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ESL forum >
Techniques and methods in Language Teaching > How do I get Students to understand what they are reading, not just read it out loud?
How do I get Students to understand what they are reading, not just read it out loud?
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LoriLdos Anjos
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How do I get Students to understand what they are reading, not just read it out loud?
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This is a question that I have been pondering for quite some time now. I have noticed that many of my students while reading a text out loud are just saying the words, possibly even pronouncing them in the correct way, yet they are not comprehending what they are reading. They usually go back after reading it and translate it in their heads or read it slower to understand the meaning. I mean, it�s an easy thing to do, even for native speakers. I remember as a child reading texts out loud for the teacher without paying attention to what I was reading, just saying the words.....Does anyone have any ideas???? Thanks in advance, Lori  |
9 Dec 2008
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mena22
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Good afternoon Loril! Have you already tried some motivating pre-resding activities (before giving them the text) in which the students have to guess, speculate about the text through an image, key words, whatever? Students usually love to see who was right who was wrong, and they can only do that when they read. |
9 Dec 2008
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Vickiii
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Hi Lori,
I am currently making up some reading detective cards to promote reading comprehension. They are for my class that starts next year (I am going home so will have a native speaking class). If you send me an email I will send them to you as soon as they are finished. I don�t think they are really esol materials so wasn�t planning on uploading them.
The set I am creating at the moment is for 6 year olds. (hence the request yesterday for some cool pictures of detectives - thank you to all those that helped!) I also have an old set I made up for 10 year olds.
Reading comprehension is an extremely important part of learning to read. I personally am getting quite good at reading fluently in spanish - pity i don�t understand a word of what I am saying! It has really highlighted to me how much of an issue this fluency versus comprehension is.
Reading outloud actually inhibits comprehension. children should always be given a chance to read to themselves quietly before beign asked to read something outloud.
In a few words (hahaha - im not good at a few words!)
- make sure when you are asking students to read a passage - always tell them what they are learning today (i.e. - today we are learning to compare and contrast information and we will know we are successful when we can fill in this Venn diagram with facts from the text). Then ask the students to read a paragraph and find out something that is the same (ie both humans and birds have a skeleton) and the next paragraph find something that is different (ie humans have hair whereas birds have feathers). fill in a venn diagram together as you read.
At the end of the session check your learning intention - did we achieve it? all the kids go YES! now send them off with a text to do by themselves or with a partner. they can make their own venn diagram with pretty coloured paper to stick on the wall.
Just one idea.
hope it helps
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9 Dec 2008
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eng789
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What I do is pull out a bunch of new words that I think are important for them to know in order to understand the text. Before we start reading, usually for homework, I tell them to translate the words. In class when I or they are reading the text I stop at each new word and ask them what it means to make sure they found the correct meaning in context to the text.
Peoples usaually say that the first reading should be done by the teacher so that they can hear proper pronounciation. But this depends on the level of the kids. |
9 Dec 2008
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Vickiii
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Hi english.
I think that there are two different types of comprehension as well. I can often figure out what each word in a spanish sentence means but the meaning of the sentence alludes me. I am sure it is the same for people learning english. So we have:
Vocabulary
Actual meaning of words put together.
I also do vocabularly building activities - always in a context rather than in isolation.
Before reading a passage I might ask students to look at the pictures - what do they think this is going to be about (connect to prior knowledge) and then I will identify some vocabulary words and have students brainstorm the meaning - or I might have pictures to associate them with - or I might quickly give them the meaning - in regards to this text.
I also like the picture of a ship for new words. put the new word in the picture of a boat. Have synonyms on the sail, put the definition flowing out behind, have your own sentence on the anchor, and have the antonym on the island. |
9 Dec 2008
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eng789
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Sorry, I should have said that I am speaking about high level intermediate pupils. I also sometimes draw pictures or scenes on the bb to help them understand . But these kids can handle a text if the amount of new vocabulary isn�t to great. |
9 Dec 2008
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Vickiii
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Hi english,
Erm... I was agreeing with you - i really like the idea of giving it as homework - then they can figure out the context for themselves in relation to the reading when you give it to them the next day. I was thinking of a class that I could give this to as an activity.
The bbc readings are great for this as they come with a sheet with definitions - i was thinking i could cut them up and they could match the correct definition as well.
I love how a questions like this one is asked and then we get heaps of different teaching ideas listed below - all of them valuable and relevant and many that I haven�t tried. It gets me started on a whole new bunch of ways to teach something.
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9 Dec 2008
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yetigumboots
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It is so nice to have some nice normal comments about TEACHING. Yippeee I was missing them. Love Yeti xx |
9 Dec 2008
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Vickiii
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There have been some great ones today yeti - check these out:
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9 Dec 2008
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MrsB_03
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To build on what Mena22 said ... there is an activity called Probable Passage that my middle school 7th graders LOVE!!! It engages them into their reading before they ever begin, but it also teaches story elements and predictions. :) It is A LOT of fun ... If you would like, I can email you my handout for this and give you a description of how to carry it out. I�d upload it, but it is not my idea, I got it from a GREAT source called When Kids Can�t Read. One of my VERY BEST EVER purchases of teaching resources!!! :) Shelley |
11 Dec 2008
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