You have probably written a summary of a story you have read from the

previous grade. You may have identified the characters. You may have told when and where is the
setting. You probably told me what is the problem and how it was solved. But did you know that it is
not only the stories you can summarize? You can use summarizing skills to be prepared and have a
better understanding of all your subjects.
Some pupils are having a hard time reading two to three pages of stories.
Some are having difficulty in learning science because there are lots of
unfamiliar new words and history because of information to remember.
Research shows that writing things down will help you to remember them
easier. It works even better if you read again what you have written. Wow!
That’s the process of taking notes.
Did you know that taking notes is a process of summarizing? When you
are studying Science or Araling Panlipunan, your teacher is usually asking you to read long texts. But,
when you are about to write the key points on your notebook, you are not writing the entire texts you
have read. When you read your textbooks, keep a notebook or a paper close to you. As you read, jot
down the keywords, dates, names, and important details so that you can go back and define or
explain them later.

For you summarize, first, you must read the text carefully and find out
what’s more important. Then, identify the various elements, find the main
ideas, and supporting ideas. This implies that you are thinking and trying to
understand what you have read. Finally, you must write down those ideas
using your own understanding in a few sentences or a paragraph.