Skimming Race

Students have 60 seconds (or less) to read a text and answer one big-picture question — topic, main argument, attitude, or genre. Trains speed over depth, forcing learners out of word-by-word reading.

Procedure

1. Give each student the text face-down.
2. On the board: one big-picture question. Examples:
   • Is the writer for or against the idea?
   • Who is this article written for?
   • Which of these three headlines fits best?
   • What kind of text is this — report, opinion, review, guide?
3. Say Go. Students flip, read for 60 seconds, flip back down.
4. Pairs compare answers and justify with one sentence from the text.
5. Whole-class vote. Reveal the answer and where in the text it was signalled.

Why It Works

• Cap on time forces strategy: learners who cannot finish must work smart — scan title, openers, topic sentences, final paragraph.
• Single question keeps the focus on gist, not detail.
• Justification stops guessing by requiring textual evidence.

Variations

• Headline match: Four headlines on the board; students pick the best match.
• Blurb-write: Students write a one-sentence summary after skimming.
• Re-rank: Give three articles; students order by "most relevant to X" in 2 minutes total.

Tips

• Pick texts with clear signposting (subheads, topic sentences). Dense prose frustrates at this speed.
• After each round, debrief on where students looked — not just what they found.
• Pair with Scanning Race in the same lesson to contrast two different reading goals.