One point of contention when discussing reading comprehension is whether or not students should read questions or the passage first. Some advocate reading the passage first, and others advocate reading the questions first. Here are three reasons I advise reading the questions first.
- Once there are questions to answer you are no longer reading for pleasure. There is a different purpose for reading at this point, and reading the questions first helps in focusing the reader. Consider it a part of pre-reading activities aimed at giving readers insight into the passage. Other pre-reading activities include reading the title and description of the passage. These help focus thinking on the content and activities at hand. It’s like a transition from the last section to this section.
- Reading questions first also gives readers an idea of how they need to approach questions. It’s not expected that readers should try to memorize all the questions; all they need is to get a sense of how many questions are factual or inferential, and which require thought beyond the passage. It allows students to assess the situation and create a strategy for responding.
- “In the passage” questions can be dealt with quickly, and a scan of the passage for keywords from the question will help students locate answers and respond effectively. This saves time that would be needed to answer questions that require more thinking.
Under exam conditions when time is a factor, this strategy makes a difference because it allows students to work with precision and accuracy. The strategy works best when students understand the different types of questions they may be asked, so identifying what questions are asking for is something that also must be taught.
