Florida Teacher Certification Examinations (FTCE) Subject Area Practice Test

Mr. Sutton instructs his class to read various components of their social studies textbook. Which study skill is he demonstrating?

1. Summarizing

2. Previewing

3. Skimming

4. Annotation

The correct answer is: Previewing

The correct choice indicates that Mr. Sutton is demonstrating the study skill of previewing. Previewing involves skimming through sections of a text before reading in-depth to get an overview of the content, structure, and key concepts. By instructing his class to read various components of the social studies textbook, he is helping students become familiar with the material's organization and main ideas, which is essential for improving comprehension and retention. This strategy prepares students to engage more deeply with the text as they proceed to read more thoroughly. Summarizing, skimming, and annotation, while important study skills in their own right, serve different purposes. Summarizing involves condensing information after reading to capture main ideas, skimming entails quickly glancing through the text for gist rather than specifics, and annotation involves writing notes or comments directly on a text to engage with the material actively and enhance understanding. These skills might follow the previewing step in a comprehensive study strategy, but they do not specifically represent the action Mr. Sutton is demonstrating with his instruction.