ELTM Unit 3 Focus on Reading

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ELTM Unit 3 Focus on Reading

• Presented By Jia Lin (Dana)

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Unit 3 Objectives

• Think of reading as an active process focused on
  meaning.
• Learn about different approaches towards reading.
• Know how to teach reading strategies such as
  skimming, scanning and inferring.
• Be able to design a lesson that teaches reading
  in three stages.

P100
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Unit 3 Overview
P99
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Warm-up Exercise
Do you approach reading in English the same way that you approach reading in Chinese? Ask yourself the following questions
How long do I pause when I come across a new word in Chinese (compared to reading in English)? Do I always read at the same speed in Chinese (compared to reading in English)? How often do I read in Chinese to learn about things I am interested in (compared to English)?
P100-101
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1Introducing Reading
A1 P101-105
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Key Terms

• decoding
• bottom-up
• top-down
• interactive
• schema
• relevant
• strategy

• ...changing symbols into words
• ...build up meaning from words
• ...build meaning from topic down to word level
• ...both bottom-up and top-down
• ...background knowledge
• ...related to the topic
• ...a plan or tactic by which one accomplishes
  something

A1 P101-105
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Reading involves...

• Not only recognizing words, but making sense of
  them.
• More than just decoding or knowing how words
  should be pronounced.
• Actively guessing, predicting, checking and
  asking questions.
• Getting the meaning out of a text and responding
  to it appropriately.

A1 T1 P101
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What kind of reading do you do?
In pairs, make lists of the different types of material that each of you read each week (e.g. novels, magazines, menus, email, short messages...). Check your partners list to make sure you have not forgotten any. Compare your purposes in reading. How much time do you spend reading for study compared to reading for entertainment?
A1 T2 P102
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Why we read.

• To survive.
• Buying products and using them properly (e.g.
  medicine bottles). The kind of reading you do at
  work. Studying to pass exams.
• For information.
• Reading with the purpose of broadening your
  general knowledge and learning more about the
  world (e.g. newspapers, magazines, web pages).
• For pleasure.
• Reading for leisure and entertainment (e.g.
  novels, movie subtitles).

A1 T2 P101-102
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How would you read this?
HIV-Positive Muppet Gets UNICEF Role Mon Nov 24,
427 PM ET By NAOMI KOPPEL, Associated Press
Writer GENEVA - The U.N. Children's Fund has
appointed an HIV-positive Muppet starring in the
South African version of "Sesame Street" as a
"global champion for children," officials said
Monday. Kami, a mustard-colored furry Muppet who
appears regularly on "Takalani Sesame,"
represents a 5-year-old girl orphaned by AIDS.
UNICEF said she "has brought levity and
compassion to a topic that so often evokes the
opposite." Kami will appear in public service
ads and as a representative for other joint
projects between UNICEF and Sesame Workshop, a
U.S.-based, nonprofit organization that makes
"Sesame Street." The Muppet debuts in her new
role Wednesday at the presentation of a new
UNICEF report, "Africa's Orphaned Generation,"
which details the impact of HIV/AIDS on children
in Africa.
Would you read every word first before working
out the overall meaning? Or would you look at
the title, picture and first sentence and first
predict what its all about?
A1 T3 P102-103
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Ways to read text.

• Reading bottom-up...
• In a bottom-up approach, the reader decodes
  words, then sentences, then paragraphs until he
  finally understands the whole text.
• Reading top-down...
• In a top-down approach, the reader scans the
  title and first sentence and thinks about the
  topic before understanding all the details.
• Reading interactively...
• The reader shifts between bottom-up and top-down
  ways of reading in an interactive approach. For
  example, she may predict the context and then
  look for words/phrases that confirm her
  understanding.

A1 T3 P102-103
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Reading problems.

• Sometimes a reader can recognize every word but
  still cant grasp the overall meaning.
• The problem may be that the reader doesnt have
  enough background knowledge or has problems with
  the style of language i.e. problems with schema.

A1 T4 P103-104
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Understanding the schema of things.

• Readers may need to activate some relevant
  background knowledge (schema) in order to
  understand a text.
• Using a schema, readers can relate what they read
  to their expectations, revising their
  understanding as they proceed.
• Effective strategies can then be applied to
  working through the entire text.

A1 T4-5 P104-105
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Key Concepts
Reading is more than just decoding. To really understand what we read, we must go through an active process of anticipating and clarifying. Top-down and bottom-up approaches to reading can be used individually, or combined interactively for best results. Readers need to activate their background knowledge of the topic (schema) in the initial stages of the reading process.
A1 P105
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2Identifying MajorReading Strategies
A2 P105-129
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Key Terms

• skim
• scan
• infer
• retrieval
• rhetorical structure
• chronological
• cohesive devices

• ...read noting main points
• ...read looking for details
• ...discover using reason and logic
• ...finding or extracting (info.)
• ...literary devices/phrases linking discourse
  into logical order
• ...logical order based on time
• ...referring to something already mentioned using
  a pronoun

A2 P101-105
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Identify some reading strategies.
In Activity 1, you made a list of the types of materials you read every week and your purposes in doing so. You also considered the amount of time you spend reading them. Now, decide whether you skim (just read the main points) or scan each one (look for specific details).
I always scan the flyers for good buys!
A1 T2 P102
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Reading strategies and skills.

• When you decide whether to skim or scan, you are
  applying strategies.
• Skimming is a useful skill when you want to know
  what has been happening in the news (an example
  of looking for highlights).
• Scanning is a good skill to apply when you are
  looking for a phone number in your address book
  (an example of retrieval).
• Some reading materials require that you think
  carefully and deeply, noting details and drawing
  inferences.
• Important legal contracts require you to consider
  various possible interpretations.
• At times, you may also need to consider the text
  structure.
• To make sense of a long document, you need to
  know the authors order of presentation or the
  arrangement of details.

A2 T1 P105-106
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Skimming to get the gist.

• When skimming, a reader will go through the text
  quickly, just to get the main idea.
• The goal is to find what is interesting but not
  spend too much time on what is not.
• Taking notes in order to write a summary of the
  important points would require good skimming
  skills.

A2 T1 P106-109
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Skim to find the main ideas.
Why do many computer users set up small networks? What is one way of defining cyberspace? Which paragraph mentions introductory Internet books and getting connected? What kind of forum could one use to set up a newsgroup? Which two paragraphs list three common uses for the Internet?
Find the number of the paragraph (text pages
110-111 that answers these questions.
A1 T1 P110-111
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Skim to find the main ideas.
Why do many computer users set up small networks? 4 What is one way of defining cyberspace? 3 Which paragraph mentions introductory Internet books and getting connected? 5 What kind of forum could one use to set up a newsgroup? 2 Which two paragraphs list three common uses for the Internet? 15
A1 T1 P110-112
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Scan to find details.

• Use this reading skill to find specific
  information efficiently.
• When scanning, keep focused on what you are
  looking for and ignore everything else.
• For example, disregard all the other street names
  as you search for the street you want to find.

A1 T1 P113-114
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Examples of scanning.

• Looking for your own name on a guest list.
• Looking for your favorite dish on a menu.
• Looking through a list of web pages returned by
  Google for one that contains the information
  you want.

• Checking a dictionary for the definition of an
  unfamiliar word (p 115).
• Checking for the place in the instruction manual
  that explains how to fix something.
• Checking a reference book to make sure you quoted
  a fact correctly.

A1 T1 P114-115
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Scan the FAQs in the owners manual to answer
these questions

1. How do I check if I have any voice messages?
2. How do I make the ringing quieter or turn it off?
3. What do I do if when I press the keys of my cell
   phone, nothing happens?

A2 T2 P115
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Feedback to scanning exercise.

• How do I check if I have any voice messages?
• Call your voice mailbox number and follow the
  directions.
• How do I make the ringing quieter or turn it off?
• Press Menu 3 1 2 3, press Select, scroll to the
  volume level desired, then press OK.
• What do I do if when I press the keys of my cell
  phone, nothing happens?
• This could be the result of either the keypad
  being locked OR a security code. Need to check
  pages 66-69 of the manual.

To answer 2 3, you also needed to INFER!
A2 T2 P115
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Inferring

• Writers cannot possibly include all the
  background, cultural information, logic, opinions
  and attitudes that you as a reader might want to
  know about.
• A skillful writer will give you just enough to
  let you read between the lines (infer).

• For example, you can infer the meaning of words
  from the context (e.g. 2 RMB can be exchanged in
  Thailand for about 9 baht).
• You can also infer the authors attitude and
  opinion based on the choice of words (e.g.
  sensational and erroneous conclusion).

A2 T3 P116-117
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Try drawing some inferences.

• Based on what you understand of the text, what is
  a verbal tirade? (Use the context.)
• How would you describe the pop stars attitude?
• What opinion does the writer of the news clip
  most likely have towards the pop star?

A2 T3 P118-119
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Using rhetorical structures.

• Rhetorical structures reveal the way text is
  organized.
• Recognizing these structures will help you to
  read text quickly and accurately.
• Some common types of structures are

• chronological order,
• cause and effect,
• comparison and contrast,
• classification,
• process, and
• definition.

A2 T3 P120-121
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Identify the type of structure.
Topic sentence Rhetorical structure
One of Charlie Chaplins most famous films was The Gold Rush, made in 1925. chronological cause effect comparison contrast classification process definition
Not all body language means the same thing in different countries. chronological cause effect comparison contrast classification process definition
Every morning, the newspaper chief editor holds a meeting with the other journalists. chronological cause effect comparison contrast classification process definition
Every year, millions of smokers die because of illnesses which are caused by smoking tobacco. chronological cause effect comparison contrast classification process definition
Walt Disney, the great film-maker, was born in Chicago in 1901. chronological cause effect comparison contrast classification process definition
Coins may be of different sizes, weights, shapes, and of different metals. chronological cause effect comparison contrast classification process definition
A2 T3 P120-128
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Identify the type of structure.
Topic sentence Rhetorical structure
One of Charlie Chaplins most famous films was The Gold Rush, made in 1925. chronological cause effect comparison contrast classification process definition
Not all body language means the same thing in different countries. chronological cause effect comparison contrast classification process definition
Every morning, the newspaper chief editor holds a meeting with the other journalists. chronological cause effect comparison contrast classification process definition
Every year, millions of smokers die because of illnesses which are caused by smoking tobacco. chronological cause effect comparison contrast classification process definition
Walt Disney, the great film-maker, was born in Chicago in 1901. chronological cause effect comparison contrast classification process definition
Coins may be of different sizes, weights, shapes, and of different metals. chronological cause effect comparison contrast classification process definition
A2 T3 P120-127
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Rhetorical structures and teaching.

• Once you recognize the structure of a passage, as
  a teacher you can design exercises suited to the
  style of text.
• For example, a text developed in chronological
  order is well-suited to being reordered or to
  filling in tables (see example on pages 122-123
  of the text).

Date Event Comments


A2 T3 P120-124
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Match structures with exercises.
Rhetorical structure Type of exercise
chronological reorder sentences/paragraphs fill in table fill in diagram summary (write, correct) select topic sentence match
cause effect reorder sentences/paragraphs fill in table fill in diagram summary (write, correct) select topic sentence match
comparison contrast reorder sentences/paragraphs fill in table fill in diagram summary (write, correct) select topic sentence match
classification reorder sentences/paragraphs fill in table fill in diagram summary (write, correct) select topic sentence match
process reorder sentences/paragraphs fill in table fill in diagram summary (write, correct) select topic sentence match
definition reorder sentences/paragraphs fill in table fill in diagram summary (write, correct) select topic sentence match
Discuss reasons for your choices in groups.
There may be multiple correct answers.
A2 T3 P120-127
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Cohesive devices.
They said this and that as they talked with them
about it...

• Rather than use the same long subject over and
  over, writers often use pronouns to refer back to
  them.
• Training students to recognize and follow these
  links will avoid misunderstandings.

A2 T3 P128
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Key Concepts
By teaching students reading skills such as skimming, scanning and inferring, teachers can help students to meet goals efficiently. Recognizing rhetorical structures helps the reader to understand how text has been developed and understand it. Cohesive devices include using pronouns (such as they, it, that, this, them, he, she, etc.) to refer back to something that has already been mentioned. Exercises can be designed to help students improve their reading in various areas.
A1 P129
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3The Three Stagesof Teaching Reading
A3 P129-147
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Key Terms

• stimulate
• challenge
• anticipation
• brainstorm
• jumbled
• supplementary
• integrate

• ...encourage activity
• ...testing skill or ability
• ...feelings of expectation
• ...come up with ideas
• ...mixed up
• ...additional
• ...combine so that they work together

A3 P129-152
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Three stages?

• To teach reading effectively, we need to
  stimulate students interest and motivation,
  challenge them and train them to be efficient
  readers.
• Teaching reading in three stages promotes
• anticipation (and therefore motivation),
• encourages language and information use, and
• helps students to reflect on what they have read
  and thus process language more deeply.

A3 T1 P129-130
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Easy as 1, 2, 3.

• Pre-reading stage arouse interest, motivate,
  prepare.
• While-reading stage explore text.
• Post-reading stage consolidate and reflect.

A3 T1 P130
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Pre-reading stage.

• Purpose is to motivate students and prepare them
  for reading the text. Try
• visual aids (diagrams, maps, photos, props),
• questions (what they already know, or what they
  would like to know),
• providing background information,
• brainstorming (students can guess what the text
  will be about, perhaps by considering key words
  from the text in groups).

What should NOT be done at this stage?
A3 T2 P131-136
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While-reading stage.

• Focus on the content and structure of the text
  and consider the authors purpose. Use
• exercises that train skimming, scanning or
  inferring,
• tables, diagrams, forms in which students
  transfer specific points from the text,
• other exercises such as reordering jumbled text,
  locating referents, identifying meanings of words
  and main points.

What should NOT be done at this stage?
A3 T2 P137-143
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Post-reading stage.

• Consolidate (reinforce) what has been learned and
  integrate it with other sorts of knowledge.
  Engage students in
• discussion or role-play exercises,
• summary or retelling of the main points,
• responding to the text through personal comments
  or what-happens-next,
• learning supplementary information.

What should NOT be done at this stage?
A3 T3 P144-147
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Selecting suitable exercises.
Lesson stage Type of exercise
pre-reading reorder events of the story talk about wine shops infer thinking of shop assistants talk about shopping experiences talk about journalists role-play student doing consumer report show example of a consumer report work out the meaning of phrases
while-reading reorder events of the story talk about wine shops infer thinking of shop assistants talk about shopping experiences talk about journalists role-play student doing consumer report show example of a consumer report work out the meaning of phrases
post-reading reorder events of the story talk about wine shops infer thinking of shop assistants talk about shopping experiences talk about journalists role-play student doing consumer report show example of a consumer report work out the meaning of phrases
Read the text on page 146 and select some
exercises to be used at each of the three stages
in a reading lesson.
A3 T3 P146-153
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Selecting suitable exercises.
Lesson stage Type of exercise
pre-reading reorder events of the story talk about wine shops infer thinking of shop assistants talk about shopping experiences talk about journalists role-play student doing consumer report show example of a consumer report work out the meaning of phrases
while-reading reorder events of the story talk about wine shops infer thinking of shop assistants talk about shopping experiences talk about journalists role-play student doing consumer report show example of a consumer report work out the meaning of phrases
post-reading reorder events of the story talk about wine shops infer thinking of shop assistants talk about shopping experiences talk about journalists role-play student doing consumer report show example of a consumer report work out the meaning of phrases
Read the text on page 146 and select some
exercises to be used at each of the three stages
in a reading lesson.
A3 T3 P146-153
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The Schoolmaster needs your help.

• She always teaches reading by dictating new
  words, making students read the text aloud, and
  then testing student comprehension with
  questions.
• Can you devise a reading plan in 3 stages that
  would make her class more interesting? Include a
  word or two about the purpose of each exercise.

A3 T4 P148-152
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Design exercises for each stage.
NO SMOKING, PLEASE! In Britain, 70 of
smokers say that they would like to stop smoking,
and of these smokers, 83 have tried more than
once to give it up. Why do smokers continue to
smoke, even when they know the habit may kill
them or at least cause a serious illness? The
problem with tobacco is that it contains a drug
called nicotine. Nicotine is a drug that gets
one into the habit of smoking. That means that
once you start taking the drug, it is hard to
stop. When smokers who are used to
nicotine go without it for an hour or two, they
begin to feel bad. The body is calling for a new
supply of the drug nicotine. All they need is
something to make them feel better at that
moment. One thing that will stop them feeling
bad is the drug nicotine, which is contained in
cigarettes. And so their habit of smoking
continues.
Lesson Plan (Based on Senior English for China Book 2A p10)
Pre-reading stage
While-reading stage
Post-reading stage
A3 T4 P148-152
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Good work!
Lesson Plan (Based on Senior English for China Book 2A p10 No Smoking)
Pre-reading stage Ask students to state what they already know about cigarettes and smoking. (Forming predictions)
While-reading stage Students fill in a table with two columns titled Why Stop Smoking and Why Its Difficult. (Scanning and Inferring)
Post-reading stage Role-play a young student urging an older relative to stop smoking. (Reflect/consolidate)
A3 T4 P148-152
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Key Concepts
The three-stage approach to teaching reading is an effective way to add variety and interest to reading lessons while teaching important reading skills. Although the amount of time spent at each stage may vary greatly according to the type of text, planning lessons in this way has many advantages. As teachers gain experience in designing a wide variety of tasks suited to both authentic and non-authentic reading materials, their own confidence and skill in teaching ESL will grow.
A3 P153-154
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Unit 3 Evaluation Questions

• What was the most useful thing you learned in
  this unit?
• How has learning about a three-stage approach to
  teaching reading changed your ideas about ELT?
• What points should you keep in mind when
  designing reading activities?
• How can you apply what you learned in this unit
  in your teaching?

P154
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Additional Reading

• Reading skills that students should acquire...
  How to Teach English (Jeremy Harmer) 68-69
• Sequences for teaching reading... How to Teach
  English (Jeremy Harmer) 71-77

P154
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Its time for YOUR questions.

• Are there still any areas of difficulty?
• Do you have questions about any points in the
  presentation?
• Thank you for your participation.

P154