.
EVALUAT
ENGAGE EXPLORE EXPLAIN EXTEND 18
Why should the main idea be
identified before understanding
the text as a whole?

19
 Critical Reading for Analysis
Today, our population has more than tripled,
while piano sales have reportedly plummeted to
an all-time low. Only 30,000 new pianos were sold
in 2015.
“Computer technology has just changed
everything about what kids are interested in,” said
Larry Fine, a Boston-based piano technician.
EVALUAT
ENGAGE EXPLORE EXPLAIN EXTEND 20
 Critical Reading for Analysis

“People are interested in things that don’t take

much effort, so the idea of sitting and playing
an hour a day to learn piano is not what kids
want to do.”

EVALUAT
ENGAGE EXPLORE EXPLAIN EXTEND 21
 Critical Reading for Analysis

Main idea: Only 30,000 new pianos were sold

in 2015.

Supporting idea: Technology has changed the

world, and people are not interested in playing the
piano nowadays.

EVALUAT
ENGAGE EXPLORE EXPLAIN EXTEND 22
Why should readers take time in
understanding texts?

23
 Critical Reading for Interpretation

The reader attempts to understand the ideas

and sentences relative to the context of the text.

EVALUAT
ENGAGE EXPLORE EXPLAIN EXTEND 24
 Critical Reading for Interpretation
Questions that can be asked:
● What debates were the author and the text
engaging with at that particular time?
● What kind of reasoning was employed?
● What kind of methodology and theory was
employed?
● How might my reading of the text be
biased?
EVALUAT
ENGAGE EXPLORE EXPLAIN EXTEND 25
 Critical Reading for Interpretation

Blame it on kids who can download music from

iTunes with a swipe of a finger. Or point to a
sluggish economy. Maybe it’s the fact that
society as a whole, while still in love with
music, would rather watch TV than gather
around a piano.

EVALUAT
ENGAGE EXPLORE EXPLAIN EXTEND 26
 Critical Reading for Interpretation

Understanding: People do not want to play

the piano anymore.

Debate: Why would playing the piano be

outdated in contemporary times?

EVALUAT
ENGAGE EXPLORE EXPLAIN EXTEND 27
Why should readers be aware of
the context of a text?

28
 Critical Reading for Interpretation
Whatever the reason, piano sales have been
less than grand for decades, as fewer people
take up the instrument. With an average cost
of $16,000 for a new grand piano, it’s easy to
understand why those who are interested
might opt for a less expensive electronic
keyboard or buy a used one.
EVALUAT
ENGAGE EXPLORE EXPLAIN EXTEND 29
 Critical Reading for Interpretation

Understanding: Buying a piano is expensive.

Debate: Is that the only reason why people do

not want to try the instrument out?

EVALUAT
ENGAGE EXPLORE EXPLAIN EXTEND 30
 Critical Reading for Interpretation
Today our population has more than tripled,
while piano sales have reportedly plummeted to
an all-time low. Only 30,000 new pianos were
sold in 2015.
“Computer technology has just changed
everything about what kids are interested in,”
said Larry Fine, a Boston-based piano technician.
EVALUAT
ENGAGE EXPLORE EXPLAIN EXTEND 31
 Critical Reading for Interpretation

“People are interested in things that don’t take

much effort, so the idea of sitting and playing
an hour a day to learn piano is not what kids
want to do.”

EVALUAT
ENGAGE EXPLORE EXPLAIN EXTEND 32
 Critical Reading for Interpretation

Understanding: Learning to play the piano

takes times and effort, and using technology is
much easier.

Debate: Is technology the sole reason for

people not wanting to learn to play the piano?

EVALUAT
ENGAGE EXPLORE EXPLAIN EXTEND 33
Why should readers make
judgements about texts?

34
 Critical Reading for Evaluation

The reader makes judgements about the text

for a variety of values.

EVALUAT
ENGAGE EXPLORE EXPLAIN EXTEND 35
 Critical Reading for Evaluation
● How does it contribute to the discipline? Are
the main conclusions original?
● Do the evidence and reasoning adequately
support the theory or theories presented?
● Are the sources reliable?
● Is the argument logically consistent and
convincing?
EVALUAT
ENGAGE EXPLORE EXPLAIN EXTEND 36
 Critical Reading for Evaluation
● Are any experiments, questionnaires,
statistical sections, etc. designed and
executed in accordance with the accepted
standards of the relevant disciplines?
● What are the strengths and weaknesses of
the theory?
● How would competing theories criticize this
text? How would the author reply?
EVALUAT
ENGAGE EXPLORE EXPLAIN EXTEND 37
What are the different ways a
reader can recommend a certain
topic and text to the intended
audience?

38
 Critical Reading for Evaluation

Blame it on kids who can download music from

iTunes with a swipe of a finger. Or point to a
sluggish economy. Maybe it’s the fact that
society as a whole, while still in love with
music, would rather watch TV than gather
around a piano.

EVALUAT
ENGAGE EXPLORE EXPLAIN EXTEND 39
 Critical Reading for Evaluation

Evaluation: Learning to play the piano takes

time and effort, and using technology is much
easier.

EVALUAT
ENGAGE EXPLORE EXPLAIN EXTEND 40
 Critical Reading for Evaluation
Whatever the reason, piano sales have been
less than grand for decades, as fewer people
take up the instrument. With an average cost
of $16,000 for a new grand piano, it’s easy to
understand why those who are interested
might opt for a less expensive electronic
keyboard or buy a used one.
EVALUAT
ENGAGE EXPLORE EXPLAIN EXTEND 41
 Critical Reading for Evaluation

Evaluation: Alternatives for learning to play

the piano are present, which are more helpful
to modern learners.

EVALUAT
ENGAGE EXPLORE EXPLAIN EXTEND 42
 Critical Reading for Evaluation
Today, our population has more than tripled,
while piano sales have reportedly plummeted to
an all-time low. Only 30,000 new pianos were sold
in 2015.
“Computer technology has just changed
everything about what kids are interested in,” said
Larry Fine, a Boston-based piano technician.
EVALUAT
ENGAGE EXPLORE EXPLAIN EXTEND 43
 Critical Reading for Evaluation

“People are interested in things that don’t take

much effort, so the idea of sitting and playing
an hour a day to learn piano is not what kids
want to do.”

EVALUAT
ENGAGE EXPLORE EXPLAIN EXTEND 44
 Critical Reading for Evaluation

Evaluation: The direct quotation is biased, and

it supports the claim of the writer, but it does
not show the other side of argument.

EVALUAT
ENGAGE EXPLORE EXPLAIN EXTEND 45
 How important is a child’s
learning environment to his or
her success, and how important
Critical are his or her natural gifts?
reading of School choice offers a nuanced
the text. response to the proverbial nature
vs. nurture question, recognizing
the role of both in a child’s
success and happiness.
EVALUAT
ENGAGE EXPLORE EXPLAIN EXTEND 46
 Using the text from the previous
slide, determine the following:
Critical 1. the main idea of the text
reading of 2. supporting details
the text. 3. the debatable topic
4. your own judgement of the
text

EVALUAT
ENGAGE EXPLORE EXPLAIN EXTEND 47
How did you arrive at your evaluation of the
text based on the steps of critical reading?

EVALUAT
ENGAGE EXPLORE EXPLAIN EXTEND 48
Question

What is the purpose of critical reading for

interpretation?

EVALUAT
ENGAGE EXPLORE EXPLAIN EXTEND 49
Question

Why should readers be critical of any texts?

EVALUAT
ENGAGE EXPLORE EXPLAIN EXTEND 50
Question

How can being biased affect the critical reading

process?

EVALUAT
ENGAGE EXPLORE EXPLAIN EXTEND 51
 Wrap Up
Critical reading is a more active
way of reading a text.
It requires readers to use their
critical thinking skills to question
both the text they are reading and
their manner of understanding
the text they are reading.
52
 Wrap Up

It is composed of three steps:

reading to analyze, reading to
interpret, and reading to
evaluate.

53
 Bibliography
“Critical Reading.” Massey University. Accessed March 6, 2020.
https://owll.massey.ac.nz/study-skills/critical-reading.php.

“Critical Reading and Reading Strategy.” SkillsYouNeed. Accessed March 6, 2020.

https://www.skillsyouneed.com/learn/critical-reading.html.

Gillett, Andy. “Reading Critically.” Reading Frames. Accessed June 8, 2020.

http://www.uefap.com/reading/crit/critfram.htm.

“Reading Critically.” University of Toronto Scarborough. Accessed February 29,

2020.
https://www.utsc.utoronto.ca/twc/sites/utsc.utoronto.ca.twc/files/resource-
files/CriticalReading.pdf.
“What Is Critical Reading.” University of Leicester, March 11, 2013.
https://www2.le.ac.uk/offices/ld/all-resources/writing/writing-
resources/critical-reading.

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