Reading: Reading Fluency & Strategies: B1 Lesson 2: Using Headings, Subheadings, and Topic Sentences to Guide Reading
CEFR Level: B1 (Intermediate)
Target Reading Sub-skill: Reading Fluency & Strategies
Specific Focus: Using Headings, Subheadings, and Topic Sentences to Guide Reading
What You Will Learn
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:
- Understand the purpose of headings, subheadings, and topic sentences in a text.
- Use headings and subheadings to quickly find information or predict the content of sections.
- Use topic sentences to understand the main idea of paragraphs more efficiently.
- Apply these strategies to read B1-level texts more effectively.
Hello Cambodian Learners!
When you read longer articles or chapters in a book, writers often use special signposts to help you find your way. These signposts are headings, subheadings, and topic sentences. Learning to use these will make your reading much faster and help you understand how the text is organized. It's like having a map for your reading journey, whether you're reading about the history of Angkor or a guide to delicious street food in Phnom Penh!
Using Text Signposts
Headings and Subheadings:
- Headings are like titles for main sections of a text. They tell you the main topic of that whole section.
- Subheadings are titles for smaller parts within a main section. They give you more specific information about what that part will cover.
- How to use them: Before reading a section in detail, read the heading and subheadings. This helps you predict what you will read and decide if that section is relevant to what you are looking for.
Topic Sentences:
- As we learned, the topic sentence often states the main idea of a paragraph. It's usually the first or last sentence.
- How to use them: Reading the topic sentence of each paragraph can give you a quick summary of the whole text or help you quickly find paragraphs that discuss a specific point.
Example: Click the paragraph to hear it.
Festivals in Cambodia
Chaul Chnam Thmey (Khmer New Year)
Pchum Ben (Ancestors' Day)
In this example, "Festivals in Cambodia" is the main heading. "Chaul Chnam Thmey" and "Pchum Ben" are subheadings telling you the topic of each section. The highlighted sentences are topic sentences, giving the main idea of each paragraph.
Practice Time!
Activity 1: Match Heading to Paragraph Content
Read the short article sections. Choose the best heading or subheading for each section from the given options.
Activity 2: Using Topic Sentences to Guide Reading
Read the paragraph. Then answer the question based on the likely topic sentence (often the first or last sentence).
Quick Quiz!
Great Job!
You are learning how to use headings, subheadings, and topic sentences to read more strategically! This will help you understand texts faster and find the information you need more easily.