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What is ER/EL?Aims to practice and deepen knowledge of already met
grammar and vocabularyAims to build reading speed / fluencyAims to build confidence and enjoymentIt’s reading practice, not reading study
What is ER/EL? IIMinimum requirements for ER/ EL
Easy - no dictionary needed
Fast - at a good speed and with minimum pauses
High comprehension - almost everything is understood
Fun – so they continue reading
What is ER? III
Extensive Reading Intensive reading
easy difficult
student–selected teacher selected
lots of reading very little
out of class reading in class reading
no assessment test / reports / exercises
no follow up lots of follow up
(discussion / language work)
ER Program types
Purist ER programLots of self-selected reading at home with no / little assessment or
follow up. Often is a stand-alone class.
Class reading - studyStudents read the same book and work through it slowly. Lots of
follow up / comprehension work and exercises.
ER as ‘literature’Students read the same book and discuss it as if it were a work of
literature.
Integrated ER programLots of self-selected reading at home and in class. Follow up
exercises / reports which aim to build the 4 skills.
ER / EL program types overviewPurist ER Integrated ER Class
ReadingER as literature
Style Individual Individual Lock-step Lock-step
Amount of reading
Lots Lots Little Little
Speed Fast Fast Slow Slow
Control Student Student Teacher Teacher
Language focus
No No Yes No
Follow up assessment
Little Little Lots Lots
Materials Library Library Class sets Class sets
Skill work Reading 3-4 skills 3-4 skills / language
1-3 skills
Class time needed
Little Little Lots Lots
ER program types - summaryMany different types of ER program
Different aims / needs for each program
Different levels of involvement for teachers / students
Some programs may adopt two or more types at the same time
Some programs can start more easily than others
Each type is scalable – from a single class to a whole school
No ‘best’ type for all programs
Language learning (focus on learning new things)
new vocab and grammar,
pronunciation, phonics work,
skills work etc.
Language use (focus on communication)
reading / listening and understanding texts for content
speaking and writing to convey your thoughts and ideas
What does a curriculum need?
A Balanced Curriculum
Focus on the language(language study)
Focus on using language for communication
Receptive inputReading and
listening
Productive outputSpeaking and writing
New grammar and vocabularyPhonicsLearning new reading / listening etc skillsPronunciation
TestsGap fill exercises, Multiple choice language questionsPronunciationMemorized drills / dialogs
Graded reading and listeningWatching moviesSurfing the internetListening to music
Chatting with friendsEssays, letters, poemsDebate, discussionGiving speeches
A Balanced Curriculum
Focus on the language
Focus on using language for communication
Receptive inputReading and
listening
Productive outputSpeaking and writing
A
D
F
C B
E
G(a)
G(b)
A linear structure to our syllabuses
Each unit has something newLittle focus on the recycling of vocab, grammar and so onThe theory is “We’ve done that, they have learnt it, so we can
move on.” i.e. teaching causes learning
Unit 1
Be verb
Simple adjectives
Unit 2
Simple present
Daily routines
Unit 3
Present continuous
Sporting activities
Unit 4
can
Abilities
Unit 5
….
…..
What happens to things we learn?
We forget them over time unless they are recycled and memories of them strengthened
Our brains are designed to forget most of what we meet - not to remember it
Time
KnowledgeThe Forgetting Curve
What will naturally happen to the learning?
Unit 1
Be verb
Simple adjectives
Unit 2
Simple present
Daily routines
Unit 3
Present continuous
Sporting activities
Unit 4
can
Abilities
Unit 5
….
…..
What does this all imply?
A linear course structure is focused on introducing new words and grammatical
featuresdoes not fight against the forgetting curve by its very design cannot provide enough repetitions of
words and grammar features for long-term acquisition to take place
is not focused on deepening and consolidating older knowledge because the focus is always on new things
Course work and Graded Readers work together
Level 1 books Level 2 books Level 3 books …
Unit 1
Be verb
Simple adjectives
Unit 2
Simple present
Daily routines
Unit 3
Present continuous
Sporting activities
Unit 4
can
Abilities
Unit 5
….
…..
Does this mean course books are bad?This is NOT a criticism of course books.
There’s too much to actually teach.Thousands of words plus their collocations, multiple meaning
senses etc.Thousands of lexical phrasesThe grammar systems The pronunciation, reading skills, listening skills etc. etc. etc.
No course or course book can teach all this.
Course books are designed to introduce new language and give minimal practice with it not to deepen that knowledge.
So what needs to happen?
We have to ensure our curriculums and courses:build in recycling and repetition of words and grammar
structuresgive students chances to see how the grammar and
vocabulary are used together in real discoursegive students chances to deepen and consolidate the
language they learn in their course books (or they forget it)
allow students to develop their own ‘sense’ of how the language works
give students chances to use language rather than just study it
ER Types and the Balanced Curriculum
Focus on the language(language study)
Focus on using language for communication
Receptive inputReading and
listening
Productive outputSpeaking and writing
Purist ER
ER Types and the Balanced Curriculum
Focus on the language (language study)
Focus on using language for communication
Receptive inputReading and
listening
Productive outputSpeaking and writing
Class reading ER
ER Types and the Balanced Curriculum
Focus on the language(language study)
Focus on using language for communication
Receptive inputReading and
listening
Productive outputSpeaking and writing
ER as literature
ER Types and the Balanced Curriculum
Focus on the language(language study)
Focus on using language for communication
Receptive inputReading and
listening
Productive outputSpeaking and writing
Integrated ER
What’s the balance?
Language focus activities- learning the grammar and vocabulary, reading skills, pronunciation etc. (i.e coursework)
PLUS
Massive amounts of easy fluent reading with graded readers
Massive amounts of fluent listening
The focus should be on deepening and consolidating knowledge of things they learnt in their course books
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