DAY 1 – SESSION TWO
Reading
Handouts
R1 A way to think about different types of reading
R2 Fluent readers read in different ways for different purposes
R3 Your Theory of Reading
R4 Approaches to teaching reading
R5 The Grange of the Mest
R6 Variety of cues diagram
R7 The most frequently used words in written English
R8 Using the 5 cues that readers draw on
R9 Using and Learning Literacy in Context
R10a Strategies for print-based and meaning-based miscues
R10b Reading together - an example
R11a KWL Chart Example
R11b Semantic Map
R11c Semantic Map (blank)
R12 Making Sense of Reading
R13a Some questions to ask about a text
R13b Reading critically
R14 Cloze exercise
R15 Language experience
R16 Assistance with Reading
R17 Evaluation
Fluent readers read in different ways for different purposes
Skimming
To get the gist, we skim: we search for the main ideas, often by reading first and last paragraphs, headings and any summaries. We note organisational cues such as layout, titles and subheadings, which show up clearly on the surface of the text. Our experience as readers allows us to tackle a new piece of reading on an unfamiliar subject confidently.
Scanning
To find a particular fact, a key word, a figure or a phrase, we scan: we run our eyes down the page, looking for a familiar and specific item, such as a name in a telephone directory or a number within a page of text. We are familiar enough with different fonts to recognise ‘the same’ information even when it may look slightly different.
Close reading
We sometimes start at the beginning and read a text carefully. We use close reading when we need to understand really accurately. Examples could include: instructions on the use of a medicine; checking what is covered by holiday insurance; a property lease; conditions for use of a store card; and an exam passage on which we have to answer questions.
People may also read closely to understand the psychology of the writer or his or her writing technique. They may be working out unfamiliar or archaic language in a religious work or following up allusions and echoes in a poem. They may ‘simply’ be savouring the detail in a piece of good writing. Whatever the reason, they often follow a first reading, designed to give an overview, by rereading key passages containing important themes or aspects that they still need to understand more clearly. They may consult reference books, websites and other readers to check their understanding. They may highlight, re-state, make notes and cross-references. It takes time.
Light reading
If the content does not need to be taken too seriously, we read lightly. We may dip in and out of the text, gloss over sections without necessarily understanding them completely, make little effort to remember much of it, and even skip bits. Some readers will read magazines and novels in this way.
Fluent readers read in all these ways
Often, the same text will be tackled in a number of different ways. For example, a letter can be skimmed for source, target and subject (with any conventional padding lightly read over), then scanned for final purpose (almost literally ‘finding the bottom line’) and closely read to prepare for an accurately based response.
The way fluent readers read a particular text will depend on a number of factors:
· the purpose in reading: enjoyment, study, finding a piece of information, making an important decision
· the time available
· the difficulty of the text
What does this mean for a literacies tutor?
· It is part of the work of a literacies tutor to help learners develop reading fluency and to increase as much as possible the reading options available to them.
· Learners may not be aware of or use all these strategies. Sometimes this means challenging a view that there is only one way to read (for example, sounding out each word) or that every text deserves equal attention. At the same time, the tutor needs to respect the fact that some learners, particularly some dyslexic learners, do find one particular method best for them, however slow. Their most effective strategy for ‘speeding up’ may lie with ICT voiced text, or tutor or peer support, rather than with attempts to skim or ‘read lightly’.
· For a learner who is in the early stages of linking sound and symbol, and recognising and understanding letters and words, some of the choices open to fluent readers may not apply. However, scanning for numbers, or for words starting with capital letters, or for familiar words is a useful strategy to introduce to beginner readers. It gives learners a sense of achievement and an appreciation that they have more reading skills than they realised.
· In deciding which methods to concentrate on, the tutor and the learner need to consider the learner’s uses of reading outside the classroom. For some learners a small improvement in their close reading may be of much less relevance than speeding up their ability to scan a document for a particular word or number.
· Among literacies learners there is a wide range of reading ability. Strategies for working with a variety of learners will be explored in sessions 7 and 8.
Figure 2.1 – Your Theory of Reading
Agree Disagree Depends
1. The best way to identify an unfamiliar word is □ □ □
to predict or guess it.
2. Literacy rates are lower among poor than rich □ □ □
people.
3. Adults should strive for word perfect reading. □ □ □
4. A fluent reader uses a combination of prior knowledge
and print clues to identify unfamiliar words. □ □ □
5. A fluent reader primarily uses prior knowledge to
identify unfamiliar words. □ □ □
6. The meaning of a text is not fixed but socially □ □ □
constructed.
7. Reading instruction should begin by □ □ □
teaching phonics.
8. Readers combine their prior knowledge with text □ □ □
information to construct meaning.
9. For beginning readers, leaning letters and sounds □ □ □
is not a priority
10. Instruction should be based on a person’s □ □ □
strengths and weaknesses, and his/her current
level of ability to process print and text.
11. Instruction should consider a person’s □ □ □
social identity – his/her class, race and gender.
12. Reading is a hierarchy of skills, which □ □ □
should be taught sequentially.
From: Teaching Reading to Adults - A Balanced Approach
Pat Campbell, 2004.
Approaches to teaching reading
Ideas about how to teach reading are always changing. A Canadian computer training programme (STAPLE) for basic literacy tutors describes three approaches to teaching reading.
Top down (1, 5, 9)
· looks at the whole text
· emphasises what the reader brings to the task from knowledge of the world
· emphasises the use of meaning when tackling unknown words
Bottom up (3, 7, 12)
· starts with the letters and the words
· emphasises the use of phonics
· emphasises learning is sequential
· concentrates on the text
Interactive/Participatory Approaches
(2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 11)
· balances the use of text- and reader-based cues
· pays attention to how the reader reads
Based on a social practices account of adult literacy and numeracy, the curriculum framework for Scotland suggests interactive/participatory approaches.
Read the text, an then answer the questions your partner asks you.
The Grange of the Mest in Jamland
A slib was demming his klon. A blag hand him.
‘Grange your mest,’ girned the slib.
‘Fob,’ dridged the blag mussily.
Then the blag skilped the slib on the twix.
The slib capercilled. He went back to demming his klon.
Read the questions to your partner and consider their answers. Put a tick or a cross beside each question to show if you agree with their answers.
Questions
What was the slib demming?
What did the slib girn?
How did the blag dridge?
Where did the blag skilp the slib?
Why did the slib capercill?
Could you write a story like this?
Discuss with your partner how you knew how to identify the words and how you worked out the answers.
The most frequently used words in
written English
These are the 100 words which are most commonly used in written English.
The 12 words that are used most are:
a and he I in is it
of that the to was
The next 20 frequently written words are:
all are as at be but for
had have him his not on one
said so they we with you
The 68 next most common are:
about an back been before big by call came
can come could did do down first from
get go has her here if into just like
little look made make me more much must
my new no now off old only or other our
out over right see she some their them
then there this two up want well went
were what when where which who will your
· This is one of a number of word lists created by E.W. Dolch. A search
on the internet will provide a variety of examples, but many are not appropriate for adult learners.
· This list is not intended to be used as a test but is useful to discuss with learners, so that they can identify words they already know and choose words that they want to work on for reading or writing.
· This list includes words that many learners find difficult even though they have no difficulty reading and writing longer words on topics that they find interesting.
· Being able to read and write all or some of the words on this list confidently could be a useful goal for a literacies learner. Learners can draw up their own version of the 100 words that they use most often.
Using the 5 cues that readers draw on
Look at the piece of writing and discuss the following questions:
· What is the message?
· Which if the 5 cues did you use when you were reading it?
· Find an example of each one you used.
Assistant coach: David Duke played in the 2004 Scottish squad
coach
Assistant Coach: David Duke Assistant Coach: David Duke
team
played in the 2004 Scottish squad. played in the 2004 Scottish squad.
Strategies / StrategiesPeople using print based cues need to develop grammar and meaning cues
Pre-reading
· Focuses on brain and critical thinking skills rather than only on the sounds the letters represent
· read the whole text, not just the words
Skipping out word (blanking out)
· read on past the word not understood and return later
Cloze exercises
· omit certain words from a text
e.g. Assistant Coach: David Duke
______in the 2004 Scottish squad / People who use grammar and meaning cues need to look more closely at the print cues and develop strategies such as:
Word Patterns
e.g. ight
sight
bright
night
right
Word Chunking
Using the word ‘Scottish’ – breaking it
up into Scot - tish
Language Experience
Scribe/record people’s own words about topic of interest
See handout 7.H5
KWL Chart example
What I Know, Want to know and what I’m Learning
Topic: Reading and understanding article in the Big Issue about the homeless world cup
KnowWhat I already know / Want
What I want to know / Learning
What I’m Learning
It’s happening in Edinburgh / Who’s coming / I can get clues from the title and picture
Semantic map
Topic: Article in Big Issue about Homeless World Cup
Mel Young
32 Teams Edinburgh
China medals
Netherlands benefits
Semantic map
Topic:
Making Sense of Reading
Which did you do?Date
Thought and talked before you read
· Talked about your reason for reading
· set questions you wanted answered
· decided if the text was right for the task
· decided which bits to read and how
Thought as you were reading
· read to answer questions
· predicted what was going to happen
· read to check you predictions
· guessed meanings of words from the words round about
Read in different ways
· read quickly to get the gist
· missed out bits to spot facts
· read slowly and carefully to try and understand
Wrote to check understanding
· made notes
· drew a diagram, chart
Some questions to ask about a text
1. What is it?
2. Who is the writer?
3. What is it about?
4. Who does the writer want to read it?
5. Why did the writer write it?
6. What assumptions does the writer make?
7. How is the text trying to influence me?
8. What other questions do I want to ask about it?
What understanding and knowledge did you need to bring to reading this letter in order to be able to respond to it effectively?
READING CRITICALLY
Think and talk before you read
q Talk about why you are reading
q Make up questions you want to answer
q Who wrote this and when?
q What was the writer’s purpose?
q Decide which bits to read and how
Think as you are reading
q Find the answers to your questions
q Predict what will come next
q Work out the meaning of unfamiliar words from the context
Pause to think critically
q Ask questions
q Is it all true?
q Is it fact or opinion?
q Is anything missed out?
q Spot words that are meant to persuade you
q Do you agree or disagree?
q Do you need more information?
Read in different ways
q Read quickly to get the gist
q Miss out bits
q Scan for key words
q Reread some parts to check understanding
q Mark important points
q Make a note of words you want to check
Write to check understanding
q Make notes
q Make a summary
q Make a list