Reading: Reading Fluency & Strategies: B1 Lesson 2: Using Headings, Subheadings, and Topic Sentences to Guide Reading

Reading: Reading Fluency & Strategies

B1 Lesson 2: Using Headings, Subheadings, and Topic Sentences to Guide Reading

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Creating a Roadmap Before You Read

Fluent readers don't just start reading a text from the first word to the last. They first look for clues to understand how the text is organized. This is like looking at a map before you start a journey.

Today, we will learn how to use the Title¹, Subheadings², and Topic Sentences³ to create a mental roadmap. This strategy helps you predict⁴ the content and read with more speed and understanding.

The "Roadmap" Reading Strategy

1. Read the Main Title: This tells you the overall topic of the entire article.
2. Read the Subheadings: These are the smaller titles for each major section. They tell you the topic of each part.
3. Read the Topic Sentence of Each Paragraph: This is usually the first sentence. It gives you the main idea of that specific paragraph.

After these three steps, you will have a "skeleton" or summary of the whole text before you even read it in detail!

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Practice Text: Let's Build a Roadmap

Apply the strategy to the article below. First, just read the parts in bold to create your roadmap.

A Guide to Exploring Kampot's Countryside

While Kampot town is charming, the real beauty of the province can be found in its surrounding countryside. There are many unique places to visit just a short moto or tuk-tuk ride away from the riverfront.

Visiting a Pepper Plantation

One of the most popular activities is visiting a local pepper plantation. Here, you can learn why Kampot pepper is famous around the world. Guides will show you how the different types—black, red, and white—are grown, harvested, and processed.

Discovering the Salt Fields

Just a short drive from the town, you can also witness the traditional process of salt production. In the salt fields, farmers flood fields with sea water and then let the sun evaporate it, leaving behind natural sea salt. It is a fascinating process that depends entirely on the sun and wind.

Exploring the Caves

Finally, the area around Kampot is known for its impressive limestone mountains, which contain several caves worth exploring. For example, Phnom Chhngok has a pre-Angkorian temple inside a cave, offering a mix of nature and history.

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Guided Analysis

By reading only the title, subheadings, and topic sentences, what do we know?

• We know the article is a guide to things to do in Kampot's countryside.
• We know it will discuss three specific topics: pepper plantations, salt fields, and caves.
• We have a quick summary of what each section is about.

Now, if you have a question like "Where can I see a temple?", your roadmap tells you to scan the "Exploring the Caves" section!

Your Turn! Use the Roadmap.

Practice Quiz

Imagine you see an article with the following title and subheadings. You have not read the article itself.

The Cambodian Wedding Celebration

An Introduction to the Traditions

The 'Hai Goan Gomloh' Groom's Parade

The 'Gaat Sah' Hair-Cutting Ceremony

The 'Sompeas Ptem' Knot-Tying Ceremony

Based only on this roadmap, which section would you read to find information about tying blessings onto the couple's wrists?

• A. The 'Hai Goan Gomloh' Groom's Parade
• B. An Introduction to the Traditions
• C. The 'Sompeas Ptem' Knot-Tying Ceremony

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Answer: C. The subheading "Knot-Tying Ceremony" is the clearest clue for this information. This shows how using the structure saves you time.

Vocabulary Glossary

1. Title / Heading (noun)
   ភាសាខ្មែរ: ចំណងជើង
   The main name of an article or text, found at the very top. ↩ back to text
2. Subheading (noun)
   ភាសាខ្មែរ: ចំណងជើងរង
   A smaller title for a specific section within a longer article. ↩ back to text
3. Topic Sentence (noun)
   ភាសាខ្មែរ: ប្រយោគប្រធានបទ
   The sentence that states the main idea of a paragraph, usually the first one. ↩ back to text
4. Predict (verb)
   ភាសាខ្មែរ: ទស្សន៍ទាយ
   To make a smart guess about a text's content based on structural clues like the title. ↩ back to text

Homework Task

Map a Real Article!

Find an English article online or in a textbook that has a main title and at least two subheadings.

1. Before reading it fully, copy down the Title, the Subheadings, and the first sentence of each paragraph into your notebook.
2. Read your "roadmap." In one sentence, write what you predict the article is about.

This is a powerful strategy that all fluent readers use, often without even thinking about it!