My view on the technique of clustering
We have been introduced three techniques to build up our reading rate recently. They are previewing, skimming and clustering. As I have been using the technique of clustering since I was in high school, I am going to talk something about this technique.
Actually, I did not learn clustering from any book. I just picked it up in the process of reading. I read many passages when I was in high school. As I read more and more passages, I became more familiar with them. Gradually, I formed the habit of reading three or four words at the same. I found this technique very useful. Not only because it enabled me to get more information with less time, but also because you can read the passage as a whole and comprehend it better when you read fast by using this technique.
Although clustering is a very effective technique for reading, it has some advantages that you should pay attention to.
First, you should not involve yourself too much in this technique when you use it. You know, you divide a sentence into several parts of three or four words according to the sentence’s structure when clustering. But if you think too much about how to divide the sentence and neglect what you are reading, you will not catch the idea and cannot comprehend the passage well.
Second, clustering is not applicable when the passage you read contains many new words. Clustering is used around the premise that you know the words well and get their meaning as soon as you see it. If a passage contains many words that you are not familiar with, you cannot get the meanings of three or four words together. And after you use clustering, you will find you get nothing of you have just read.
So you see clustering is not always a good idea when you read. Choose whether to use it according to the condition and make the best of your reading rate.
Your idea of clustering is really unique and i think you are really a good learner of great methods. But I am sure Mr Clarence Lim will comment. you should write a blog based on the theme of this week~~ahahahaha
ReplyDeleteso is it similar with scanning? with the quick speed and more words once ? haha maybe we could take the method , while reading ,especially a novel or a long passage . i want to say thanks , you remind me of a method of reading , recently i always read articles with a slow speed ,and do not know why , though we have learned a lot . after reading your blog , i should pay more attention .xixi ~~
ReplyDeleteIt seems a good idea to cluster, and the most important point I learned from your blog is that this method should not be used casually, because there are specific conditions that we shouldn't use it.
ReplyDeleteSure clustering will help us read faster but I think it requires you to be very familiar to the combination of words. And I think you mean 'it has some disadvantages' instead of 'it has some advantages' in the middle of your blog.
ReplyDeleteYes, I agree with Zhao Yue that you should write on something related to the theme of the week. Even so, I will still post a comment. Clustering or chunking is necessary when you read any text whether in English or Chinese. Meaning usually derives from phrases and not from words in isolation.
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