Seminar in Teaching Reading Latricia Trites, Ph.D. Academic Advisor Fulbright Yilan Project

Questions about Reading What is reading? What influences a student’s interest in reading? What types of texts does a person read? What types of reading do students do? What are different purposes for reading? What are factors that affect a student’s L2 reading ability?

Types of Texts Generate a list of the different types of texts that students encounter. Why does this list matter? –Different rhetorical structures –Affects how we approach a text

Why do Students Read? To decode words To find information To get the general idea To learn how to do things To learn about things To integrate information from multiple sources Other reasons?

Factors that Affect Student Reading in L2 Reading ability in L1 Cognitive style Learning style Metacognitive knowledge Proficiency in L2 Level of difference between L1 and L2 Cultural Orientation

Choosing Textual Materials Below proficiency range Within proficiency range Beyond proficiency range How do you determine this range? –What is the percentage of words that the students already know? –Can the students understand the general gist of the text without resorting to translating?

Major Concepts for Teaching Reading Extensive & Intensive Reading Top down & Bottom up Processing Content & Formal Schema

Pre-Reading What types of activities do you use for pre- reading activities? Why? Discussing the topic of the reading Previewing the different parts of a text Determining the type of text to be read Determining the purpose for reading Skimming for general gist Scanning for specific information What activities would you use for these readings?

During Reading What types of activities do you use for during reading activities? Why? Monitoring comprehension Interacting with the text (filling out graphic organizers, highlighting, underlining) Predicting What activities would you use for these readings?

Post Reading What types of activities do you use for post reading activities? Why? Summarizing Paraphrasing Outlining Recalling details Determining the relationship among details Inferencing about information not in the text Recognizing vocabulary, language structures, idiomatic expressions Comprehending vs. recalling the text What activities would you use for these readings?

Developing Reading Strategies Which reading strategies do you teach your students? Guessing meaning from context Tolerating ambiguity Using graphic organizers How do you teach these strategies? Modeling good strategy behavior Thinking aloud as you are reading Providing brief “aside” discussions

Role of Vocabulary Teaching vocabulary in context Choosing vocabulary to teach –Enhance students general knowledge

Vocabulary Strategies What types of activities do you use to develop student vocabulary knowledge? Why? Guessing meaning from context Analyzing parts of words Using a dictionary Developing vocabulary word cards More? How would you teach vocabulary for these readings?

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References Jordan, R. R. (1997). English for academic purposes: A guide and resource book for teachers. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Kramsch, C. (1997). Rhetorical models of understanding. In Tom Miller (Ed.). Functional approaches to written text: Classroom applications. Washing ton, D C: English Language Programs, United States Information Agency. Leki, I. & Carson, J. (1994). Students’ perceptions of EAP writing instruction and writing needs across disciplines. TESOL Quarterly, 28, (1). Mosenthal, P. (1985). Defining the expository discourse continuum: Towards a taxonomy of expository text types. Poetics, 14, Mosenthal, P., & Kirsch, I. (1991). Extending prose comprehension through knowledge modeling, Journal of Reading, 35, Mosenthal, P., & Kirsch, I. (1992a). Understanding knowledge models of simple events. Journal of Reading, 35, Mosenthal, P., & Kirsch, I. (1992b). Understanding knowledge acquisition from a knowledge model perspective. Journal of Reading, 35, Murphy, J., & Stoller, F. (2001). (Guest Eds.), Sustained-content language teaching: An emerging definition. TESOL Journal Special Issue, 10, (2/3). Pally, M. (Ed.), (1999). Sustained content teaching in academic ESL/EFL. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.

References Richard-Amato, P.A., & Snow, M.A. (1992). Strategies for content-area teachers. In P.A. Richard-Amato & M.A. Snow (Eds.), The multicultural classroom: Readings for content-area teachers (pp ). White Plains, NY: Longman. Stahl, S. (1999). Vocabulary development. Cambridge, MA: Brookline Books. Stephens, E. C., & Brown, J. E. (2000). A handbook of content literacy strategies: 75 practical reading and writing ideas. Tang, G. (1992/1993). Teaching content knowledge and ESOL in multicultural classrooms. TESOL Journal, 2 (2), Trites, L., & Onel, Z. (2002). “Integrating higher-level reading skills in the writing classroom” Paper presented at annual conference of the American Association for Applied Linguistics (AAAL), Salt Lake City, UT Trites, L. (2000). Beyond Basic Comprehension: Reading to Learn and Reading to Integrate for Native and Nonnative Speakers. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona.