Sight reading is required for both the Level 3 Reading for Performance exams and Levels 2 & 3 of Speaking Verse and Prose. In this post, Liane will be sharing some tips for students sight reading any piece of text.
Great sight readers share their readings by bringing their eyes off the page and scanning ahead. It’s a skill that comes with practice. A great tip is to use one of your thumbs as a placeholder on the page as you read. A great exercise I do with my students is to place the text on the other side of the room. The student goes up to the text, memorises a sentence and walks to the other side of the room to deliver it. They then build on this by memorising two sentences and then three (depending on the text). This exercise is great at developing our immediate memories and conquering the fear of lifting our eyes off the page. I’m always amazed at how well students are able to scan ahead and keep their eyes up more after doing this!
Clues in the Text
You’re only given one minute to study the piece of text given to you in your exam and every second counts. You won’t be allowed to annotate (write on your text) but it’s always worth making a mental note of where the text is leading. Is there a clear, beginning or end? Is there a turning point or ‘moment of discovery?’ Also, scan for any unusual words so you’re not tripped up with any difficult pronunciations. Observe any interesting punctuation such as question marks, exclamation marks and ellipses (which is one of these → … ). An exclamation mark is always a clue from the writer to inject energy into words. You may wish to use a rising inflection on questions and an ellipsis may be used to build suspense. Another great tip is to familiarise yourself with the opening and last sentences by repeating them in your head three times. This will help you deliver a confident beginning and end.
Share the Story
Before you begin, it’s always a good idea to check your posture and the position of your paper. Hold your paper at middle chest height so it isn’t hiding your face, and make sure your spine is lengthened and your shoulders are relaxed. Remember, look up and out! Don’t start in haste but pause, make eye contact with your listeners, breathe and begin. Whilst you’re sight reading, remember to share the story with your audience. The more you enjoy the reading, the more we will too, so slow the pace to give us listeners more time to absorb what you’re saying.
Practice Makes Perfect
It’s really important to practice sight reading whilst you’re studying for your exam. Grab hold of any texts you can and read them aloud to your Mum. A newspaper lying around the house will do! By practicing regularly, you’ll soon face any fears you have of sight reading, grow in confidence and be able to handle any text given to you by the examiner.
