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54Teaching reading 1

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Teaching reading 1

• Students can also, of course, fi ll in WORKSHEETS with language exercises based on a book, but they should only do this after they have read the book, usually as HOMEWORK ➔76 or private study.

• Some students enjoy reading more than others. Some of them will read extensively (and enthusiastically). Some will not. Nevertheless, we should encourage extensive reading, explain why it is such a good idea, have DEAR moments and make our classes ‘reading friendly’.

Intensive reading We often get students to read intensively in class. This means that they will look at a short reading text and do various exercises based on it. Texts for more advanced students are usually longer than those for students at lower levels.

• Good reading exercises help students with TOP-DOWN PROCESSING (getting a general idea of meaning) and BOTTOM-UP PROCESSING (understanding individual words, phrases and text construction).

• Intensive reading is often used to train students in different reading skills, such as READING FOR GIST (getting the general meaning from a text) or READING FOR SPECIFIC INFORMATION (looking for particular things, such as the times of a fi lm at a cinema, rather than trying to get the general picture).

• Reading for gist is sometimes called SKIMMING . We often ask students to read a text quickly (skimming over its surface) and get the main idea(s) fi rst, before we ask them to read for more detailed information.

• Reading for specifi c information is sometimes called SCANNING – because the eye is searching around just for the special information that we want – a bit like a computer scanning for only the information it needs.

• Some people say that we don’t need to teach reading skills like scanning and skimming because these are things that people do in their L1 anyway – and they can transfer them to learning English. Others say that many students (especially those from certain cultural and language backgrounds) don’t read very much even in their L1, so it is a good idea to train them when they read in English. What is certain is that it is a good idea for students to read in different ways as often as possible since this helps them to practise reading. It also helps them to see new and previously learnt language in context.

• When we get students to read in class, we often give them a more general task fi rst (such as skimming or scanning) before asking them to look for more detailed information (relating to both meaning and language).

• Although we use intensive reading for showing vocabulary and grammar in context, we should never forget that the best response to any text is to ask whether or not the students like the text and why. This makes them think about the content and the language and encourages them to re-use both.

• Any text can be MINED for language ➔46 .

We look at ways of using intensive reading in ➔55 .

The need for reading We all need to be able to read in our own language, whether from books, documents, computers, mobile devices, signs or billboards. Students of English need to be able to read these things in English, too. But reading also helps them to learn and acquire English.

We can divide reading into EXTENSIVE READING and INTENSIVE READING .

Extensive reading Reading at the appropriate level is one of the best ways for students to get COMPREHENSIBLE INPUT ➔35 – that is, language that they can understand. The more comprehensible input they receive, the better their English gets.

• When students read extensively, they are not just looking for specifi c language or trying to do vocabulary and comprehension exercises. They are reading either for pleasure or for information that interests them.

• We need to encourage our students to read on their own so that they can keep learning and acquiring language even when there is no lesson and no teacher to help them.

• Students will get the most benefi t from extensive reading if they read at an appropriate level. If the text is too diffi cult, it will be more like work than pleasure. If it is too easy, it may not be very engaging.

• Students will get most benefi t from reading texts that they themselves want to read. Different students have different interests: this means that they should, if possible, read different books.

• Many publishers offer GRADED READERS (sometimes called learner literature ). These range in level from beginner ( CEFR A1) to advanced ( CEFR C1) ➔41 . Some of them re-tell stories from famous books or fi lms. Some describe the lives of famous people. Some are original stories written especially for the appropriate level.

• Where possible, we should have a collection of books (or texts) that individual students can choose from. When they themselves choose what to read, they are more likely to be enthusiastic about reading.

• We can give students time to read in lessons – say ten or 15 minutes a week. Some teachers (and schools) have DEAR (drop everything and read) moments to encourage this.

• We can ask our students to tell other students about what they have been reading. They can do this orally, or they can fi ll in fairly simple report forms such as the following (for intermediate students):

TITLE:

AUTHOR:

Type of book (non-fi ction, thriller, romance, etc.)

What you like/don’t like about it

Would you recommend the book to your colleagues? Why? Why not?

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• We can give the students words or phrases from the text and ask them to guess what the text is about. We can give different phrases to different students in a group (instead of the pictures we used for the STORY RECONSTRUCTION activity ➔53 ). They have to guess the story which links all the phrases.

• We can project the fi rst line of a text on the screen. The students have to guess what the next word will be. We show the next line and again they have to guess what the next word will be, as in this example:

Like poetry with blanks for the students to complete ➔63 , this keeps the students’ attention and makes them think about language.

• We can display part of a text and ask the students to predict what comes next. They then read the next section of the text to confi rm their predictions before predicting what comes after that.

Reading activities We can ask our students to do almost anything with a reading text. Here are some of the most common activities. They are designed so that the students get a general understanding of the text fi rst.

• The students read the text and then tell each other if they liked it and why (or what they agreed with or didn’t agree with). This kind of GIST reading exercise ➔54 makes them think about meaning in general, and invites them to ENGAGE ➔80 emotionally with the text.

• The text is presented as a reading puzzle. We cut it up and give the students the different paragraphs in random order. They have to work out how to put the text back into the correct order.

• For JIGSAW READING we can divide the students into groups of three (or more) and create an INFORMATION GAP ➔50 . Each student has a text which tells part of a story (or contains part of the information they need). They cannot show each other their texts. They have to ask each other what is in their texts in order to tell the whole story. Jigsaw reading gives the students a reason to read and understand what they are reading.

• We can ask students to TRANSFER INFORMATION from texts to graphs, charts or other graphics. We look at this in more detail in ➔105 .

• We can ask students to answer gist questions about the text, such as the following:

1 Which of the following topics are mentioned in the text? Tick the boxes. 2 Choose a title for the text. 3 Read the text. What three things does the writer suggest? 4 Read the text and match the statements to the different paragraphs. 5 Read the advertisements. Which one is about a…., b…., c….? etc. 6 Say whether the following statements about the text are true or false . 7 Say which of the statements about the text are true. 8 Read these short summaries. Which (a, b or c) is the best summary of the text?

• We can set a time limit for reading tasks and stress that the students should use the appropriate SUB-SKILL to get what they need from the text in the time they have.

• At higher levels, many teachers help their students to get used to reading TEST exercises, such as MULTIPLE-CHOICE questions ➔89 and other question types.

What texts should we give students for intensive reading? We should give our students TEXTS that are appropriate for their level. We need to give them material on a variety of topics and let them read in a variety of GENRES ➔32 (stories, advertisements, reports, poems, newspaper articles, etc.).

What to do before students read a text It helps if we give the students a chance to think about what they are going to read. That’s why we give them PREDICTION activities so that they are thinking about the topic and getting their brains ready for reading with the knowledge they have about the genre or the topic of the text.

• We can tell the students what the topic of the text is and ask them to guess what they will fi nd in it. Sometimes they can form BUZZ GROUPS ➔52 to do this.

• We can ask them to read some questions about a text before they read the text itself. They should try to guess the answers, and then read the text to see if their guesses are correct DVD18 .

• We can tell the students what the text is going to be about and ask them to fi ll in a CHART like the one on the left about the topic.

• We can also get them to write their own questions about the text.

• We can show the students any PICTURES which accompany the text (or headlines, captions, etc.) and get them to guess what will be in the text.

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55Teaching reading 2

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Teaching reading 2

1 Read the text and choose the summary of it.

a The narrator was given a gliding lesson as a present and loved it. He wants to do it again.

b Christophe took the narrator’s daughters for a fl ight in his glider.c The narrator was given a gliding lesson as a present. It terrifi ed

him and he is unlikely to go again.d Christophe bought his daughter a gliding lesson as a present.

She really enjoyed it.

2 Look back at the text and answer these questions.

a How many people were in the car?b Where were they going?c Why were they going there?d What happened when they got there?e What did the narrator think of the experience?

It was a cold windy day as they approached the airfi eld. He was driving. He wondered if he should turn back and go home. But

they were sitting there, one beside him and the other behind him. If he said he didn’t want to do it, they would laugh at him. So he kept quiet. They drove up to the clubhouse and got out. The man in charge of the airfi eld opened the door and let them in. ‘Come for your fl ight?’ he said. ‘Yes,’ he replied, more cheerfully than he felt. ‘First time? Looking forward to it?’ He looked round at his two companions. They were smiling and happy with the present they had chosen for him. How could he tell them that he was absolutely terrifi ed? A new man came up to them. ‘Hi,’ he said, ‘My name’s Christophe. I’ll be taking you up.’ He greeted Christophe and shook his hand. And so, a few minutes later he found himself walking over the grass, the wind ruffl ing his hair. His two daughters walked alongside him, chatting away and giggling. Then Christophe helped him on with his harness and explained how to use the parachute. The parachute?! He couldn’t back out now. He got into the tiny cockpit and strapped himself in. Christophe got in behind him. And then suddenly, far far too quickly, they were bouncing over the grass behind the tow-plane and before he could say ‘Stop, I want to get out’ they were bouncing up into the air. He tried to remain clam. Tried to tell himself that he was safe and that Christophe knew what he was doing. But it didn’t work. His heart was thudding in his chest and his knees were literally knocking together. Every time they slipped in the wind, he thought he would be sick. Christophe was chatting away happily. ‘Look!’ he said. ‘Look down there. That’s Royston.’ So he looked from their height of 2,000 feet. And felt sick again. The fl ight only lasted about 25 minutes, though it seemed to go on for ever. But in the end they dipped to the right and came thudding down onto the grass, stopping a few feet from where his two daughters were standing, their hair fl ying in the wind. He got out onto the grass and suddenly as he walked up to the two girls he felt a sense of huge excitement, a great feeling of triumph, a feeling of something big and important. But he hasn’t been gliding again.

12 The Gliding Lesson3 Find words or phrases in the text that mean the following:

a a place where planes and gliders take off and landb people who travel with youc playing with, moving somethingd the place where a pilot sits in a plane or glidere beating strongly

Speaking4 IN GROUPS, talk about:

• whether you have been – or would like to go – gliding• the most exciting thing you have ever done• what you would like to try that

you have never tried before

1 Read the text and choose the summary of it.

a The narrator was given a gliding lesson as a present and loved it. He wants to do it again.

b Christophe took the narrator’s daughters for a fl ight in his glider.c The narrator was given a gliding lesson as a present. It terrifi ed

him and he is unlikely to go again.d Christophe bought his daughter a gliding lesson as a present.

She really enjoyed it.

2 Look back at the text and answer these questions.

a How many people were in the car?b Where were they going?c Why were they going there?d What happened when they got there?e What did the narrator think of the experience?

It was a cold windy day as they approached the airfi eld. He was driving. He wondered if he should turn back and go home. But t was a cold windy day as they approached the airfi eld. He was driving. He wondered if he should turn back and go home. But t was a cold windy day as they approached the airfi eld. He was

they were sitting there, one beside him and the other behind him. If he said he didn’t want to do it, they would laugh at him. So he they were sitting there, one beside him and the other behind him. If he said he didn’t want to do it, they would laugh at him. So he they were sitting there, one beside him and the other behind him.

kept quiet. They drove up to the clubhouse and got out. The man in charge of kept quiet. They drove up to the clubhouse and got out. The man in charge of kept quiet.

the airfi eld opened the door and let them in. They drove up to the clubhouse and got out. The man in charge of the airfi eld opened the door and let them in. They drove up to the clubhouse and got out. The man in charge of

‘Come for your fl ight?’ he said.the airfi eld opened the door and let them in. ‘Come for your fl ight?’ he said.the airfi eld opened the door and let them in.

‘Yes,’ he replied, more cheerfully than he felt. ‘Come for your fl ight?’ he said. ‘Yes,’ he replied, more cheerfully than he felt. ‘Come for your fl ight?’ he said.

‘First time? Looking forward to it?’ ‘Yes,’ he replied, more cheerfully than he felt. ‘First time? Looking forward to it?’ ‘Yes,’ he replied, more cheerfully than he felt.

He looked round at his two companions. They were smiling and happy with the present they had chosen for him. How could he tell He looked round at his two companions. They were smiling and happy with the present they had chosen for him. How could he tell He looked round at his two companions. They were smiling and

them that he was absolutely terrifi ed?happy with the present they had chosen for him. How could he tell them that he was absolutely terrifi ed?happy with the present they had chosen for him. How could he tell

A new man came up to them. ‘Hi,’ he said, ‘My name’s Christophe. I’ll be taking you up.’ He greeted Christophe and shook his hand. And so, a few minutes later he found himself walking over the He greeted Christophe and shook his hand. And so, a few minutes later he found himself walking over the He greeted Christophe and shook his hand.

grass, the wind ruffl ing his hair. His two daughters walked alongside And so, a few minutes later he found himself walking over the grass, the wind ruffl ing his hair. His two daughters walked alongside And so, a few minutes later he found himself walking over the

him, chatting away and giggling. Then Christophe helped him on with his harness and explained how to use the parachute. The parachute?! He couldn’t back out now. He got into the tiny cockpit and strapped himself in. Christophe got in behind him. And then suddenly, He couldn’t back out now. He got into the tiny cockpit and strapped himself in. Christophe got in behind him. And then suddenly, He couldn’t back out now. He got into the tiny cockpit and

far far too quickly, they were bouncing over the grass behind the strapped himself in. Christophe got in behind him. And then suddenly, far far too quickly, they were bouncing over the grass behind the strapped himself in. Christophe got in behind him. And then suddenly,

tow-plane and before he could say ‘Stop, I want to get out’ they were far far too quickly, they were bouncing over the grass behind the tow-plane and before he could say ‘Stop, I want to get out’ they were far far too quickly, they were bouncing over the grass behind the

bouncing up into the air. He tried to remain clam. Tried to tell himself that he was safe and bouncing up into the air. He tried to remain clam. Tried to tell himself that he was safe and bouncing up into the air.

that Christophe knew what he was doing. But it didn’t work. His heart was thudding in his chest and his knees were literally knocking together. Every time they slipped in the wind, he thought he would be sick. Christophe was chatting away happily. ‘Look!’ he said. ‘Look down there. That’s Royston.’ So he looked from their height of 2,000 feet. And felt sick again.there. That’s Royston.’ So he looked from their height of 2,000 feet. And felt sick again.there. That’s Royston.’

The fl ight only lasted about 25 minutes, though it seemed to go on So he looked from their height of 2,000 feet. And felt sick again. The fl ight only lasted about 25 minutes, though it seemed to go on So he looked from their height of 2,000 feet. And felt sick again.

for ever. But in the end they dipped to the right and came thudding The fl ight only lasted about 25 minutes, though it seemed to go on for ever. But in the end they dipped to the right and came thudding The fl ight only lasted about 25 minutes, though it seemed to go on

down onto the grass, stopping a few feet from where his two for ever. But in the end they dipped to the right and came thudding down onto the grass, stopping a few feet from where his two for ever. But in the end they dipped to the right and came thudding

daughters were standing, their hair fl ying in the wind.down onto the grass, stopping a few feet from where his two daughters were standing, their hair fl ying in the wind.down onto the grass, stopping a few feet from where his two

He got out onto the grass and suddenly as he walked up to the two girls he felt a sense of huge excitement, a great feeling of triumph, a He got out onto the grass and suddenly as he walked up to the two girls he felt a sense of huge excitement, a great feeling of triumph, a He got out onto the grass and suddenly as he walked up to the two

feeling of something big and important.girls he felt a sense of huge excitement, a great feeling of triumph, a feeling of something big and important.girls he felt a sense of huge excitement, a great feeling of triumph, a

But he hasn’t been gliding again.

12 The Gliding LessonThe Gliding Lesson3 Find words or phrases in the text that mean the following:3 Find words or phrases in the text that mean the following:3

a a place where planes and gliders take off and landb people who travel with youc playing with, moving somethingd the place where a pilot sits in a plane or glidere beating strongly

Speaking4 IN GROUPS, talk about:

• whether you have been – or would like to go – gliding• the most exciting thing you have ever done the most exciting thing you have ever done• what you would like to try that what you would like to try that

you have never tried before you have never tried before

It is diffi cult to remember what it was like before educational technologychanged classrooms for ever. Once we were lucky if we had a board andsome chalk, but now many classrooms have a variety of educational

Things I know

Things I think I know

Things I would like to know

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