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First/Last Read
A smart skimming strategy designed to help students navigate reading passages more efficiently by focusing only on essential elements.
First/Last Read
Summary
The First/Last Read strategy allows students to skim strategically, focusing only on key sentence positions, to get just enough context to answer questions efficiently. It helps students not feel rushed during reading tests or overwhelmed by long passages.
Procedure
Begin by asking students to read the first paragraph carefully, then create a short summary in their own words—about as long as a social media hashtag.
For each of the remaining paragraphs, students read only the first and last sentences, and hashtag the key ideas.
If time allows, students read the entire last paragraph—it often reveals tone, theme, or author’s final point.
Once they are done reading, have them go to the questions and answer as many as they can without looking back.
Emphasize that they shouldn’t over-invest in any one question. They should keep moving—their pacing is the key.
Adapted from Academic Tutoring and Test Prep. (2022). The lightning prep guide for ACT success: Skills and strategies for mastering the ACT. Academic Tutoring and Test Prep.
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Placement In Lesson
- Engage
- Evaluate/Assessment
- Explore/Learning Activity
- Extend/Additional Learning Activity
Intention/Purpose
- Analyze
- Annotating Text
- Citing
- Critical Thinking
- Cross-Curricular
- Interpret
- Organize
- Reflection
- Summarize
- Vocabulary
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