Which method is effective for improving a student's ability to summarize text?

Identifying major key events in the text is a highly effective method for improving a student's ability to summarize. This approach helps students focus on the core components of the narrative or argument presented in the text. By pinpointing the most significant events, ideas, or details, students can develop a clear and concise understanding of the material. Summarizing requires a synthesis of information, and recognizing these key elements allows students to distill the text down to its essential points, facilitating better retention and comprehension.

This method encourages active reading, enabling students to engage with the content as they discern what is most important and relevant. Summarization is inherently about prioritizing information, and by training students to identify major events, they familiarize themselves with the concepts of main ideas and supporting details, which are foundational skills in reading comprehension.