The Main Idea! Getting the Gist
Here's an activity that will show you very simply how to identify and express the main idea of a text.
http://www.tv411.org/reading/understanding-what-you-read/summarizing/activity/1/2
http://www.tv411.org/reading/understanding-what-you-read/summarizing/activity/1/2
Once you've completed this activity, ask yourself this; What did you do that helped you understand the main idea? Did you look for key words? Did you remember a sentence? Whatever works for you is great, and if it doesn't get the right response all the time, that's ok. We'll show you how to use what you've got to make it work (and teach you a few tips and tricks along the way).