What Reading Involves Integrating Reading with Other Skills Aims of Teaching Reading
Ways of Dealing with Mixed Abilities in a Reading Lesson
Stages in Learning to Read
READING
The Reading Lesson
Developmental Reading
Devising Activity Types
TeachingLearning Strategies
SOME INSIGHTS ABOUT THE READING PROCESS AND READING PROCESS
reading is a thinking process reding is an interactive process
reading involves utilizing previous knowledge
reading is a life-support system
understanding a text involves understanding the language in which it is written
reading is not a single skill that we use all the time in the same way, but is a multiple skill that is used differently with different kinds of text and in fulfilling different purposes
real reading involves not merely sounding of the words in a text but understanding the meaning or message the words are intended to carry
wide reading experience in a particular kind of text is often necessary for proper understanding of any one instance of that kind of writing
reading involves knowledge of certain writing conventions
Insights on Reading
what reading enables a person to do must be perceived as interesting and worthwhile. otherwise, no reading will take place beyond school and beyond the stage of learning to read
AIMS OF TEACHING READING
Help pupils to become independent readers teach reading skills teach only the words that are useful generally and not all the words teach the pupils how to use context when they try to make sense of what they are reading
Develop response to a text recognize that pupils are individuals and they must learn to respond as individuals to the texts they read. ask questions like: do you like Mr X in the story, etc.
Help pupils read at appropriate speed get texts that pupils can read comfortably choose stories that pupils can read at the speed stories are usually read
Help pupils read silently we read a lot faster when we read silently
Teaching reading means enabling a person to acquire the skills, strategies and attitude required to make sense of text. improving motivation increasing awareness of different reading purposes developing different reading strategies improving comprehension skills
literal recognition or recall
involves understanding of information that is explicitly stated in the text e.g: recognition/recall of main ideas, details, sequence, etc
inference
involves drawing conclusions not stated in the text, but implied by the facts given. e.g: inferring main ideas, supporting details, sequence, etc, predicing outcomes
simplified form of Barrett's Taxonomy evaluation
judgements about whether something is real or imaginary, whether it is acceptable, appropriate or worthwhile. involves values, therefore there is usually no correct answer to questions involving evaluation can be very enjoyable
appreciation
e.g: emotional response to plot or theme, reactions to the author's use of language. opportunities for exchange of views and intrepretations again make these questions very enjoyable
STAGES IN LEARNING TO READ
1. Reading Readiness
4. Mature Reading
2. Early Reading
3. Developmental Reading
mainly the concern of preschool teacher
recognition that print has meaning just as talk has meaning
Reading Readiness
to develop children's knowledge of English Language so he can understand what he reads
ability to discriminate btwn shapes so he can recognize letters and words when he begins to read
motivation to learn English
motivation
to create a positive attitude to reading among the learners
word recognition skills
sight word skills word attack skills
Early Reading
developing language and comprehension skills
learning the print conventions of English
SIGHT WORD SKILLS AND THE WHOLE WORD METHOD
why is it important? words that a reader can recognize on sight enable the students to handle the decoding automaticity of processing
Sight Words
techniques for teaching sight words
aquires sight words by meeting them often and in meaningful contexts
choosing what words to teach?
chosen according to their usefulness determined by how frequently the child is likely to come across the word
GUIDELINES FOR TEACHING SIGHT WORDS
Do pupils know English? YES NO
Assume pupils will understand words once they recognize what spoken word the written word stands for.
Teach them the target words in a spoken context or introduce written words with visual or auditory support (pictures, tape, action, mime, etc).
Provide many opportunities for the pupils to see the word, e.g.: Flash the word in front of the pupils while saying the word aloud Give pupils opportunities to use the words they have learnt in labeling pictures Give pupils opportunities to constantly see the words by labeling objects, e.g. tables, chairs, door, etc. Play games like Bingo that require repeated use of words Get pupils to read simple stories which use the words they are trying to learn.
Give pupils opportunities to use old words and new to make sentence of their own and to read the sentences others have made, using the same stock of words. Introduce structural words like the, to, when at this stage.
Select appropriate basal readers to help pupils get a sense of achievement reading a whole book.
keep record of work in class in English corner
make flashcards of words children themselves want to learn
label the things around the classroom
ways of recycling sight words
keep the words within reach of the pupils throughtout the day so that they can work individually whenever they want to or need to
get pupils to constantly reuse words to express themselves
reader uses the shape of a word to help him in pronouncing or recognizing the meaning of word
configuration clues useful at the earliest stage but soon lose their usefulness as a child begins to learn many words that all have the same shape
earliest clues children learn to use
picture clues soon loses its importance as a child begins to learn abstract words
read in order to understand what the writer says
contextual clues word attack skills words surrounding an unknown word and the general ideas included in the surrounded text often contain several clues to the meaning of the word
only after pupils learnt alphabetical order
dictionary have enough words for them to understand the explainations given in the dictionary
structural clues
knowledge of some common prefixes and suffixes as well as roots can help pupils make sense of unfamiliar words
basic phonemic approach
What?
systems of teaching reading that pay initial attention to helping children see the relationship btwn the sounds of English and the letters /combination of letters that produce them.
guidelines for using the phonic approach
make sure he has a large listening vocabulary before beginning this approach begin phonics instruction after your pupils have begun to read using the look and say method
Theory:
Basic phonemic approach
language being learnt is phonemically regular once a child has learned the phonemic elements he can obtain the pronunciation of the printed word by assembling the sounds together in blended sequence once he gets the pronunciation of the word, he will understand what he has read
What learning in this way involves?
rote learning part learning
strengths and weaknesses:
once a child masters the phonics, he can become an independent reader phonics may appear boring to many pupils no one-to-one correspondence btwn English letters and the sounds they represent many L2 children cannot understand the words they pronounce phonics needs to be taught systematically but often is not. this leads to confusion
outline:
introduce units of sound starting with vowel sounds introduce the consonants a few at a time teach pupils to sound combinations of the consonants and vowels they have learnt teach pupils to join syllables together to form simple words gradually get pupils to identify letter groups and to sound them get the pupils to break up words into appropriate letters blends or syllables pupils may face difficulty in the early stages. teacher uses contextual clues combined with phonic clues.
sample activities for teaching phonics:
crosswords ladders
phonic approach
attempt to use the child's own language and exprience as the basis for skill development - rest on thinking
Theory:
learning would be individualized fewer repetitions needed smooth transitions from spoken to written language
language exprience approaches
Dr. Van:
what I think about, I can talk about what I say, I can write what I can write, I can read I can read what I have written, and I can also read what other people have written for me to read.
typical language experience series of learning activities
get pupils to listen to a story from children lit. ask them to paint a picture of some aspect of the story that interested them talk about the picture drawn print the story that the class dictates provide opportunities for developing sight word skills by getting pupils to recognize words in the stories they themselves dictated put up the story on the softboard next day, get the pupils to read their story again
teacher takes away the picture props and give activities like the below
all children in a class gather together to share a single copy of a book with the teacher
visibility: pages of the book are made large (18"x12") and only 3 lines of print. large pictures accompany the lines on the page
group reading is often used
Features of the Big Book approach
pupils sit on a mat
story is read several times, as long as they are no boredom
teacher prepares for reading by talking about the pictures
during second reading, teacher still reads, but the task of pointing to the words is given to a good pupil
teacher/good pupil reads the story while pointing to the words as they are being read
class activity:
using large pictures, sentence strips and flashcards
individual work:
bingo filling in the blanks in a summary of the story
activities after Big Book readings
group activity (can be done competitively)
match sentences with appropriate pictures rearranging sentences in the correct order to tell the story reconstructing the story
children love stories, so motivation to learn is high
stories provide wholes
tries to reproduce homey environment in the classroom
strengths of Big Book approach
stories provide a context for all learning activities. e.g. allow natural integration of L,S,R,W and they allow the study of language rules and vocab within a meaningful context
SELECTION OF TEXT FOR EARLY READING PRACTICE
Books for early reading
books learner himself will read
books people will read to him
develop his word recognition skills and knowledge of print conventions as well as builds up his self-confidence
give pupils a chance to develop knowledge of the kind of language they will meet in books and to give them a foretaste of the joys of reading
appropriate language
simple and direct legible print: point size and case
features early readers should have
illustrations and colour
should support understanding bold and uncomplicated use black, blue and green
simple but interesting content:
clear and uncomplicated story line repeating episodes within the understanding of the pupils
FEATURES OF BOOKS TO BE READ TO PUPILS
be within the experiential background of the pupils
simple. repeating story lines
be in language that can be easily understood by the pupils - listening to a story can and should be a means of increasing their knowledge of words and structures.
DEVELOPMENTAL READING
recognizing structures, words, etc. building up familiarity with the many different kinds of texts the students is likely to need to read in English predicting outcomes, guessing word meanings using contextual clues
having an affective reaction to the text
What silent reading involves
applying a reading strategy to the text, e.g. whether to scan or skim
thinking while reading understand the relationships indicated by logical connectors
making connections within the text
SELECTION OF TEXTS FOR DEVELOPING SILENT READING SKILLS
Are the texts representative of all the kinds of the texts the pupils may have to read? Is there a sufficient variety of genres ? Is there a good mixture of styles? Is the content of the texts sufficiently varied to take account of different interests and needs Would the collection of texts appeal to people from different demography? Are boys' and girls' interests equally represented?
Balance Suitability of language Concepts in the text Level of reasoning Content Pedagogic suitability
What proportion of unknown words are there in the text? Are sentence patterns simple enough? Can pupils understand the idioms in the text? Are the reference items and other cohesive devices used appropriate? Are there ennough clues to help the reader follow the relationship btwn ideas in the text?
Are the concepts assumed known in the text actually known by the pupils Are the concepts in the text appropriate to the age of the students? Are there too many concepts in the text? Would the pupils find it hard to follow the writer's reasoning even if he understood all the words and concepts in the text?
Would the content of the text likely to appeal to pupils?
Can this text be used to teach the skills and strategies you want to teach?
EXPLOITING TEXTS TO AID DEVELOPMENT READING
Why we read? (purpose)
What we read? (text determines)
Affects
How we read? (process determines)
What we do, know or become as a result of reading (product / outcome)
POSSIBLE PROCEDURE FOR DETERMINING HOW TO EXPLOIT A TEXT
Read the text carefully and mark it on areas that need pracice. Some areas you may want to look into:
whether any or all of the linking devices used in the text would improve your pupils' understanding of how ideas are linked to one another in a text
think about available options in presentation of the text
the use of words in the text
whether the presentation of episodes, etc can be used to develop thinking skills the layout of the text to see if anything there can be used for teaching reading skills
TEACHING-LEARNING STRATEGIES
beginners
Teachinglearning Strategies
developing intermediate
create an environment that supports learning to read
teach reading as part of a broader context
plan a variety of activities to keep pupils attentive
build your pupils' ability to listen and understand English before you start teaching them to read
plan a lot of physical activities
beginning readers
do not teach word in isolation
use play techniques in teaching the pupils
satisfy the pupils curiosity about the world through the material you give them to read
give pupils opportunities to as many of their senses as possible in forming their ideas about what the word means
give pupils many opportunities to understand the meaning of a word
give pupils materials that are of intermediate relevance to their lives and create activities that show the usefulness of reading in English time activities to make pupils pace their reading effectively
be sensitive to current interest
beginning and developing readers
vary the kinds of materials given so that pupilsn realize that different materials need to be read differently
always set purpose for reading
devise activities that are interesting in themselves and promote integrated learning
Forms of response
Verbal: Two kinds: reading aloud and silent reading Ask/answer questions (spoken/written) Read aloud Discuss Rearrange sentences Fill gaps Note-taking
Non-verbal: Channel conversion: information can be communicated in a number of ways, in words, through graphic material, actions, etc. When information expressed in one medium is converted into another medium, channel conversion or information transfer is said to have taken place. Channel conversion: draw, label, use picture, graphs, pie charts, etc, to express understanding Read and do: act, mime, follow instructions, laugh, look sad, etc.
readingwhilelistening
reading aloud as part of feedback
good reading aloud practice
for diagnostic approach
audience reading
playreading
individual reading to teacher
choral reading
open-ended questions
verbal techniques or dvlpmnt of silent reading skills
True-False questions
MCQ
reconstruction: making a distorted text whole
problem-solving: spoken or written discussion
replacement: making change to existing text
other kinds of exercises involving verbal response
serialization:presenting the text in installments expansion: making explicit some implicit or assumed information
comparison: relating one text to another or to one's own previous knowledge
level of comprehension a person achieves in a language is often much higher than his ability to express in the same language
many texts and almost all textbooks contain information in the form of graphic. thus, it is important teaching to intrepret graphs etc, is important
why is channel conversion important?
some information can be more clearly presented using table, graphs, etc than through language
information that is presented in a form of graphic is often easier to remember
hold a class discussion after the pupils have finished the activity
collect and file the graphs, diagram, etc that would be appealing and useful to pupils
select the graphic that you think is suitable for your purpose
demonstrate how it's done
guidelines for constructing channel conversion activities
write simple verbal descriptions in the kind of language you want your pupils to be able to read and understand
fine tune your activity
work out your activity. Contextual the activity
do the activity yourself to see if it's doable
only use visuals that pupils already know
Graphics Sources
Maps Atlases, childrens adventure books, travel brochures, bus routes, etc. 1. Class to trace on a large map the journey of the hero in Around the World in 80 Days. Notes on what happened in each place written on the map. 2. Pupils work in pairs. Each pupil to write directions to his/her house from school. Pupils exchange descriptions and draw sketch map. 3. Pupils to read description of a place and label missing names of roads, buildings, etc. 4. Pupils to trace the route of a mosquito on a given sketch map.
Floor plans Housing developers brochures, seating plans in cinemas, plans of buildings 1. Read the description of the location of things in a house and draw in the things in an incomplete map of the building. 2. Look at the floor plan of a building and check the accuracy of a verbal description of the building.
Bus/train schedules Railway stations and bus terminals 1. Answer questions such as: a. At what time will Train R reach Penang? b. How long does it take for Bus G to get from X to Y?
Sample exercises/ Exercise types
Pictures, diagrams Textbooks, magazines, brochures, sales catalogues 1. Read the description of a person and select, complete or draw a picture that fits the description. 2. Rearrange a jumble picture series from information in the reading text. 3. Reorder a jumbled text using a correctly ordered picture sequence. 4. Read a text and label a diagram or look at a labeled diagram and fill in gaps in a text or both.
Graphs, pie-charts, histograms,pie-charts. Newspapers, economic reports, textbooks, annual reports of public-listed companies 1. Fill in gaps in graphic and verbal text by cross reference. 2. Write supporting statements, provide examples for main points, etc using information in the graph/pies-chart, etc.
Time-lines and flow charts History books, itineraries of visitors, science text books, description of processes 1. Keep track of development of events in a story by adding to the timeline as the story proceeds. 2. Read a story and fill in the gaps in the time line. 3. Read the evolution of a process/species, etc. and draw a flowchart to show the dvlpmnts. 4. Use a timeline to reorder a jumbled story.
stages in a reading lesson
guidelines for preparing a reading lesson
The Reading Lesson
selecting reading skills in the syllabus
grading and recycling skills
STAGES IN A READING LESSON
Pre-reading
to stimulate interest in the topic of the text to introduce concepts or language to help pupils see the relationship of ideas in a difficult text by providing framework
While-reading
include activities that a pupil engages in while actually reading the text purpose: enable the pupils to achieve the lesson aims by handling the text in different ways e.g: paraphrasing opinions
Post-reading
purpose: look out of the text to see its relevance to other activities that pupils may find interesting/useful
skills that are appropriate for the level of your pupils what to select how to teach and at what level of sophistication
selecting reading skills in the syllabus
only limited number of reading skills and almost unlimited number of reading tasks
how to combine and integrate skills
select a variety of tasks for the pupils to do
use a variety of different texts-there will automatically be a natural integration and recycling of reading skills
find a suitable text make sure that you have all the material you need identify the skills you want to teach
check on the timing of activities
Guidelines For Preparing A Reading Lesson
think of a sequence of activities
work through all the activities yourself
work out the details of each activity look through the the sequence of activities
give all the pupils the same text but differ the questions you give to different groups according to their ability
supplementary readers written within certain word levels can also be used for this purpose
Ways of Dealing with Mixed Abilities in a Reading Lesson
form mixed-ability groups in the class so that poorer pupils could learn from better ones. e.g: good and average ones or poor and average ones.
work on long-term basis
do jigsaw reading
Provide a model for imitation Some ways reading can contribute to the development of other skills
Introducing words and structures necessary for writing and speaking in a meaningful context
Creating a context for generating spoken and written discussion
Writing and speaking can be means of expressing understanding of content/appreciation of style of the reading text
How other skills can contribute to reading development: Listening-while-reading can assist the learner-reader to learn how to group words into meaningful chunks instead of reading word by word Writing can be a pre-reading activity to increase the readiness of the pupil to appreciate the skill of the writer of the reading text
Writing can be used as a means of developing study skills; improving recall of what is read, enabling the perception of the relationship of ideas in the text
Writing or speaking can set the purpose for reading
Listening can introduce words aurally that a pupil needs to understand before he can learn it in its written form
