TSL 3106 Teaching Reading Skills and Vocabulary in the Primary ESL Classroom
LESSON 1: INTRODUCTION TO READING IN THE PRIMARY SCHOOL Mohd Iskandar Daud (IPGKKB)
Content:
Definition of reading The importance of reading Types of reading Factors influencing reading
Content:
Definition of reading The importance of reading Types of reading Factors influencing reading
Definition of reading
What is reading? Def: understanding the meaning of written or printed words or symbols OR Speak written or printed words aloud (Oxford Dictionary) Which one is more appropriate to our context of learning?
Definition of reading
Other famous definitions: Reading is the process of constructing meaning from written texts. It is a complex skill requiring the coordination of a number of interrelated sources of information (Anderson et al., 1985).
Definition of reading
Reading is the process of constructing meaning through the dynamic interaction among: (1) the reader's existing knowledge; (2) the information suggested by the text being read; and (3) the context of the reading situation (Wixson, Peters, Weber, & Roeber, 1987)
Definition of reading
Drawing information from a text and combine it with information and expectations that the reader already has Consider this headline: „England in six-wicket collapse‟ (Harmer, J., 2001)
Do you understand? How? Refer to meaning again.
Definition of reading This indicates understanding a piece of discourse involves much more than just knowing the language (Harmer,
2001)
We need „pre-existent knowledge of the world‟ (Cook, 1989, in Harmer, 2001) This pre-existent knowledge is often referred to as schema (pl: schemata)
Schema Theory – a text does not by itself carry meaning. The reader brings information, knowledge, emotion, experience and culture (schema) to the printed word (Brown, 2001) Consider the following anecdote (from Brown, 2001):
Anecdote: A 15 year old boy got up the nerve one day to try out for the school chorus, despite the potential ridicule from classmates. His audition time made him a good 15 minutes late to the next class. His hall permit clutched nervously in his hand, he nevertheless tried surreptitiously to slip into his seat, but his entrance didn‟t go unnoticed. “And where were you?” bellowed the teacher. Caught off guard by the sudden attention, a red-faced Harold replied meekly “Oh, uh, er
Understanding of the anecdote requires two categories of schemata: content and formal schemata Content schemata – what we know about people, the world, culture and the universe (in this anecdote, it‟s a prerequisite to understanding its humour) Formal schemata – our knowledge about discourse structure (the storyline / what is written)
The importance of reading
To know the importance reading, we have to look at the reasons for reading Two broad categories of reading (Harmer, 2001) 1. Instrumental reading ◦
This helps us achieve some clear aim or we have some kind of utilitarian or instrumental purpose in mind – eg: reading a road sign to know where to go
2. Pleasurable reading ◦
Takes place largely for pleasure – eg: poetry, magazine, cartoons, etc (by-product: language fluency)
The importance of reading
Other reasons for reading (Wallace, 1992) 1. Reading for survival – the reading we do in response to our environment to serve our immediate needs and wishes – eg: stop sign for motorists, „ladies‟, „gents‟, exit, etc (Just like instrumental) 2. Reading for learning – reading serves the wider role of extending our general knowledge of the world. We learn new things by reading.
The importance of reading
3. Reading for meaning – (excluding reading for language learning) we normally read to get something from the writing – the meaning/message (eg: facts, ideas, enjoyment, feelings, etc), we‟re not interested in pronunciation or grammatical structures used. Conclusion: Reading is important because it improves our language, gives us knowledge/information/ideas, gives us pleasure, etc
Types of reading
There are three types of reading:
1. Reading aloud / Oral reading
2. Intensive reading
3. Extensive reading CLASSROOM READING PERFORMANACE ORAL (READING ALOUD)
SILEN T INTENSIVE
(Brown, 2001)
EXTENSIV E
Reading aloud / Oral reading
Def: To utter/say/render aloud words from texts
Advantages: At the beginning and intermediate levels, reading aloud can: i. Serve as an evaluative check on bottom-up processing ii. Double as a pronunciation practice iii. Serve to add some extra student participation if you want to highlight a certain short segment of a reading passage
Reading aloud / Oral reading
For advanced levels, usually advantage (iii) can be gained by reading aloud Disadvantages: i.
Not an authentic language activity
ii.
While one is reading, others can easily lose attention (or silently rehearsing the next paragraph)
iii. May have outlook appearance of students participation when in reality it is mere recitation.
Intensive reading
What is intensive reading? Brown (1989) explains that intensive reading "calls attention to grammatical forms, discourse markers, and other surface structure details for the purpose of understanding literal meaning, implications, rhetorical relationships, and the like." He draws an analogy to intensive reading as a "zoom lens" strategy . Long and Richards (1987) say it is a "detailed in-class" analysis, led by the teacher, of vocabulary and grammar points, in a short passage."
Intensive reading
How is it done? Intensive Reading, sometimes called "Narrow Reading", may involve students reading selections by the same author or several texts about the same topic. When this occurs, content and grammatical structures repeat themselves and students get many opportunities to understand the meanings of the text. The success of "Narrow Reading" on improving reading comprehension is based on the premise that the more familiar the reader is with the text, either due to the subject matter or having read other works by the same author, the more comprehension is promoted.
Characteristics of intensive reading
usually classroom based
reader is intensely involved in looking inside the text
students focus on linguistic or semantic details of a reading students focus on surface structure details such as grammar and discourse markers students identify key vocabulary students may draw pictures to aid them (such as in problem solving) texts are read carefully and thoroughly, again and again aim is to build more language knowledge rather than simply practice the skill of reading seen more commonly than extensive reading in
Intensive reading
Materials: usually very short texts - not more than 500 words in length chosen for level of difficulty and usually, by the teacher chosen to provide the types of reading and skills that the teacher wants to cover in the course
Intensive reading
Skills developed: rapid reading practice interpreting text by using: ◦
Word attack skills
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Text attack skills
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Non-text information
Intensive reading
Activities: Intensive reading exercises may include:looking at main ideas versus details understanding what is implied versus stated making inferences looking at the order of information and how it effects the message identifying words that connect one idea to another identifying words that indicate change from one section to another
Intensive reading
Advantages It provides a base to study structure, vocabulary and idioms. It provides a base for students to develop a greater control of language It provides for a check on the degree of comprehension for individual students
Intensive reading
Disadvantages There is little actual practice of reading because of the small amount of text. In a class with multi-reading abilities, students may not be able to read at their own level because everyone in the class is reading the same material. The text may or may not interest the reader because it was chosen by the teacher. There is little chance to learn language patterns due to the small amount of text. Because exercises and assessment usually follow intensive reading, students may come to associate reading with testing and not pleasure.
Extensive reading
What it is Brown (1989) explains that extensive reading is carried out "to achieve a general understanding of a text ." Long and Richards (1971, p.216) identify extensive reading as "occurring when students read large amounts of high interest material, usually out of class, concentrating on meaning, "reading for gist" and skipping unknown words ." The aims of extensive reading are to build reader confidence and enjoyment. Extensive reading is always done for the comprehension of main ideas, not for specific details.
Extensive reading
Supporting proponents: Nuttall (1982) wrote that the idea of Extensive Reading should be "standard practice" in second language learning. She suggested the following „slogan‟: "The best way to improve your knowledge of a foreign language is to go and live among the speakers . The next best way is to read extensively."
Nuttal (1998) argued the case for Extensive Reading programs citing research studies that showed "impressive" gains in reading ability, motivation and attitude, and overall linguistic competence. There was also evidence of gains in vocabulary and spelling.
Extensive reading
Supporting proponents: Krashen (1984) supported Extensive Reading because he felt it automatically gave rise to competence in writing. In 1993, he termed it "free voluntary reading". Krashen (1995) argued that 'free voluntary reading" could be used a "bridge" from communicative language competence to academic language competence
Extensive reading
Supporting proponents: Elley (1996), in his report on a study involving 210,000 students and 10,000 teachers in 32 educational systems around the world, concluded that "instructional programs that stress teacher directed drills and skills are less beneficial in raising literacy levels than programs that try to capture students' interest and encourage them to read independently."
Extensive reading
Background theory
Extensive Reading:
Krashen's Input Hypothesis (1982) made a distinction between acquisition and learning. For Krashen, the dominant mode of language learning is in acquisition , the largely subconscious "picking up of the language" which characterizes language in informal settings and which is similar, if not identical, to the way children develop ability in their first language."
Krashen's Input Hypothesis (cont)
Language acquisition represents unconscious learning which takes place when attention is focused on meaning rather than form. In order to acquire language, Krashen suggested the learner must be exposed to large amounts of second language input that was "meaningful" , interesting, relevant, not grammatically sequenced, and in a low anxiety setting. It is felt that Extensive Reading programs provide such an environment.
Extensive reading
Types of programs: Extensive reading may appear as any of the following: a complement to an intensive reading program an extra-curricular activity where students read out of class the main focus of a reading course (termed an Extensive Reading Program) where students work with a class set of books, individual reading of material, of their own choice, with follow-up activities such as reading logs, reading journals, book reports or projects. Eg: Class Reader Programme in M‟sia
Extensive reading
Characteristics: Day and Bamford (1980) put forward ten characteristics identified in successful Extensive Reading Programs. Students read as much as possible A variety of materials on a range of topics is available. Students select what they want to read . The purposes of reading are usually related to pleasure, information and general understanding.
Extensive reading
Characteristics (cont):
Reading is its own reward.
Reading materials are well within the linguistic competence of the students in terms of vocabulary and grammar.
Reading is individual and silent.
Reading speed is usually faster than slower.
Teachers orient students to the goals of the program. The teacher is a role model of a reader for the students
Extensive reading
Advantages
The students may: ◦
develop a "reading habit"
◦
gain more confidence in reading
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improve their attitude towards reading and become more motivated to read feel more autonomous over their own learning and more likely to take more initiative. become more " independent readers", being able to read for different purposes and being able to change reading strategies for different kinds of texts
become more aware of what's available to them to read and how to access materials expand sight vocabulary, grammar, background knowledge, etc
Extensive reading
Advantages May be combined with writing or combined with speaking practice in a meaningful way (eg: students discuss with each other the books they have read) Broughton (1978) - "It is by pursuing the activity of extensive reading that the volume of practice necessary to achieve rapid and efficient reading can be achieved.” Krashen (1993) - the benefits of free voluntary reading included "enhanced language acquisition and literacy development, more ideas and information, greater success in life, loss of verbal memory, and more fun."
Extensive reading
Disadvantages costly and time-consuming to set up if materials are not already available not easy to have easy access to texts within their language proficiency level, need texts they can read without great use of a dictionary. may be difficult to keep students challenged to read more difficult texts as the program continues Reading each student's journals and reports can be very time-consuming for teachers. Aeberscold (1997) reported that feedback from students in an Extensive Reading program indicated that they liked the "choice" but not the "load“, etc
Factors influencing reading 1.
Characteristics of the L1 orthogrophy – shifting from one to another (eg: from logographic like Chinese to alphabetic like English
2.
Literacy background of the learners – how learned is the learner in L1? How culturally significant is reading comm in learner‟s culture? Home environment?
3.
Proficiency in English - Lack of oral language proficiency means inability to connect the printed words with oral knowledge and use it, difficulty to understand concepts in print as they are related to oral language use, etc
4.
Appropriate use of reading material – grammar, lexical appropriateness, familiarity with format, background knowledge, etc
Factors influencing reading 5.
Disabilities - ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), autism, dyslexia and ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) may affect ability to read
6.
Amount of Instruction and Practice - amount of reading practice children get influences their reading skill level esp. the one-on-one instruction
7.
Age-Appropriate Books at Home - access to books that interest him / suitable to him will help develop a sense of reading appreciation
8.
Can you suggest more?
