ACTIVITIES
TO DEVELOP READING
Reading comprehension is defined as the level of understanding written
expression. Proficient reading depends on the ability to recognize words
quickly and effortlessly. To become fluent readers, the readers must also
understand what they read. This is what we mean by reading comprehension.
Reading can be regarded as proof of intellectual development. Acquisition of
reading skills is actually the first step towards literacy. Hence the teaching
of reading should be the goal of every teacher. One of the chief reasons for
reading problems is the poor knowledge of English vocabulary on the part of the
learners. Hence in order to acquire the reading skill there is need for
students to have good command of English vocabulary.
Reading, according to Gray,
is a highly complex activity. It includes various aspects such as recognizing
the written symbols (words and phrases) quickly and accurately, comprehending
clearly discriminating between the surface meaning and the implied meaning of
the author. Pupils are usually confronted with the problems of understanding
what they read. This makes comprehension. Reading comprehension involves two
major aspects. They are:
1. Understanding
what one reads, and
2. Reading
with appropriate speed
Strategies for Developing Reading
Comprehension with Speed
1.
Testing Reading Comprehension
The teacher may give a passage which is suitable to the mental level of
the pupils and they may be asked to go through the passage by allowing them a
limited time during which the passage can be read thoroughly by an average
reader. At the end of the time given for reading, the pupils should be asked to
close the text, and questions on comprehension may be put, and the pupils may
be asked to answer the questions. If the answers to the questions are
satisfactory, it is an indication that the pupils could understand what they
have read. At first known and familiar passages should be given for reading,
later unknown passages which are suitable to the pupils standard also may be
given.
2.
Jumbled Sentences
Another way of giving practice in reading comprehension is to set a
number of jumbled sentences after the passage. The pupils may be asked to read
the passage quickly and then arrange the jumbled sentences in the sequential
order. Here also specific time should be set.
3.
Linkage Devices
After the pupils read the passage thoroughly, they may be asked to give
the meaning of a word or phrase or an idiom or sentence from the context of the
sentence. This they can do only if they were to understand the meaning of each
and every word they read while going through the passage.
4.
Filling the Blanks
Another device is selecting a few sentences
from the given passage for reading leaving blanks. A few words which look
similar in meaning (synonyms) may be set the end of every sentence. The pupils
should be asked to select the right word from those provided and fill in the
blanks. This should be done within a stipulated time.
5.
Translation
The pupils may be asked to go through the passage and translate it into
their. If the pupils could translate the passage into their mother tongue
satisfactorily, it indicates their comprehension of the passage. Here unknown
passages suitable to the standard of the
pupils may be set. Time also should be set within which they have to do the
exercise.
6.
Competitions
By using one of the above strategies or by using them alternatively
competitions among the pupils may be conducted now and them foe developing
their reading comprehension skill. Competitions develop a competitive spirit
among the children and go a long way in developing the needed skill.
In addition the English teacher should encourage the pupils to cultivate
the habit of referring to a dictionary whenever they come across a word the
meaning of which they cannot guess from the context. A learner who makes good
use of a dictionary would be able to continue learning outside the classroom.
ACITIVITIES TO DEVELOP WRITING SKILLS
11 elements of current writing instruction found to be effective for helping
students learn to write well and to use writing as a tool for learning.
1. Writing
Strategies, which involves teaching students strategies for planning, revising
and editing their compositions
2. Summarization,
which involves explicitly and systematically teaching students how to summarize
texts
3. Collaborative
Writing, which uses instructional arrangements in which adolescents work
together to plan, draft, revise and edit their compositions
4. Specific
Product Goals, which assigns students specific, reachable goals for the writing
they are to complete.
5. Word
Processing, which uses computers and word processors as instructional supports
or writing assignments
6. Sentence
combining, this involves teaching students to construct complex, sophisticated
sentences
7. Prewriting,
which engages students in activities designed to help them generate or organize
ideas for their composition
8. Inquiry
Activities, which engages students in analyzing immediate, concrete data to help
them develop ideas and content for a particular writing task.
9. Process
Writing Approach, which interweaves a number of writing instructional
activities in a workshop environments that stresses extended writing
opportunities, writing for authentic audiences, personalized instruction and
cycles of written.
10. Study
of Models, which provides students with opportunities to read, analyze and
emulate models of good writing
11. Writing
for Content Learning, which uses writing as a tool for learning content
material.
Review Questions
Paragraph Questions
1. What
is reading? What are the sub skills of Reading?
2. What
is Writing? What are the sub skills of Writing?
3. Write
the Mechanics of Writing?
4. Differentiate
between intensive and extensive reading.
5. Differentiate
among guided, free and controlled compositions.
6. What
are characteristics of good handwriting?
7. What
steps would you take to improve the handwriting of your pupils at the early
stages?
Essay Questions:
1. What
is the importance of reading in language learning? What are the different
methods of teaching methods of teaching reading?
2. Write
some activities to develop reading skills among in your students?
3. Write
some activities to develop writing skills among in your students?
