How to Teach Reading
How to Start
As an ESL teacher, before you start a reading course, you should discuss with your students some reading strategies and methods of reading.
Ways of Reading
There are different ways of reading.
Did you know that you don't always have to read every word on a page?
How do you decide when you should read every word, and when a quick look will do?
It depends on the reason you are reading something. In order to know how you should read it, you need to ask yourself why you are reading it.
When you are deciding which texts you should look at, you preview. You check whether a book or article is likely to be useful before you decide whether to read any further. If you need to get a general idea, you can skim the text quickly. If you are looking for a specific piece of information, you can scan for that detail. On the other hand, if you are studying a text in depth, you may need to read in detail and think carefully about all of it.
Reading Process
Reading involves word recognition, comprehension, fluency, and motivation. Reading is making meaning from print. It requires that we:
1) identify the words in print – a process called word recognition,
2) construct an understanding from them – a process called comprehension,
3) coordinate identifying words and making meaning so that reading is automatic and accurate – an achievement called fluency.
How We Read
Scanning: reading quickly to find specific information. It is a technique you often use when looking up a word in the telephone book or dictionary. It involves moving your eyes quickly down the page looking for specific words and phrases. It is a skill that saves time when you're doing research because it puts a focus on the task. You are looking for information quickly and you know what you are searching for (key words). You 'see' every item on the page, but you don't necessarily read the pages - you ignore anything you are not looking for.
Skimming: reading quickly through a text to understand the main ideas. You are not necessarily searching for a specific item and key words. When you read the newspaper, you're probably not reading it word-by-word; instead you're scanning the text. It is useful to look at chapter/section headings, summaries and opening paragraphs.Skimming is a high speed reading process and is done at a higher rate than normal reading for comprehension. Skimming on its own should not be used when complete comprehension of the text is the goal. Train yourself to move your eyes quickly across what you are reading. Don't stop to look at anything in detail. Just try to get the gist.Extensive reading: reading longer texts, often for pleasure and for an overall understanding.
Reading for leisure tends to be 'light'. This form of reading does not generally require complete concentration.Intensive reading: reading shorter texts for detailed information with an emphasis on understanding. This type of reading takes time and requires a high level of concentration. Some material is not easily understood and so requires a slow and careful read. People use this type of reading for unfamiliar words and ideas, scientific formulae. It can take up to an hour just to read a few lines of text.Here are some tips to improve your students' ability and increase their success in reading.
Pre-Reading Tasks: Before reading the text, ask yourself what you already know about its topic. Try to recall as much information as you can. Make brief notes or discuss what you remember with others.
Research the Topic:
Background information may appear on book covers and inner flaps of book jackets. Many books include an introductory section and a mini-biography about the author. Book publishers’ websites may also include background information. Think about the information you read. Ask yourself: What kind of text is this? Is this text informative or entertaining, fact or fiction? What interests me about this book?
Ask Questions: As you read, what questions come to mind? Read on to find the answers. You can think about the questions and answers or write them down on paper.
Test Yourself: After reading, quiz yourself on the main points. What was the main idea? Who are the characters in the story? What information did you learn?
Reflect on the Material: Discuss the reading material with a classmate, a friend, or your parents. Share your opinions on the material, and ask questions of each other. What happened in the text? Why is it important? What have you learned? Was the reading meaningful to you?
Ask your students to complete the following multiple choice test. Let them choose the correct answers (later - discuss the answers):
1. You preview a book in order to
A. decide if you want to read it
B. get a general idea
C. get specific information
D. get details
2. When you concentrate only on finding the information you are searching for, you
A. skim
B. scan
C. read intensively
D. read extensively
3. ________________ requires the greatest amount of time.
A. scanning
B. skimming
C. intensive reading
D. extensive reading
4. Background information may be found in
A. book jackets
B. introductions
C. publishers’ websites
D. all of the above
5. ____________________ requires the greatest concentration.
A. skimming
B. scanning
C. intensive reading
D. extensive reading
6. Reading for leisure means
A. reading quickly
B. reading for entertainment
C. reading with concentration
D. reading for information
7. We can improve our reading skills by
A. asking ourselves questions about the text while reading
B. quizzing ourselves on the main points after reading
C. both (A) and (B)
D. neither (A) nor (B)
8. Reading speeds differ according to
A. style of reading
B. purpose of reading
C. time for reading
D. length of text
9. A work of fiction is
A. about the author himself
B. based on fact
C. informative
D. about something imaginary
10. A suitable title for the text is
A. Reading Habits
B. How to Become a Good Reader
C. Types and Strategies of Reading
D. Different Ways of Reading
Discuss with your students the following questions:
1. What kinds of reading technique would you use to read a textbook? Why?
2. When you search for information on the Internet, which reading strategies do you use?
3. Why must you preview a text or book before reading?
4. What are the advantages of using different reading strategies?
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