Learning to read and reading to learn are important components of academic life that students need to attain success. For second language learners who are fluent and accurate in their native language, “reading comprehension is primarily a matter of developing appropriate, efficient comprehension strategies”(Brown, 2007: p. 366). Douglas Brown, a professor of MA-TESOL program at the San Francisco State University outlined 10 reading strategies which can be applied in the classroom. These strategies include identifying the purpose in reading, use of graphemic rules and patterns to aid in bottom-up decoding, use of efficient silent reading technique for improving fluency, skimming the text for main ideas, scanning the text for specific information, use of semantic mapping or clustering, guessing when you are not certain, analyzing vocabulary, distinguishing between literal and implied meanings and capitalizing on discourse markets to process relationships (p. 366).
The above-mentioned reading strategies were very helpful not only for the second language learners but also to native speakers. I believe that the use of each strategy varies according to the objectives of each lesson. Some strategies may be used with other strategies while some others might be better used alone in order not to overwhelm beginning English learners. Each classroom, each teacher and each student is different. Whether or not a particular strategy will be used is a decision of the teacher who knows his lesson objectives, his students and their needs.
When I was teaching English language learners, I always used to identify the purpose of reading because “efficient reading consists of clearly identifying the purpose in reading something. By doing so, you know what you are looking for and can weed out potential distracting information. Whenever you are teaching a reading technique, make sure students know their purpose in reading something” (Brown, 2007:p.366). Sue Baker mentioned in the video entitled “Developing Academic Vocabulary” that our students are much more critical consumers of education. Students need to know why it is valuable to be able to read what they are reading. Sue Baker believed that students will be motivated to read when they are aware of the purpose for reading and they will learn to read and read to learn.
I also utilized the strategy called skimming the text for main ideas and scanning the text for specific information. The objectives of my lessons and the grade level of my students determined the simplicity or complexity of the activities associated with these strategies. Skimming is specifically useful in order to “give students a head start as they embark on more focused reading” (Brown, 2007: p. 368). On the other hand, scanning is necessary, especially when students “need to extract specific information without reading through the whole text” (Brown, 2007:p. 368).
Touching again on the strategy that suggests identifying the purpose in reading, I believe that a teacher needs to establish a sense of purpose/objective when he asks students to read.
When I was a student in elementary and high school level (no middle school in the Philippines), I remembered reading numerous materials not because I had sense of purpose but because I was told to do so. I felt no connection to my reading. I felt burned out. I think that in all activities in a classroom, there are possible connections to real life situations. A teacher needs to be creative in establishing the connection between the lesson and real life scenarios. For example, when teaching poetry, students can make a poem for their mom, friends or their crush and they will see their reactions. When they read newspapers, students can become socially aware and being socially aware leads to being informed and being informed may lead to a wise personal, professional or political decision. When they read history, students learn about real-life successes and failures in the past, which they need to remember in order to adopt good practices and remedy bad practices in the present as well as in the future.
When skimming a text for main ideas, a teacher can ask students to turn the pages of a book for a minute and glance at the words and pictures on each page. A teacher can ask students to group themselves and have them identify the possible purpose of the text, and the main topic or theme of the text. As the class reads the text, the students will be interested to learn that some of their assumptions are similar and dissimilar with the information in the text.
When scanning the text for specific information, a teacher needs to specify what information the students need to produce. It should be clear whether students are supposed to answer questions about WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, WHO, WHY and HOW from a given reading assignment. A teacher may ask the students to look for key words which point to relevant information in order to be able to answer specific questions.
What kinds of scaffolding can you provide to help children with tasks that depend upon these reading skills?
Identify the purpose in reading.
Drawing on students’ prior knowledge may be used to scaffold this strategy. In addition, a teacher may ask students’ opinions and knowledge about the importance of a particular topic for themselves, for their family, for their friends, for the community etc. This is similar to the video shown in Ms. Loret Peterson’s class when she used the technique of eliciting students’ opinions about the importance of root words which proved effective for gaining student buy-in. A teacher can also write the learning objective on the board or ask students to write the learning objective before beginning a reading activity.
The video of Ms. Peterson which highlights student buy-in showed why having students buy-in to what they are learning is an effective way to motivate them:
· Students begin to realize how the information or skills they were learning fit into a bigger picture.
· Students understood how they will use the information
· Students were given a purpose for learning.
Skim the text for main ideas
A teacher may ask students questions that will guide them in finding the correct answers. He can also present two ideas to students and they can decide which one is the main idea/ or theme. This was the strategy that Ms. Katie Hull utilized in her classroom when she gave EAST L.A. or STEREOTYPING as two possible themes. As the narrator mentioned, Ms. Hull recognizes the importance of theme in reading comprehension. Identifying the theme of a reading passage allows the reader to make predictions about what will happen next, elucidates the problem a main character must overcome, and contributes to the reader’s overall comprehension of a text. A teacher can also draw on students’ prior knowledge.
Scan the text for specific information.
Drawing on students’ prior knowledge can be used to enhance this strategy so that students will feel more comfortable when learning. In order for students not to feel overwhelmed, the activities may be divided into parts, and one part must be completed before proceeding to the next. For example, students will only focus on names, then dates, then key concepts…one theme at a time. Another way to scaffold this is by modeling.
Taking a reading inventory
By having the following in the classroom, students can practice their reading more comfortably:
1. Schedule of Activities.
2. Learning objectives and educational standards posted.
3. Textbooks.
4. Dictionaries and other general references.
5. Maps.
6. Classroom Rules.
7. Student work samples posted.
8. School Newsletter.
9. Signs such as exit, entrance, fire extinguisher, etc.
10. Labels.
11. Thinking maps.
12. Many possible reading stimuli.
Materials outside the classroom that will facilitate reading success:
1. Print and television advertisement
2. Mail
3. E-mail
4. Internet
5. Food labels
6. Medicine labels and safety instructions
7. Newspapers
8. Community signs
9. Tag prices
10. Circulars
11. Directions
12. And many more!
I incorporate reading genres in my teaching. When I was teaching my students about community signs or community helpers, the students, aides, and I had to dramatize the lessons about community helpers. In addition to this, the class had some additional exposure by visiting work places of community helpers such as firemen, policemen, doctor, etc. This provided them with real life exposure and a genuine encounter with the community helpers. They could also ask questions regarding the duties and responsibilities of these helpers which provided them an opportunity to expand their knowledge and vocabulary.
Another lesson I taught was about transportation. I presented the bus schedule, particularly that of the Glendale Beeline. I had to give each of my students a route map/schedule of this line. I wanted them to learn how to read a basic map, route and schedule as presented in a simple table. This could also be an introduction to statistics where students learn how to read legends represented by colors. This can be used in the future to teach Math for time, physics for movement and speed, chemistry for chemicals, etc.
Kindest regards,
Edward Guinto
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