7.4. Reading skills (methods of teaching)

The outline of the problem discussed

1. Reading as an aim and a means of teaching a foreign language.

2. The content of teaching reading.

3. Some difficulties pupils meet in learning to read.

4. Technique for teaching reading:

a) reading aloud;

b) silent reading;

5. Mistakes and how to correct them.

1. Reading is one of the main skills that pupils must acquire in the process of

mastering a foreign language at school. The syllabus lists reading as one of the

leading practical language activities to be developed. It sets requirements for pupils in

reading texts (with or without a dictionary) containing familiar grammar material and

a certain per cent of unfamiliar words for each form.

Reading is of great educational importance, as it is a means of communication:

people get information they need from books, journals, magazines, newspapers, etc.

Through reading in a foreign language the pupil enriches his knowledge of the world

around him. He gets acquainted with the countries where the target language is

spoken.

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Reading develops pupils’ intelligence. It helps to develop their memory, will,

imagination. Pupils become accustomed to working with various books, which in its

turn facilitates unaided practice in further reading. The content of texts should

develop in pupils such qualities as honesty, love and devotion for their country and

other peoples. Reading ability is, therefore, not only of great practical, but

educational and social importance too.

Reading is not only an aim in itself, but is also a means of learning a foreign

language. When reading a text the pupil reviews sounds and letters, vocabulary and

grammar, memorizes the spelling of words, the meaning of words and word

combinations, and in this way he improves the command of the target language. The

more the pupil reads, the better his retention of the linguistic material is. If the pupils

are instructed in good reading and they can read with sufficient fluency and complete

comprehension it helps them to acquire good speaking and writing skills as well.

Reading is, therefore, both the aim and the means to master a foreign language.

2. Reading is a complex process of language activity. It is closely connected

with the comprehension of what is read. Reading requires the ability on the part of

the reader to carry out a number of mental operations: analysis, induction, deduction,

comparison. As a process it is connected with the work of visual, kinesthetic, aural

analyzers and thinking. The reader sees a text, "sounds" it silently and hears what he

pronounces in his inner speech and, finally, due to the work of all the analyzers, he

understands it. In learning to read one of the aims is to minimize the activities of all

the analizers so that the reader can associate what he sees with the thoughts expressed

in the reading material, since inner speech hinders the process of reading. Thus the

success of reading depends on the readers ability to establish a direct connection

between what he sees and what it means.

There are two ways of reading: aloud and silent reading. In teaching a foreign

language at school both ways should be developed, but they usually start with

teaching reading aloud.

When one says that he can read, it means that he can focus his attention on the

meaning and not on the form. A good reader does not look at letters, nor even at

words; he takes in the meaning of two, three or four words at a time, in a single

moment. It is possible provided:

a) the reader can associate the graphic and phonic systems of the target

language;

b) the reader can find the logical subject and the logical predicate of the

sentence;

c) the reader can get information from the text as a whole;

A system of exercises is used for teaching reading at school, it includes:

a) graphemic-phonemic exercises to assimilate graphemic-phonemic

correspondence in the English language;

b) structural-information exercises which help pupils to carry out lexical and

grammar analysis to find the logical subject and predicate in the sentences following

the structural signals;

d) semantic-communicative exercises which help pupils to get information

from the text.

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The activities of pupils while doing these exercises constitute the content of

teaching and learning reading in a foreign language.

3. Reading in the English language is one of the most difficult points, because

there are 26 letters and 146 graphemes which make 46 phonemes. Indeed the English

alphabet presents many difficulties to Russian and Ukrainian-speaking pupils as the

Russian and Ukrainian alphabets differ greatly from that of the English language. A

comparison of the alphabets shows that of the 26 pairs of printed letters (52 -if we

consider capital and small letters as different symbols) only four are more or less

similar to those of the Russian, for example, alphabet, both in print and in meaning.

These are K, k, M, T. 31 letters are completely new to pupils (for the Ukrainian

alphabet letter I, i can be added). These are b, D, d, F, f, G, g, H, h, etc. The letters A,

a, B, C, c, H, 0, P, p, Y, y, X, x occur in these three languages but they are read

differently. They are, therefore, the most difficult for the pupils to retain, and

obviously in teaching pupils to read English words much more attention must be

given to them.

Many methodologists say it is not important to know English letters. It is

necessary that pupils should know graphemes and how they are read in different

positions in words (window, down). The teacher cannot teach pupils all the existing

rules and exceptions for reading English words. Nor is it necessary to do so. All the

rules the pupils are expected to assimilate when learning reading are stated in the

syllabus. They are not numerous but very important, for example how to read stressed

vowels in open and closed syllables and before "r", etc.

The most difficult thing in learning to read is to get information from a

sentence or a paragraph on the basis of structural signals and not only the meaning of

words. Pupils often ignore grammar and try to understand what they read relying on

their knowledge of words. And, of course, very often they fail. So to make the

process of reading at the first stage easier, words, phrases and sentence patterns

should be learnt orally before pupils are asked to read the text.

Consequently, in order to find the most effective ways of teaching reading the

teacher should know the difficulties pupils may have.

4. To develop pupils’ ability to read, which may be done in two forms: loud

and silent, the whole system of exercises can be used.

a) Reading aloud. In teaching aloud the following methods are observed: the

phonic, the word, and the sentence methods.

When the phonic method is used, the pupil learns the sounds and associates

them with graphic symbols - letters.

In the word method a complete word is first presented to the pupils. When

several words have been learnt they are used in simple sentences.

The sentence method deals with the sentences as units of approach in teaching

reading, when the teacher can develop pupils’ ability to read sentences with correct

intonation. Only the combination of these three methods can ensure good reading.

So at first pupils are taught to associate the graphic symbols of words with their

meaning already learnt orally. All the analyzers are at work: visual, auditory,

kinesthetic. The leading role belongs to the visual analyzer. It is necessary that the

graphic symbols (images) of words should be fixed in the pupils’ memory. At

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schools, however, little attention is given to this. Pupils are taught rather how "to

sound" the words than how "to read" them. They often repeat words without looking

at what they read. They look at the teacher. This hinders formation of graphic images

in the pupils’ memory. Reading in chorus in imitation of the teacher forms rather

kinesthetic images than graphic ones. In presenting new words which are read

according to the rule the teacher should make his pupils read these words first. Very

often it is the teacher who reads first and pupils just repeat after him.

Teaching begins with presenting a letter to pupils, or a combination of letters, a

word as grapheme. The use of flashcards or the blackboard is indispensable. They

help the teacher:

- to present a new letter (letters);

- to make pupils compose words;

- to check pupils knowledge of letters or graphemes;

If the teacher uses the blackboard instead he can write printed letters on it and

pupils can recollect the words they have learnt orally which, have this or that letter,

compose a word, etc.

The same devices are applied for teaching pupils to read words, the task being

different, however:

- pupils choose words which are not read according to the rule, for example:

lake, plant, have, give, nine;

- pupils are invited to read the words which they usually misread:

come - some called -cold

does - goes walk - work

- pupils are invited to look at the words and name the letter (letters) which

makes the word different;

- pupils read a column of words following the key word;

- pupils are invited to pick out the words with graphemes; oo, ow, ea, th, etc;

In teaching to read transcription is also utilized. It helps pupils to read words

where the same graphemes stand for different sounds: build, suit, or words which are

not read according to the rule: aunt, etc But transcription is introduced to the pupils

only at their third year of teaching English.

The structural-information exercises are done both in reading aloud and in

silent reading. Pupils are taught how to read sentences, paragraphs, texts correctly.

Special attention is given to intonation since it is of great importance to the actual

division of sentences, to stressing the logical predicate in them.

At an early stage of teaching reading the teacher should read to the class

himself, the pupils repeat after the teacher. But this kind of elementary reading

practice should be carried on for a limited time only. When the class has advanced far

enough to be ready for more independent reading, reading in chorus must be

decreased, but not eliminated.

Reading aloud, as a method of teaching and learning the language should take

place in all the forms. This is done with the aim of improving pupils’ reading skills.

The teacher chooses what paragraphs or texts should be read aloud. In doing so, the

teacher uses:

- diagnostic reading (he can see the weak points in reading);

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- instructive reading (pupils follow the pattern read by the speak);

- control reading;

b) Silent reading. There are three kinds of silent reading that pupils are taught

at school: general reading (when pupils get only the basic factual information of the

text); close reading (full comprehension the basic facts and particulars); skimming

reading (pupils get acquainted only with the theme of the text).

Technique for general reading is taught at the first stage, then the skills of close

reading are developed and, finally, at the senior stage, are instructed in skimming

reading. They differ in the purpose of reading, but have much in terms of instruction.

Teaching silent reading is closely connected with two points:

a) instructing pupils in finding in sentences what is new in the information

following some structural signals;

b) developing pupil’ ability to guess.

Grammar and lexical analysis help pupils to assimilate structural words, to

determine the meaning of a word proceeding from its position in the sentence, to find

the meanings of unfamiliar words and those which seem to be familiar but do not

correspond to the structure of the sentence. The teacher should instruct pupils how to

work with a dictionary and a reference book so that they can overcome some

difficulties independently. One of the best ways to develop the skill in guessing is to

give the pupils the text for acquaintance either during the lesson or as his homework.

He can read it again and again. "Before questions" may be helpful. They direct

pupils’ thoughts when they read the text.

The above mentioned three groups of exercises are distributed differently

depending on the stage of teaching. But in developing silent reading skill structuralinformation

and semantic-communicative must be mostly used; the latter should

prevail.

In junior stage the following techniques may be suggested:

- read the text and draw;

- find the answers to the following questions;

- find the following sentences in the text (equivalents in the native language are

given);

- correct the following statements;

- translate following sentences, beginning with the words …;

- read the of sentences you find the most important in the text;

- recite the text; etc.

In the intermediate and senior stages the following techniques may be

recommended:

- answer the questions (all types of questions are used);

- tell your classmates what (who, when, where, why) …;

- read the words / sentence to prove or illustrate what you say;

- find words / sentences from which you have got some new information;

- read sentences / paragraph you like best and say why;

- translate the sentence / paragraph;

- write a short annotation on the text.

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Semantic-communicative exercises are recommended when the teacher

instructs pupils how to get information from the text:

- read the text and say why …;

- read the text and find the answers to the questions;

- read the text and find the sentences which describe / prove, etc.;

- read the text and say what made ... the ... do like that;

- there are two /three main features ... mentioned in the text; find them;

- read the text and find in what words the author describes his hero;

- read the text and find the arguments to prove that ...; etc.

So the choice of exercises and their arrangement depends on the stage of

instruction, the aim of reading (general, close, skimming), the material used and the

progress of the class.

If the text is easy the teacher uses those techniques which are connected with

speaking. Similar techniques may be used in intermediate and senior stages. The

teacher tests understanding by asking questions briskly. Speed at this work is

essential, it ensures that all pupils get a chance to answer. This work must be of

interest to pupils and develop their aural comprehension and speaking abilities as

well.

If the text is difficult, i.e., if it contains unfamiliar words and, especially if its

purpose is close reading, the pupils must consult a dictionary, the teacher should use

different technique, as the pupils read the text not only to get information but to

improve their knowledge of the language and intensive activity is needed on their

part. This intensive activity may be connected with:

- lexical work which helps pupils to deepen and enrich their vocabulary;

- grammar work which helps pupils to become well aware of the material

learnt, systematize it and enrich it through grammatical analysis;

- stylistic work which helps pupils to become acquainted with stylistic use of

grammar forms (inversion, tense usage) and words;

- content analysis which helps pupils to learn new concepts quite strange to the

native language (for instance, the Houses of Parliament, public schools, etc.).

The exercises in teaching silent reading are mostly connected with quick

recognition on the part of the learners, namely, find ... and read, find … and explain;

find … and translate; read … and answer the questions, etc. If the pupils are orally

skilful the teacher may use the text as the basis to develop speaking skills. So the

choice depends on the pupils’ progress.

There should be more instructive than testing activities when teaching silent

reading. A bad practice is when reading is confined to translating the texts. Moreover,

the procedure becomes monotonous and the work is ineffective.

5. In teaching reading the teacher must do his best to prevent mistakes. Still

pupils will make them in spite of much work done. So the question is who corrects

pupils’ mistakes, how should they be corrected and when.

Many of the methodologists are of the opinion that the pupil who has made a

mistake must try to correct it himself. If he cannot do it, other pupils correct his

mistake. If they cannot do so the teacher corrects the mistake. The following

techniques may be suggested:

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a) the teacher writes words on the blackboard or shows cards and asks pupils

what sounds the underlined combinations of letters convey; mistakes are corrected,

the words are read and rules explained;

b) the teacher may correct the mistake himself, the pupils who has made a

mistake reads the word properly and then so does the class; the rule may also be

explained either by a pupil or by the teacher;

There may be other ways of correcting pupils’ mistakes.

Another question arises whether the teacher should correct mistakes in the

process of reading or after finishing it. Both ways are possible. The mistake should be

corrected at once if a word occurs in the text more than once. If it does not appear

again, it is better to let the pupil read the paragraph to the end. Then mistake is

corrected.

LITERATURE

1. Гез Н.И., Ляховицкий М.В., Миролюбов А.А. и др. Методика обучения

иностранным языкам в средней школе. – Москва: Высш. школа, 1982. – 373

с.

2. Ніколаєва С.Ю. Методика навчання іноземних мов у середніх навчальних

закладах. - Київ: Ленвіт.; 1999. – 320 с.

3. Anitchkov I., Saakyants V. Methods of teaching English in secondary schools.

Moсква: Просвещ.:l966. – 248 с.

4. Anne Anderson and Tony Lynch. Listening. Oxf. Un. Press. 1991

5. Françoise Grellet. Developing Reading Skills. Cambr. Un. Press. 1992

6. Gullian Brown, George Yule. Teaching the Spoken Language. Cambr. Un.

Press.1999

7. Kirillova Е., Lazaryeva B., Petrushin S. Readings in methods of teaching English

as a foreign language. Moсквa: Просвещ.: 1981. - 206 с.

8. Rogova G.V. Methods of teaching English. Ленинград: Просвещ.: 1975. – 320 с.

9. Ronald V. White. Teaching Written English. HEINEMAN. 1980