Senior High School

Grade 11

Reading and Writing Skills

ENGLISH LEARNING KIT

Fourth Quarter – MELC 2

Explain Critical Reading

as a Form of Reasoning
Development Team of English Learning Kit

Writers: Christine P. Magos Marlene L. Pineda

Illustrators: Armand Glenn S. Lapor Mark T. Dasa

Layout Artists: Lilibeth E. Larupay Armand Glenn S. Lapor

Ricky T. Salabe

Division Quality Assurance Team:

Lilibeth E. Larupay Dr. Eugenio L. Mallorca
Armand Glenn S. Lapor Ma. Jonalyn O. Gegato
Dr. Romnick T. Sancada Michael D. Elisteria
Ruby Blando

Management Team: Dr. Roel F. Bermejo Dr. Novelyn M. Vilchez

Dr. Ferdinand S. Sy Dr. Azucena T. Falales
Ruben S. Libutaque Dr. Eugenio L. Mallorca
Lilibeth E. Larupay

Grade 11 – Reading and Writing

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Competency: Explain Critical Reading as a Form of Reasoning (EN11/12RWS-IVac-8)
Grade 11 – Reading and Writing
Competency: Explain Critical Reading as a Form of Reasoning (EN11/12RWS-IVac-8)
 English 11 - Learning Activity Sheet

Name of Learner: ________________________________

Grade and Section: ______________________________ Date: ______________

EXPLAIN CRITICAL READING AS A FORM OF READING

I. Learning Competency with Code

Competency: Explain Critical Reading as a Form of Reading (EN11/12RWS-1Vac-8)

II. Background Information for Learner

Critical reading is important to reason critically. Critical reading requires you

to evaluate the arguments in the text. You need to distinguish fact from opinion, and
look at arguments given for and against the various claims. This also means being
aware of your opinions and assumptions
(positive and negative) of the text you are
reading so you can evaluate it honestly. 1
Critical reading means engaging in what
you read by asking yourself questions. It goes
further that just being satisfied with what a text
says, it also involves reflecting on what the text
describes, and analyzing what the text actually
means, in the context of your studies. 2
https://fineartamerica.com/featured/the-reader-
Critical reading, then, is a two-way ben-morales-correa.html
process. As readers, you are not a consumer
of words, waiting patiently for ideas from the printed page or a web-site to fill your
head and make you smarter. Instead, as critical readers, you need to interact with
what you read, asking questions of the author, testing every assertion, fact, or idea,
and extending the text by adding your own understanding of the subject and your
own personal experiences to your reading. 3
Therefore, critical reading could help you become a better reader and thinker
because you will be looking at reading as a process rather than a product. Critical
readers don’t rely on teachers and classroom time for instruction and guidance
rather, they become more independent, self-directed learners.

1http://www.uefap.com/reading/crit/critfram.htm#:~:text=It%20is%20important%20to%20read,the%20arguments

%20in%20the%20text.&text=This%20also%20means%20being%20aware,you%20can%20evaluate%20it%20ho
nestly.
2 https://www.skillsyouneed.com/learn/learning.html
3https://courses.lumenlearning.com/sanjacinto-englishcomp2kscope/chapter/research-and-critical-reading/

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Grade 11 – Reading and Writing
Competency: Explain Critical Reading as a Form of Reasoning (EN11/12RWS-IVac-8)
 Reasoning is an act of giving statements for justification and explanation. It is the
ability of someone to defend something by giving out reasons. 4
As a critical reader you should reflect on:
What the text says: after critically reading a piece you should be able to take
notes, paraphrasing- in your own words- the key points.
What the text describes: you should be confident that you have understood the
text sufficiently to be able to use your own examples and
compare and contrast with other writing on the subject in hand.
Interpretation of the text: this means that you should be able to fully analyze the
text and state a meaning for the text as a whole.

Basic Strategies for Critical Reading:5

1. Annotating – underlining important parts of the text, such as the thesis
statement, topic sentences of body paragraphs and explanatory
material. It may include circling key words and writing comments or
questions you have about the material in the margins.
2. Contextualizing – placing the text within its original historical or cultural context.
3. Reflecting on challenges to your beliefs and values – sometimes our beliefs
about an issue are difficult to express because they are so
ingrained. In order to discover these beliefs, it is important to
explore how a text challenges you.
4. Paraphrasing – putting your own words into the text. It is to simplify without
changing any information. It can be helpful in understanding a
difficult or ambiguous passage.
5. Outlining – allows you to identify the basic structure of a text and the main ideas
of a text. In an outline, you are listing the main ideas in supporting
evidence of a text.
6. Summarizing – creates a new text by synthesizing the material of the original.
Summarization fosters understanding of the text in order to
recreate the meaning of the text in your own words.
7. Exploring figurative language – this type of language helps writers illustrate
their points and get the type of reaction they want from the reader.
8. Looking for patterns of opposition – a writer may anticipate opposition to his or
her views by responding to them in some way. A writer may also
have conflicting views about the issues that are presented in the
text.
9. Evaluating the logic of an argument – the two parts of an argument are claim
and support. The claim is what the writer wants the reader to
accept. It is the idea, opinion or point of view of the writer. The
support is the reason and evidence that becomes the basis of that
claim.

4 https://www.slideshare.net/marykatrinebelino/critical-reading-as-reasoning-78474306#

5 http://academic.shu.edu/english/1201/Reading/critical-reading-strategies.htm

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Grade 11 – Reading and Writing
Competency: Explain Critical Reading as a Form of Reasoning (EN11/12RWS-IVac-8)
 10. Recognizing emotional manipulation – writers are guilty of improper emotional
manipulation when they use false or exaggerated appeals.
11. Judging the writer’s credibility - there are three ways that writers establish
their credibility:
a. By showing their knowledge of the subject (using facts and statistics)
b. By building common ground with readers (base reasoning on shared beliefs)
c. By responding fairly to objections and opposing argument (thus the writer
respond to objections? Or ignore them and assume everyone agrees with
him or her)
12. Analyzing the writing and other disciplines - other disciplines have traditional
ways of writing about their subjects. As a critical reader, you need
to be aware of these differences.
III. Accompanying DepEd Textbook and Educational Sites

1. http://www.uefap.com/reading/crit/critfram.htm#:~:text=It%20is%20important%2
0to%20read,the%20arguments%20in%20the%20text.&text=This%20also%20m
eans%20being%20aware,you%20can%20evaluate%20it%20honestly.
2. https://www.skillsyouneed.com/learn/learning.html
3. https://courses.lumenlearning.com/sanjacinto-
englishcomp2kscope/chapter/research-and-critical-reading/
4. https://www.slideshare.net/marykatrinebelino/critical-reading-as-reasoning-
78474306#
5. http://academic.shu.edu/english/1201/Reading/critical-reading-strategies.htm
6. https://opinion.inquirer.net/137833/overcoming-fear-of-the-vaccine
7. https://opinion.inquirer.net/133797/new-normal-not-for-everyone

IV. Activity Proper

Exercise 1

Activity 1
Directions: Read the following text and fill in the table below with reasons why some
Filipinos fear Covid-19 vaccine and ways on how to overcome these
fears. Then, answer the questions that follow in your activity notebook or
activity sheet.

Overcoming Fear of the Vaccine 6

By: Leonora Aquino- Gonzales

Last year, it was the fear of the virus. We prayed for a vaccine so we could open
schools, go to work, shop, dine, and travel again. Now, come the good news. Millions of
vaccines will soon be delivered. Some mayors have begun to prepare and even conduct dry
runs to ensure the smooth roll-out of the vaccine program.

6 https://opinion.inquirer.net/137833/overcoming-fear-of-the-vaccine

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Grade 11 – Reading and Writing
Competency: Explain Critical Reading as a Form of Reasoning (EN11/12RWS-IVac-8)
 But now that the vaccine will soon be available, why is it that about half of the Philippine
population is not willing to be vaccinated? Most people I have talked to are itching to go back to
the pre-pandemic situation, but they are not ready to give their arm for the jab. Mind you, these
are knowledgeable people, and maybe because of that, they are not willing to be vaccinated.
Not yet, anyway. “Wait and see” is their response. “Mauna muna sila” (Let others go ahead
first).
According to Pulse Asia’s November-December survey, 47% of Filipinos said they will
not get vaccinated, 32% will, while 21% are undecided. Of the total respondents, 84% said they
are not sure it is safe.
Since the delivery of vaccines will be staggered anyway, the timing might just be perfect.
Start first with the medical frontliners, the elderly, and the most vulnerable. Then target the 32%
who are willing to get the jab. We just have to make sure the prioritization of people in this
group is clear, transparent, and fair.
But what about the 47% who are not willing to be vaccinated?
It is time to rely on our good mayors who can show their counterparts or even national
leaders how it should be done. It is a sad reality that those who are govern well will get more
opportunities than the others, because there are mayors who, after a year, are still caught flat-
footed. “Natutulog sa pansitan”, as the saying goes. We just have to rely on our good local
leaders to make this happen. Hopefully, the other mayors will learn from the best practices of
their colleagues.
First, a strategic communication strategy at the local level is in order. And when I say
communication, it is not a one-way or a top-down dissemination of information. That’s what we
get anyway from the Department of Health. At the local level, people can voice out their fears.
They can ask questions and probe further. It is easy to dish out statistics to people whose fears
seem to stem from lack of information. But fear is a strong emotions and it can be triggered,
rightly or wrongly, by perceptions. To some people, data might help. But to some, that might
just be “noise”
Three principles we can consider in the community strategy: trust, consistency, and
proactive leadership.
The source of information should be a trusted individual in the community. He or she
may be a barangay health worker, the doctor in the health center, the teacher, the barber, or
even the jueteng collector. Identify those people at the local level. Sometimes they do not carry
a title, but people listen to them. If needed, they should be equipped with relevant information
so they could be reliable channels of information.
Consistency in messaging is key. Silence is not an option, and so is lying. When there is
no definite answer, admit it. Reach out first to the internal stakeholders-the staff in the city hall,
the barangay leaders, the health workers in the health center. You might be surprised that they,
too, have questions and concerns. They are the people who get ask often because people think
they have the answers. But if there is confusion internally, that is what will be communicated
externally.
Once the vaccination starts, a crisis could erupt anytime. Proactive leadership
anticipates and plants ahead. One adverse reaction, and social media spreads it widely. One
negative news spreads quicker than the 99 successful cases. It takes several months to build
the trust of the people and one single case to throw that away. For example, how are we getting
prepared for the growing concern about the impact of variants on the vaccines that are being
made available now?

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Grade 11 – Reading and Writing
Competency: Explain Critical Reading as a Form of Reasoning (EN11/12RWS-IVac-8)
 Finally, the communication strategy should make the citizens feel they are in control.
That they have the right to choose, because it is their body. This seems counter to the goal
of giving them the jab. But once they know they are in control, and they can talk about their
fears and can probe to find answers to their doubts, their decision will not be based on fear,
but on available facts.

Fears of Covid-19 Vaccine Ways to overcome them

1. 1.

2. 2.

3. 3.

Questions:

1. In your own words, discuss what the text is all about.

2. Do you think the writer was able to clearly convey the fears on Covid-19 vaccine in the
text? If yes, how did the writer do it? If no, explain why you do not think so.
3. Explain how the evidence was used to support arguments. How good is the evidence?
4. Discuss some of the assumptions the writer has made. Are they valid?
Activity 2
Directions: Read the following text and explain critical reading as a form of reasoning by
answering in a paragraph form the questions that follow. Write your answer in
your activity notebook or activity sheet.

“New Normal” Not for Everyone7

by: Ethan Mosuela

July 2019 BQ (Before Quarantine), the average student’s daily life basically involved
waking up, getting dressed, going to school, doing a bit of homework in the library, heading to a
part-time job, and returning home. That was normal.
March 2020 saw a drastic lifestyle change to which no one knew how to react. People
were suddenly unemployed. Students who worked at part-time job suddenly couldn’t leave the
house without being harassed by the quarantine police. And lives were lost in the blink of an
eye.
Things changed from the daily norm we had grown accustomed to, and now we are
forced to accept this strange new world.
Is this the “new normal” being advertised to us? Definitely not, but it’s the one we have
no choice but to accept.
It is not easy to forget that we live in a third world country. Among other things, internet
connectivity is not as fast here as it is elsewhere. If a middle class family is struggling to keep
with education because three siblings have to attend classes all the time, all with their own bit
of technology and force to share a shaky internet connection, how much more difficult will it be
for a lower class family, already struggling to pay for food and water, to afford the internet, the
gadgets, or even the textbooks required?

7 https://opinion.inquirer.net/133797/new-normal-not-for-everyone

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Grade 11 – Reading and Writing
Competency: Explain Critical Reading as a Form of Reasoning (EN11/12RWS-IVac-8)
 And how much help is it for the school or university to release statements such as “if
you do not have your own internet connection, go to the nearest internet café and log in for
class?”
And it isn’t just the students getting the short end of the stick. Teachers, technologically
savvy or otherwise, struggle to connect with their classes as well. Some teachers can barely
navigate websites to deliver course work to their students. And imagine an entire class taking
place via video, where you can barely hear your professor because of various noises coming
from outside the house or the video constantly turning on and off.
A world that has been stepping hard on the disadvantaged is now stepping harder, yet
we hear people saying that we should simply “”accept this new normal”.
But--- a friendly reminder, especially in this wrenching time ------ your normal might not
be normal for everyone else.

Questions:
1. Discuss the writer’s motivation to write the paragraph.
2. Express what you think and how you feel about the text.
3. Explain the writer’s disposition in life based on his/her thoughts about social media.
4. Discuss some sentiments that you have which are the same as the writer’s sentiments.
5. Explain whether the pieces of evidence presented are sufficient and valid to support the
claims?
6. Are there evident flaws on reasoning in the texts? If yes, enumerate them and discuss
each.

Activity 3
Directions: Identify and discuss one common problem in the community you live in.
Then, using critical thinking and the following problem solving
framework, propose the best solution for your problem.
1. Identify the problem.
2. Describe the problem by analyzing it.
3. Give possible alternatives.
4. Explain each alternative and give its advantages and disadvantages.
5. Choose the best solution. Justify your choice.
6. Evaluate the possible effectiveness of the chosen solution.

Note: You may interview a community leader for further information regarding the
problem in the community you live in. You can post the description of the
problem and your proposed solution in your class social media account
(group chat account). If gadgets and internet connectivity are not available,
you may write it on a separate sheet to be submitted to your teacher. Use the
rubric below as your guide in doing the activity.
Rubrics for Scoring
(Note: The teacher may decide on how many points will be given.)

Areas of Expert Accomplished Capable Beginner

Assessment

Ideas Presents ideas Presents ideas Ideas are too Ideas are vague
in an original in a consistent general or unclear
manner manner

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Grade 11 – Reading and Writing
Competency: Explain Critical Reading as a Form of Reasoning (EN11/12RWS-IVac-8)
 Organization Strong and Organized Some No organization;
organized beg/mid/end organization; lack
beg/mid/end attempt at a beg/mid/end
beg/mid/end

Understanding Writing shows Writing shows Writing shows Writing shows

strong clear adequate little
understanding understanding understanding understanding

Word Choice Sophisticated Nouns and Needs more Little or no use

use of nouns verbs make nouns and of nouns and
and verbs make essay verbs verbs
the essay very informative
informative

Sentence Sentence Sentence Sentence No sense of

Structure structure structure is structure is sentence
enhances evident; limited; structure or flow
meaning; flows sentences sentences need
throughout the mostly flow to flow
piece

Mechanics Few (if any) Few errors Several errors Numerous

errors errors

V. Reflection

1. What were your misconceptions about Covid-19 and Education in the

new normal before reading the texts?
I thought …
2. What new or additional learning have you had after reading the texts?
I learned that …

VI. Answer Key

Reflection: Answers may vary.

Activity 3. Answers may vary.
Activity 2 Questions: Answers may vary.
Activity 1. Questions: Answers may vary.

Practice Personal Hygiene Protocols at all Times.

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Grade 11 – Reading and Writing
Competency: Explain Critical Reading as a Form of Reasoning (EN11/12RWS-IVac-8)