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Teaching reading

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A. Checking reading

• 1. concepts:• Reading, strategic reading (p68)

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Checking reading

• _______is a fluent process of readers combining information from a text and their own background knowledge to build meaning.

• ____________ is defined as the ability of the reader to use a wide variety of reading strategies to accomplish a purpose for reading.

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Checking reading

• Reading is a fluent process of readers combining information from a text and their own background knowledge to build meaning.

• Strategic reading is defined as the ability of the reader to use a wide variety of reading strategies to accomplish a purpose for reading.

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Bottom-up or top-down?

• Intensive reading (p71) vs.

• Extensive reading (p72)• Phonics approach/graded reader approach

(p70)• Meaning-based approach/whole language

approach (p71)

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Bottom-up or top-down?

• Intensive reading (p71) vs.

• Extensive reading (p72)• Phonics approach/graded reader approach

(p70)• Meaning-based approach/whole language

approach (p71)

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Task P73

• Action (73)• Finish the task and find out the top-down and

bottom-up strategies used the in the task.

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Principles for teaching reading1. Exploit the reader’s background knowledge.2. Build a strong vocabulary base.3. Teach for comprehension.4. Work on increasing reading rate (how).5. Teach reading strategies.6. Encourage readers to transform strategies into skills.7. Build assessment and evaluation into your teaching.8. Strive for continuous improvement as a reading

teacher.

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The role of vocabulary in reading• “The lack of vocabulary may be the greatest single

impediment of fluent reading.” (Brabe, 1988:63)• A moderate L1 reader can recognize about 50,000

words.• Efficient reading begins with a lightening-like

automatic recognition of words. • The ratio of unknown words suggested is less than

3% in a reading text to enable smooth, meaningful, and enjoyable reading.

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高中课标词汇量要求• 七级：

学会使用 2400 – 2500 个单词和 300 – 400 个习惯用语或固定搭配

• 八级：3300 ， 400 – 500

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• Conclusion: Helping our students to develop the ability of

automatic word recognition is the basis for developing their reading skills.

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Sight vocabulary

• What is sight vocabulary? • What is the implication for the teaching of

reading to ESL/EFL learners?• What are the two points that need to be

noted regarding sight vocabulary?

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Definition and implication

• Words that one is able to recognize (both sounds and meanings) immediately are often referred to as sight vocabulary.

An important implication is that instead of just using textbooks to teach the words and structures to the students, the teacher should try to introduce an extensive reading scheme whenever possible to encourage learners to read more after class.

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Two points to be noted• Automatic, rapid and accurate process of

word recognition should not be confused with the strategy of slow, letter by letter, or syllable by syllable sounding out of words.

• Possessing a large sight vocabulary is a necessary but not sufficient condition for effective reading comprehension.

• Fluent reading depends on

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Fluent reading depends on:• an adequate sight vocabulary,• a general knowledge about the target

language, • some knowledge about the topic,• wide knowledge about the world, and• enough knowledge about text types.

(王蔷， 2006183)

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Principles for teaching reading: 2 & 3

• What kind of vocabulary should be taught explicitly? (p74)

• How can readers monitor comprehension? (p75)

• What does it mean by questioning the author? How can such queries develop readers’

cognitive and metacognitive skills? (p75)

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Principles for teaching reading: 2 & 3

• What kind of vocabulary should be taught explicitly? (p74) Basic/threshold vocabulary

• How can readers monitor comprehension? (p75) Verifying the prediction and checking adjustment.

• What does it mean by questioning the author? How can such queries develop readers’ cognitive

and metacognitive skills? (p75) e.g. What is the author trying to say here? What is

the author’s message? What is the author thinking about?

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Principles for teaching reading: 4 & 5

• What is the reading rate of a fluent reader? (p76)

• How can we increase students’ reading rate? (p76, p81)

• How can teachers get students become more aware of reading strategies? (p76/81)

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Principles for teaching reading: 4 & 5

• What is the reading rate of a fluent reader? (p76) 200 words/m

• How can we increase students’ reading rate? (p76, p81)

Reduce their dependence on a dictionary;approach reading in different ways; spend more time on the content of the text;repeated reading.

• How can teachers get students become more aware of reading strategies? (p76/p81)

Verbalize their thought process/ think-aloud protocols

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A fluent reader (p. 76)

• A balance between speed and comprehension:

200 w/m + 70% of comprehension

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Principles for teaching reading: 6, 7 & 8

• What is the difference between strategy and a skill? P77

• How can we assess students’ reading progress? p81

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Principles for teaching reading: 6, 7 & 8

• What is the difference between strategy and a skill? P77 conscious vs. automatic

• How can we assess students’ reading progress? P81

• quantitative: – reading test

• qualitative: – reading journal responses, – reading interest surveys, – responses to reading strategy checklists.

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Classroom techniques and tasks:ACTIVE?

• A:• C:• T:• V:• E:

• A: Activate prior knowledge.• C: Cultivate vocabulary.• T: Teach for comprehension.• V: Verify reading strategies.• E: Evaluate progress.

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Pre-reading stage

Purpose--activate Ss’ schemata--arouse Ss’ interest--clear linguistic obstacles( e.g. vocabulary)

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Pre-reading stage

Activities--predicting--setting the scene--brainstorming--pre-teaching vocabulary

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While-reading stage

Purpose --Checking comprehension--training reading skills and strategies

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While-reading stage

Activities: A. Skimming or scanning stage--getting the main idea--identifying topic sentences and main idea--matching subtitles with passages or paragraphs--creating titles or headlines fro passages--filling in forms with key concepts

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While-reading stage

Activities: B. Decoding or intensive reading stage--comprehension questions intended to develop reading skills--language activities to focus on vocabulary and structures

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While-reading stage

Activities: C. Comprehension stage (T/F, Wh-, Multiple choice)

Three-level comprehension

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Level 1: literal comprehension/reading the lines

e.g. Decide which statements express what the author says.A terrible earthquake shook San Francisco on April

18th, 1906.A. A large number of people died in 1906 earthquake.B. The 1989 earthquake did not happen in the center

of town.

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Level 2: interactive comprehension/reading between lines --re-arrange the ideas or topics discussed in the text. --explain the author’s purpose of writing the text --summarize the main idea when it is not explicitly stated in

the text --select conclusions which can be deduced from the texte.g. Decide which statement imply the author’s ideas. A. Many people became homeless because of the 1906

earthquake. B. San Francisco is a place where earthquakes are likely

to happen. C. many buildings in San Francisco were too old to stand

the 1989 earthquake.

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Level 3: critical comprehension/reading beyond linese.g. Decide which statement imply the author’s

ideas. A. Nature can be very harmful to mankind in

may ways. B. Mankind should and can think of different

ways to prevent harms from nature. C. With the development of science and

technology, mankind can discover more about nature.

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Information transfer activities--Pictures--Drawings --Maps--Tables--Tree diagrams--Cyclic diagrams--Pie charts--Bar charts--Flowcharts--Chronological sequence--Subtitles (providing subtitles)--Notes (taking notes while reading)

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Post-reading stage

Purpose:--Expansion--integrating skills

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Post-reading stage

Activities:--discussion--role-play--gap-filling--retelling--summarizing--writing (e.g. comment, imaginative ending to

the story, instructions, travel brochure…)

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BrainstormingReading strategies

In groups of 4, list 5-8 reading strategies you use most frequently.(5 mins.)

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Strategies needed in reading(Wang, 2006:181)

• Specifying a purpose for reading• Planning what to do/what steps to take• Previewing the text• Predicting the contents of the text• Checking predictions• Skimming the text for the main idea• Scanning the text for specific information

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• Distinguishing main ideas from supporting details

• Posing questions about the text• Finding answers to posed questions• Connecting text to background knowledge• Summarizing information• Making inferences• Connecting one part of the text to another

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• Paying attention to text structure• Rereading• Guessing the meaning of a new word from

context• Using discourse markers to see

relationships• Checking comprehension• Identifying difficulties

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• Taking steps to repair faulty comprehension

• Critiquing the author • Critiquing the text• Judging how well objectives were met• Reflecting on what has been learned from

the text

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课标教学建议中关于阅读技能的教学（ p. 30)

• 教学目的：培养阅读策略；培养语感； 特别强调培养学生在阅读过程中获取和处理信息的能力。

• 基本技能：略读（ skimming); 找读（ scanning); 预测下文；理解大意；分清文章中的事实和观点；猜测词义；推理判断；了解重点细节；理解文章结构；理解图表信息；理解指代关系；理解逻辑关系；理解作者意图；评价阅读内容。

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课标阅读技能目标描述六级

• 能丛一般文字资料中获取主要信息；• 能利用上下文和句子结构猜测词义；• 能根据上下文线索预测故事情节的发展；• 能根据阅读目的使用不同的阅读策略• 能通过不同信息渠道查找所需信息；• 除教材外，课外阅读量累计达到 18 万词以上

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七级• 能丛一般性文章中获取和处理主要信息；• 能理解文章主旨和作者意图；• 能通过上下文克服生词困难，理解语篇意义；• 能通过文章中的线索进行推理；• 能根据需要从网络等资源中获取信息；• 能阅读适合高中生的英语报刊或杂志；• 除教材外，课外阅读量应累计达到 23 万词以上。

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八级• 能识别不同文体的特征；• 能通过分析句子结构理解难句和长句；能理解阅

读材料中不同的观点和态度；• 能根据学习任务的需要从多种媒体中获取信息并

加工处理；• 能在教师的帮助下欣赏浅显的英语文学作品；• 除教材外，课外阅读量应累计达到 30 万词以上。

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Classifying

In groups, categorize the strategies according to the three stages of reading.

• Pre-reading strategies• While-reading strategies• Post-reading strategies

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Which stage?• Grouping• Summarize• Paraphrase• Reread• Question (ask

for clarification)

• Cooperation • Self-

evaluation

• Identify important ideas• Identify the organizational pattern of the text• Identify indicators in discourse• Identify sequence of events•Note-taking•Skimming•Scanning•Draw inferences•Make use of logic/common sense•Deduce the meaning of unfamiliar lexical items•Skipping unknown/unimportant words• Imagery•Monitor understanding

• Develop a positive attitude toward reading

• Advanced preparation (previewing the reading materials)

• Predicting (content, vocabulary…)

• Structured overview• Question• Brainstorming

(Structured overview)

• Relating new knowledge to prior knowledge

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Pre-reading strategies

• Develop a positive attitude toward reading• Advanced preparation (previewing the

reading materials)• Predicting (content, vocabulary…)• Structured overview• Question• Brainstorming (Structured overview)• Relating new knowledge to prior knowledge

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While-reading strategies

• Identify important ideas• Identify the organizational pattern of the text• Identify indicators in discourse• Identify sequence of events• Note-taking• Skimming• Scanning• Draw inferences• Make use of logic/common sense• Deduce the meaning of unfamiliar lexical items• Skipping unknown/unimportant words• Imagery• Monitor understanding

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Post-reading strategies• Grouping• Summarize• Paraphrase• Reread• Question (ask for clarification)• Cooperation • Self-evaluation

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Our analysis

Watch the video “Journey down the Meikong River”, put down the teaching procedure and answer the following questions:

1) What types of reading are involved in the lesson?

2) What skills or sub-skills are covered in the lesson?

3) Is the design of the reading activities reasonable?

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Our analysis

1) What types of reading are involved in the lesson?

reading silently/reading aloud2) What skills or sub-skills are covered

in the lesson? skimming, scanning, note-taking…

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Assignment

Choose a reading passage from SWE or NSEFC and design a lesson plan in groups.