IDIOMA EXTRANJERO II (INGLS)

Learning to read in English

READING STRATEGIES
When children are listening to the spoken word they often use similar strategies to those used in understanding the written word. The section on listening described some of the successful strategies which can be used in the comprehension process, such as the importance of drawing upon previous knowledge about a topic or the usefulness of encouraging learners to use this knowledge by predicting what might be heard or read next. Research has shown that actively encouraging learners to use comprehension strategies such as these helps them understand both spoken and written passages more effectively. If learners know, for example, that they are listening to or reading something to get a general picture, they will listen or read in a slightly different way than if they are expected to listen, or read in detail for specific parts of a spoken or written message. Another strategy for reading based on experience in listening involves working out the meaning of unfamiliar words from context, using pictures, general knowledge or 'intelligent guesswork' based on previous learning. For example, recognizing discourse markers such as but and so in spoken texts helps learners see a similar relationship between ideas in a written text. Activities which include the use of charts provide an intermediate stage in reading development and also provide a framework to support children's listening and speaking skills. Reading practice may also be derived from listening work or may lead to writing. In this way, reading becomes integrated with other language skills. The most common reading activities in many primary classrooms are gap-filling and answering traditional comprehension questions. The chart describes other kinds of reading activity which can be used with young learners. They range from activities which develop phonic skills or encourage sight recognition of key vocabulary to those which lead to practice in other skills, such as speaking, listening or writing. Many of these activities emphasize reading for meaning and reading to develop conceptual development or thinking skills, such as problem-solving. They are useful alternative techniques for checking reading comprehension and provide variety, thus helping to maintain the pupils interest in reading.

ORGANIZING READING
Some of the activities described in the chart can be used with the whole class, while others can be done individually, in pairs or in groups. If different children are working on different activities, the activities will need to be kept in separate folders. These must be clearly labelled and/or colour-coded to show their level of difficulty so that the children can organize themselves and work independently. Another good idea is to set up a reading display of different text types. These might include menus, timetables, stories, letters, advertisements, food packets, tickets, invitations, and so on. The class can then discuss different purposes for reading, for example, to find your way, to learn how to make something, to find information, to answer a question you have, to enjoy yourself, and so on. This kind of reading awareness has useful spin-offs, both for English and for the pupils' mother tongue. One of the most obvious ways of linking the reading children do at home and at school is to use stories.

IDIOMA EXTRANJERO II (INGLS)

READING ACTIVITIES
Activity type
1 Playing games such as Dominoes, Bingo and Snap The children learn to match words, pictures or letters.

Purpose

Materials
Domino cards Written words on cards for Snap, bingo boards

To develop phonic skills and sight recognition of upper and lower case letters and common words To develop phonic skills and slight recognition of words For meaning To develop an understanding of
word order

2 Playing games such as Odd-one-out or Spot the difference Pupils identify similarities and differences between letters or words. 3 Reading words and rearranging them to make sentences A useful way of checking comprehension.

Flashcards or worksheets with words grouped In threes or fours

Sentences on cards cut up Into individual words

4 Matching or mapping two halves of a sentence so that they make sense

For meaning To become familiar with simple

sentence patterns

Written parts of a sentence on card or a worksheet

5 Using vocabulary prompt cards to make statements The use of pictures prompts rehearses sentence patterns such as I can skate/swim, etc. 6 Reading and ticking a chart to make sentences or ask questions. This also provides rehearsal of specific structures.

As a prompt for speaking and pronunciation practice To become familiar with sentence patterns As a prompt for interaction in pairs To rehearse sentence patterns and pronunciation To reinforce listening skills To develop faster reading For meaning, which acts as a useful context for discussion in pairs or groups For checking comprehension For meaning, to reinforce concepts For encouraging problem-solving

Prompt cards with words and/or pictures showing, for example, nouns action verbs

Chart on the blackboard or on a worksheet

7 Matching pictures to speech bubbles As the children listen to the teacher or a cassette, they read a selection of speech bubbles and choose the correct one. 8 Sequencing While the children listen to a stretch of narrative or a description, they arrange sentences in the right order. 9 Checking written statements The children read statements, for example, riddles or sentences based on a survey, and check whether they are true or false, or write answers to the riddles. 10 Reading lists of words or different text types For example, food packets, adverts, and . classifying these under headings

Pictures and speech bubbles on card or on a worksheet

Sentences written on card or sentences with boxes which are numbered to show their order

Written sentences on the blackboard or pinned next to a large graph or chart of a class survey

For meaning, to develop concepts To encourage problem-solving

Worksheets with lists of words and headings, for example: clothes for warm weather/clothes for cold weather

THE PRIMARY ENGLISH TEACHERS GUIDE. Jean Brewster, Gail Ellis and Denis Girard.