* Setting Expectations and Activating Prior Knowledge: The title provides a preview of the topic. This allows you to activate your existing knowledge related to the subject, making it easier to understand and remember the information presented. You'll be mentally prepared for the type of content you'll encounter.
* Improving Comprehension and Focus: Knowing the topic beforehand helps you focus your attention on relevant information and filter out irrelevant details. This improves your comprehension and efficiency in reading. You can anticipate the main ideas and look for supporting details that relate to the title.
* Guiding Reading Strategy: The title helps you formulate a purpose for reading. Are you looking for specific information? Are you trying to understand a concept? This purpose-driven reading approach enhances comprehension and retention.
* Faster Processing: By pre-activating your schema (mental framework) related to the topic, your brain is primed to process the information more quickly and efficiently. This can lead to faster reading speed and better understanding.
* Identifying the Text Type: The title can sometimes indicate the type of text you're reading (e.g., persuasive essay, news report, scientific article). Knowing this helps you anticipate the author's purpose and the style of writing, further aiding comprehension.
In essence, reading the title first acts as a mental roadmap, preparing you for the journey through the reading passage and making the entire process more effective and meaningful.