1. Reading in the English Classrooms
Teachers’ Dialogues
English KLA Sharing session
4th December 2004
School-based Curriculum Development (Primary) Section
Curriculum Development Institute

2. Erh! How to say the following words?
reading
Reading

3. The teaching of reading at Reading adopts an integrative approach

4. Which University can be considered as the most legitimate in the teaching of reading?

6. Yes, it’s The University of Reading!

7. How does a proficient reader read?
Activates prior knowledge & develops anticipation
Predicts as he reads
Decodes words instantaneously and reads in meaningful chunks
Cross-checks cues and monitors his reading to
make sense
Re-reads, confirms, or self corrects the miscues

8. Making use of various cues to construct personal meaning

9. Core understandings about learning to read
Reading is a construction of meaning from written text. It is an active, cognitive and affective process that involves complex thinking.
Students need to be able to use semantic cues (background knowledge), syntactic cues (knowledge of language patterns) and graphophonic cues (knowledge of letters and sounds) in a coordinated and fluent manner to access meaning from print.

10. Reading is an extremely complex process.
e.g.
See and perceive the symbols
Follow the sequence of words (L  R)
Associate symbols and sounds
Associate symbols and meanings
Follow the grammatical patterns
Relate ideas to past learning/ experiences
Make inferences and evaluate the ideas
Deal with personal interests and attitudes that affect the task of reading
Goal of reading –
Communication of thoughts and emotions between reader and writer.
Put everything together to construct a personal meaning for the text.

11. Students need to apply a wide range of reading strategies to comprehend, interpret, evaluate and appreciate text.
Motivation and engagement in the reading task are essential for success.
Reading and writing are interconnected
Background knowledge and prior experiences are critical to the reading process.

12. Social interaction is essential in learning to read: thinking and talking promote students’ understanding.
Students’ background knowledge of their first language facilitates the development of competency in reading.
Literacy learning occurs both at home and at school and the connections between them enhances student learning.

13. Core understandings about teaching reading
Students learn best when teachers employ a variety of instructional approaches to model and demonstrate reading knowledge, strategy and skill.
Reading skills and strategies need to be taught explicitly within the context of authentic reading and writing activities.
Assessment and evaluation (teacher monitoring and students’ self-monitoring) inform instruction and are vital to student success.

14. Students need to learn how to read critically
Students need to learn how to read critically. The use of multiple resources and a wide variety of text fosters student interest and learning.
Students need to be immersed in rich literacy environments.
Students need extensive opportunities to read fiction, non-fiction and other forms of print.

15. Reading can lead students to develop an understanding of and respect for diverse cultures.
Early intervention is critical to ensure success for students at risks

16. Components of a School – based English Language Curriculum
General English Programme
Reading Workshops
Intervention Programme
Enrichment Programme

17. Promoting Reading to Learn
Strengthening ‘learning to read’
Developing pupils’ reading strategies by using effective approaches and questioning techniques
Developing pupils’ vocabulary building skills
Promoting a ‘reading to learn’ culture
Introducing a variety of text types

18. Teaching Strategies for Reading
Teacher Support
Storytelling
Independent
Reading
Reading
Area
Reading
Workshop
Supported
Reading
Shared
Reading
- Group 3 sharing

19. Layout a good foundation for lifelong learning
Reading Workshops
Taking up about 40% of the English lesson time
Closely linked to the learning and teaching that take place in the General English Programme
Adopting effective teaching strategies
Reading as a springboard for the development of higher order thinking skills, creativity and other language skills
Providing coherent and connected learning experiences for the children
Developing in learners positive attitudes towards learning English
Providing opportunities for learner to take an active role in learning
Helping learners develop and practise reading skills through reading ‘real books’.
Using real books of a variety of text types
Layout a good foundation for lifelong learning

20. Reading skills for KS1 (CG, pp.55-56)
Recognize familiar words in new texts
Guess the meaning of unfamiliar words by using contextual or pictorial clues
Identify key words for the main idea in a sentence
Understand the connection between ideas by identifying cohesive devices, including connective and pronouns
Understand the information provided on the book cover, contents page and page numbers
Guess the topic and the likely development of the topic by using personal experiences and knowledge of the world
Recognize the format and language features of some common text types, e.g. signs, stories
Locate specific information in a short text in response to questions

21. Writing skills for KS1 (CG, pp.57-58)
Reproduce sentences based on teacher’s model
Provide personal ideas and information based on a model or framework provided
Use appropriate formats and conventions of short written texts such as greeting cards, notes, personal letters, signs
Express imaginative ideas with the help of cues

24. Making inference (“from 1pm to 4 pm”)
Locating specific information
Recognize the letter format
Locating specific information
Making inference (My family => Mary’s family)
Locating specific information
Making inference (“I’ll be there at 12:55pm”)
Locating specific information

25. Locating specific information
Making inference (“We’ll meet at the entrance of the zoo.”)
Recognize the table format
Locating specific information
Locating specific information
Making inference (“She’ll join us.”)
Guess the meaning of unfamiliar words by using contextual or pictorial clues

27. Understand the connection between ideas by identifying cohesive devices, including connective and pronouns
Recognize familiar words in new texts (“I’m too small.”)

28. Here, Hidden, Head (3H) Strategy
Here : Locate the answer right there in the story, easy to find. The words used to make the question and the words for making the answer are right there in the same sentence - Read the lines
Hidden: Think and search as the answer is there in the story but a little harder to find. You will not find the words in the questions and the words in the answer in the same sentence – Read between the lines
Head: Locate the answer on my own. The answer is not in the story but in my head – Read beyond the lines

30. Identify key words for the main idea in a sentence (“They have a big dinner.”)
Guess the meaning of unfamiliar words by using contextual or pictorial clues
Understand the connection between ideas by identifying cohesive devices, including connective and pronouns

31. Writing to contextual cues – from reading to writing
- Group 5 sharing
Guess the topic and the likely development of the topic by using personal experiences and knowledge of the world
Express imaginative ideas with the help of cues

32. Active reading strategies to think, feel and imagine
- Group 4 sharing
making connections to personal knowledge and experiences
finding out story events & predicting development
interpreting and reasoning
responding with imagination and emotion
using cues to work out unfamiliar words

33. Variations in the curriculum design and teaching strategies attempted by schools –focus of teachers’ dialogues in the sharing sessions
Group 1 - Using readers as the organizing focus for curriculum planning
Group 2 - Incorporating readers and authentic reading materials in modular planning
Group 3 - Shared reading in local English classroom
Group 4 - Enhancing creativity through reading
Group 5 - Integrating BC skills into daily teaching and learning
Group 6 - Improving learners’ writing through explicit story structure instruction

34. Story Grammar – Group 6 sharing
Somebody
wanted
But So

35. Two ways of using the reader
Module 2
Module 1
Module 2
Module 1
Module 3
Module 4
Module 3
Reader
Readers
Reader
as part of a module
- as a module on its own
3rd way – a combined model

36. The reader as its own module – Group 1 sharing
- a range of learning objectives
Reading aloud
Comprehension skills
Phonics, sight words, vocabulary
Writing tasks
Drama
Oral discussion
Grammatical structures
Reader
Purposeful and enjoyable reading experience

37. The reader as part of a module
– Group 2 sharing
input
Activities / tasks
input
input
Games …… ..
Other
Big Books
resources:
Textbook
Small readers
Supplementary
Poems / Plays … .
Grammar
Phonics … ..
output
authentic and meaningful use of language
guided writing / free writing / reading aloud /
project / drama …… .

38. For more reading inputs Vocabulary - Grammar - Reading comprehension
The reader as part of a module
Module: Food and Drinks
3 textbook units
For language focus:
quantity words; possessive
adj, adv of frequency
present and past tenses
Task:
My Diet
- make up a menu
write paragraphs on
their diet for
yesterday, today
and tomorrow
Readers:
Magic Roller Skates
Picky Nicky
For story interest and
reinforcement of language
For more reading inputs
and writing models
Teacher’s writing
Scaffolding of task
Making a
shopping
list
Asking for
the diet of
Teachers
& classmates
Read
teacher’s
write-up
on her
healthy
diet
Fill in
leaflet for
Today’s
special
Making up
a menu
Skill Building exercises and activities
Vocabulary Grammar Reading comprehension

39. Authentic reading materials created by teachers – Group 2 sharing
Task – Buying things
Task – More spaghetti I say
Task - Friends in Australia Part 3

40. Challenges ahead Developing a balanced reading program
phonological awareness, phonics, word recognition, fluency & comprehension
Integrating readers and authentic reading materials into the curriculum using different approaches - reading-to, shared reading, guided reading, independent reading & home reading
Equipping teachers with the right skills and attitudes – Expertise matters!

41. Using readers as the organizing focus for curriculum planning
Group
Topic
Room No.
Facilitator 1
Using readers as the organizing focus for curriculum planning
303 (3/F)
Josephine Wong 2
Incorporating readers and authentic reading materials in modular planning
304 (3/F)
Ernest Tse 3
Shared reading in local English classroom
305 (3/F)
Gladys Wong 4
Enhancing creativity through reading
306 (3/F)
Eve Chan 5
Integrating BC skills into daily teaching and learning
307 (3/F)
Judy Kwok 6
Improving learners’ writing through explicit story structure instruction
Conference Room (G/F)
Joyce Yip

42. Contact of teacher presenters