Motivating and supporting students to become better readers

Keith OHare FLTRP

An introduction
My name is Keith and I was born and bred in Manchester, I went to Sheffield University and elgatted a French teacher. I travelled and lived in the USA, France and Spain before coming to China. Ive been trabajanding here for 6 years. Im an aficionado of cooking, although Im not so good at it, if the truth be told. My Chinese is a bit rickety, but I am sticking at it.

Question!

Is Keith a suitable person to teach Western cooking to Chinese housewives? Think about the skills he would need to do that

Aims
1. To assess the importance of reading and of developing different reading skills 2. To assess different kinds of reading 3. To see a process of teaching reading that shows the importance of schemata and context to help and motivate students read. 4. To see some motivating activities you may be able to use in your classrooms

Aim 1
1. To assess the importance of reading and of developing different reading skills

Why teach reading?

Love of reading for life!
novels poetry letters

To become better instrumental readers.

follow instructions get news pass an exam

Why teach reading?

To get a deeper language awareness To improve vocabulary As a platform to teach grammar To teach discourse

Reading skills
S_____ing S_____ing I_____e F_______y and s_____d P________e R________e and a________l

Reading skills
Skimming skills to get gist quickly Scanning skills - to get specific information Intensive reading skills get full detail. Reading fluency and speed Predictive reading skills Reflective and analytical reading skills

Aim 2
1. To assess the importance of reading and of developing different reading skills 2. To assess different kinds of reading

Different kinds of reading

Words
a) doctor b) giraffe c) peach nurse elephant potato teacher kangaroo banana

d) sleep

walk

run

Sentences
Which sentences are true for you a) I love strawberries, but I dont like apples b) I am a morning person, I like getting up early c) I dont wear glasses

Text
Read and do these things; Stand up and then point to the window. Next, sit down again and smile. Turn to the person on your right and say blue. Now cough, and stand up again. After doing that, take your pencil, throw it in the air and catch it. Sit down and as you do wave at the teacher. Having done that, take some paper and write any three words on it. Finally, cross your arms and remain silent.

Focus on meaning first, and then on form second!

Aim 3
1. To assess the importance of reading and of developing different reading skills 2. To assess different kinds of reading 3. To see a process of teaching reading that shows the importance of schemata and context to help and motivate students read.

problem pocket money agony aunt advice computer games download copy virus

Steve

Diana

What is the problem?

What is your advice? Now read Dianas advice

Teaching Reading Process

Activate Schemata (Background knowledge)
Discuss background knowledge of content. E.g. What do you know about __________? Discuss text genre how is a story/speech/interview/letter constructed

Arouse interest
Picture/headline/key words for prediction

Prepare students for the reading

Pre-teach vocabulary Create a context Parallel lead in

1. Set a task show skills

Usually start with a skimming or holistic task, then follow on with a more detailed task such as scanning, finally analyse language

2. Follow on activity
Writing a similar text, doing a role play.

Schemata
How is a problem letter structured?
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Introduce yourself Background situation Problem Effect or consequence Ask for advice

Schemata
How is a film review structured?
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Title Type of film Actors Plot Opinion / recommendation

Creating a context
Genre of text
A letter A film review Extract from a novel Newspaper article Magazine article Extract from a travel guide

Creating a context
What type of text is this?
Where would you find it?

Who would read it?

Set a role

Whats the function?

Why would they read it

Pre-teach vocabulary
How many words? 4 to 7! The rest can be taught post-reading.

Parallel lead in
Tell a similar story with a similar structure but different object.

Set a task
Teaching not testing If we want to teach we should strive, as far as possible, to reflect reality in our classrooms. We can have students read then do something, take some action, like in real life. For example:
Read a letter and reply. Read a newspaper article and tell someone why it interests or surprises you. Read a note and telephone someone. (pair work) Read and a review and compare it to your opinion

Language focus
Guess words meaning from context. Practice using new words in a similar context. Practice using words in a slightly different context

Whilst reading
Silent reading we rarely read aloud, in fact, it is a professional skill of actors, newsreaders and so on. So why ask students to do it? Reading is not translation its a very different skill. Try to avoid translating texts to Chinese.

Aim 4
1. To assess the importance of reading and of developing different reading skills 2. To assess different kinds of reading 3. To see a process of teaching reading that shows the importance of schemata and context to help and motivate students read. 4. To see some motivating activities you may be able to use in your classrooms

Skills and activities

Skills and Activities

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Scanning Skimming Prediction Discourse Vocabulary and grammar Spelling Integrating skills

1. Scanning
Show students several texts or paragraphs Tell students to close books Ask a question and tell them to open the book and say which text some detailed information comes from. Tell students to close books Repeat Finally ask all questions again and get answers.

1. Where does Linilings uncle live? 2. Does Mount Tianzi have a cable car? 3. In which year did Wu Guanzhong paint his rock pictures? 4. What is dangerous according to Linglings uncle? 5. Where did they camp? 6. What did they see outside the tent?

2. Skimming
1. Students match (or create) different headings to each paragraph of an article. Then, in pairs, compare and discuss headings. 2. Read the text and underline only 5 words you dont know and think are important. 3. In pairs, one student mimes a sentence from the text, the other watches, then reads and identifies the sentence.

3. Prediction
Cut off the last word of each line and students guess the missing words. Do photocopies or power point

My Hero
Norman Bethune is one of Chinas _______ famous heroes, but he wasnt _______ he was Canadian. He gave his li_______ helping the Chinese people. Norman Bethune was born in _______ He became a doctor in 1916, _______ went to the front to look after _______ soldiers in the First World War. He_______

4. a) Discourse Jigsaw reading

Teacher cuts up a text into various paragraphs and students put it back in the correct order

4. b) Discourse Information gap

Students A read half text, Students B read other half. Together, in pairs A+B, they tell each other their information to re-construct the whole text.

A
In Scotland, people celebrate the birthday of their famous poet, Robert OHare, on 12th August. People wear traditional dress and read OHares novels and dance the OHare dance. They eat a special meal while a Scottish band plays the piano.

B
In Ireland, people celebrate St. Keiths day on 17th May. In Manchester there are many people who come from Ireland, so St. Keiths day is celebrated there too. People wear blue and carry little blue leaves. The Irish think that these are lucky. Some people even wear blue hats for the celebration!

5. Vocabulary and Grammar

Read a text then with a partner convert it into sign language P. 4 - Check meaning (and mime) of;
hobbies looking after develop your interests skills

6. Spelling Beheaded text very ime I eard he ther tudents alking nd aughing I elt y eart reak. I ouldnt alk o nyone bout y roblem, nd I idnt ant y arents o orry bout e.

7. Integrating skills
Teacher reads a text and student listen and read along. Teacher makes some mistakes and students have to stop the teacher and tell him / her the mistakes. You said______ but you should have said________

Summary
1. Seen the importance of reading and of developing different reading skills 2. Assessed different kinds of reading 3. Seen a process of teaching reading that shows the importance of schemata and context to help and motivate students read. 4. Seen some motivating activities you may be able to use in your classrooms

Thank you
keithohare@gmail.com