When it comes to reading in a second language, strategies are every learner’s best friend. Making sure you start off with an engaging text that contains words you already know is step one in employing a new strategy (Lingua.ly’s suggested articles are there to help you with this). But being aware of how the strategy works and what it is designed to do is also an important part of the equation.
You’ve probably heard of skimming and scanning, two activities at the top of the list of the most commonly employed strategies for first and second language reading alike. But did you know they are geared to help you understand a text in two different ways? So, how can you know which one to use and when?