teaching reading for high school students in vietnam

By: Do Tuan Minh, CFL, VNUBy: Do Tuan Minh, CFL, VNU

teaching teaching readingreading


Teach Reading in Teach Reading in Tieng Anh 10Tieng Anh 10Do Tuan MinhDo Tuan MinhEnglish DepartmentEnglish DepartmentCollege of Foreign LanguagesCollege of Foreign LanguagesVietnam National University, Vietnam National University, HanoiHanoi


Your Beliefs about Teaching ReadingYour Beliefs about Teaching Reading

StatementsStatements AgreeAgree Dis-Dis-agreeagree

Don’t Don’t knowknow

11 It is important to pre-teach all new It is important to pre-teach all new vocabulary before students read vocabulary before students read the text.the text.

22 Students should only read good Students should only read good literature in English. Comics and literature in English. Comics and newspapers are bad for them in newspapers are bad for them in school.school.


Your Beliefs about Teaching Your Beliefs about Teaching ReadingReading


Don’Don’t t

knowknow

33 My students don’t have the My students don’t have the opportunity to read outside school opportunity to read outside school so it is my responsibility to choose so it is my responsibility to choose suitable texts for them in school.suitable texts for them in school.

44 Students need to read for a Students need to read for a purpose, not to read so that they purpose, not to read so that they can just answer multiple choice can just answer multiple choice questions.questions.




Don’Don’t t

knowknow

55 I don’t think students learn a lot I don’t think students learn a lot from reading things like from reading things like timetables, indexes, recipes, timetables, indexes, recipes, directories. directories.

66 Using graded comprehension Using graded comprehension questions is the only real way of questions is the only real way of checking that students have checking that students have understood the text. understood the text.


Your Beliefs about Teaching Your Beliefs about Teaching ReadingReadingStatementsStatements AgreeAgree Dis-Dis-

agreeagreeDon’Don’

t t knowknow

77 The teacher’s job is to help The teacher’s job is to help students learn to read by students learn to read by themselves. S/he cannot do the themselves. S/he cannot do the reading for them. reading for them.

88 English newspapers are too English newspapers are too difficult for my students. Students difficult for my students. Students should concentrate on reading should concentrate on reading simplified texts from their simplified texts from their textbooks textbooks


Your Beliefs about Teaching Your Beliefs about Teaching ReadingReadingStatementsStatements AgreeAgree Dis-Dis-

agreeagreeDon’Don’

t t knowknow

99 Getting students to read aloud is a Getting students to read aloud is a useful way of making them useful way of making them understand what they are reading understand what they are reading

1010 The real purpose of reading is for The real purpose of reading is for students to learn more about students to learn more about grammar and how the written grammar and how the written language is constructed language is constructed

1111 If I don’t translate the text for my If I don’t translate the text for my students they don’t understand it. students they don’t understand it.




Don’t Don’t knowknow

1212 Students don’t need to be aware of Students don’t need to be aware of the reading sub-skills like 'skimming' the reading sub-skills like 'skimming' and 'scanning' - that’s information and 'scanning' - that’s information only the teacher needs to know. only the teacher needs to know.

1313 If I get my students to think about the If I get my students to think about the topic before they start reading, and topic before they start reading, and try to predict what the text is about , try to predict what the text is about , they find the text easier to they find the text easier to understand. understand.



commentscomments

1.1. In Grammar-Translation, all new words are taught In Grammar-Translation, all new words are taught / translated, but it is better to pre-teach only a / translated, but it is better to pre-teach only a few key words and teach students how to guess few key words and teach students how to guess the rest from context.the rest from context.

2.2. All kinds of reading materials should be All kinds of reading materials should be encouraged because different reading skills are encouraged because different reading skills are required to read different texts.required to read different texts.



commentscomments

3.3. It is unrealistic to think students will read on their It is unrealistic to think students will read on their own - mostly because of lack of habit and lack of own - mostly because of lack of habit and lack of material.material.

4.4. However, a lot of 'schooling' and testing just However, a lot of 'schooling' and testing just encourages a culture of 'right answers' instead of encourages a culture of 'right answers' instead of teaching the skill, the process of reading.teaching the skill, the process of reading.

5.5. See 2 above.See 2 above.



commentscomments

66.. This is the traditional way but not the only way. This is the traditional way but not the only way. This module will present teachers with many This module will present teachers with many alternatives.alternatives.

7.7. Reading is an individual skill. Also, reading skills Reading is an individual skill. Also, reading skills cannot be developed through reading in groups.cannot be developed through reading in groups.



commentscomments

8.8. It is not so much about level of difficulty but about It is not so much about level of difficulty but about reproducing authentic materials for large classes, reproducing authentic materials for large classes, and finding time to use such material in an already and finding time to use such material in an already overcrowded time-table.overcrowded time-table.

9.9. This is the traditional approach for teaching This is the traditional approach for teaching pronunciation, but reading aloud does not facilitate pronunciation, but reading aloud does not facilitate comprehension, nor does it help students develop comprehension, nor does it help students develop skills and strategies for reading.skills and strategies for reading.



commentscomments

10. This is the traditional Grammar Translation 10. This is the traditional Grammar Translation approach, but the real aim of teaching reading approach, but the real aim of teaching reading now is to develop comprehension skills, now is to develop comprehension skills, information retrieval, reading for a purpose other information retrieval, reading for a purpose other than grammar.than grammar.

11. Teachers need to train students to be able to 11. Teachers need to train students to be able to extract the main ideas and details without extract the main ideas and details without understanding every word as in real life.understanding every word as in real life.



commentscomments

12. 12. Teachers should make the sub-skills of reading Teachers should make the sub-skills of reading explicit to students, just as with grammar, explicit to students, just as with grammar, pronunciation and vocabulary rules are made pronunciation and vocabulary rules are made specific.specific.

13. This characterises the approach to reading that 13. This characterises the approach to reading that we will learn in this module. we will learn in this module.


Extensive or Intensive? Extensive or Intensive?

answer keyanswer keyIntensive Extensive

What is it used for?

understanding every word, recognising grammatical rules

reading for gist, reading for pleasure increasing reading speed

What types of material are used for each type?

textbook readings instructions recipes application forms

novels stories


Extensive or Intensive?Extensive or Intensive?commentscomments

Most reading activities are focused on intensive reading; Most reading activities are focused on intensive reading; only a few are devoted to extensive reading. One very only a few are devoted to extensive reading. One very practical reason is that it is too expensive to provide practical reason is that it is too expensive to provide students with novels or magazines or newspapers and it students with novels or magazines or newspapers and it would make the textbook too long to reproduce would make the textbook too long to reproduce extensive reading texts in it. If school had libraries extensive reading texts in it. If school had libraries stocked with graded readers in English, we might be stocked with graded readers in English, we might be able to tackle the problem. But in most cases, students able to tackle the problem. But in most cases, students do not have to access to this kind of resource.do not have to access to this kind of resource.


Extensive or Intensive?Extensive or Intensive?commentscomments

The solution is to apply some of the extensive reading The solution is to apply some of the extensive reading techniques to the intensive reading texts supplied in the techniques to the intensive reading texts supplied in the textbook. Instead of trying to get students to understand textbook. Instead of trying to get students to understand every new word, encourage students to read extensively. every new word, encourage students to read extensively. Use comprehension activities such as reading for gist, Use comprehension activities such as reading for gist, guessing the meaning of words, ignoring difficult guessing the meaning of words, ignoring difficult vocabulary, keeping on reading, speed reading, reading vocabulary, keeping on reading, speed reading, reading for personalisation or discussion, and do not do reading for personalisation or discussion, and do not do reading for grammar practice etc.for grammar practice etc.


Guessing the Meaning of New WordsGuessing the Meaning of New Words

B. B. List the problems teachers face when dealing with List the problems teachers face when dealing with new words in a reading passage.new words in a reading passage.

1.1. There are a lot of new words in each reading.There are a lot of new words in each reading.

2.2. The time is too limited to cover all these new The time is too limited to cover all these new words.words.

3.3. Students cannot remember so many words.Students cannot remember so many words.




4.4. Students do not develop the skill of guessing the Students do not develop the skill of guessing the meaning of new words, if the teacher teaches all meaning of new words, if the teacher teaches all the new words.the new words.

5.5. Most students do not know how to guess the Most students do not know how to guess the meaning of new words. They need to be trained to meaning of new words. They need to be trained to do it.do it.




6.6. Most teachers do not know how to teach students Most teachers do not know how to teach students this guessing skillthis guessing skill..


Guessing the Meaning of New WordsGuessing the Meaning of New Words C. C. Fill in the table showing the different ways teachers can deal Fill in the table showing the different ways teachers can deal

with new words.with new words.

If the word is At the students’ level

Above the students’ level

essential for understanding the passage

pre-teach carefully

teach passively

not essential for understanding the passage

guess ignore



D.D. List the strategies for guessing the meaning of List the strategies for guessing the meaning of new words.new words.

1.1. Find repetitions, compare contextsFind repetitions, compare contexts

2.2. Identify parts of speech. (suffixes, prefixes, Identify parts of speech. (suffixes, prefixes, auxiliaries, articles)auxiliaries, articles)

3.3. Identify proper nounsIdentify proper nouns



D.D. List the strategies for guessing the meaning of List the strategies for guessing the meaning of new words.new words.

4.4. Ignore adverbs and adjectives.Ignore adverbs and adjectives.

5.5. Keep reading the 5 – 10 words before or after the Keep reading the 5 – 10 words before or after the new word.new word.

6.6. Check your guess: substitute unknown word with Check your guess: substitute unknown word with synonym or Vietnamese translationsynonym or Vietnamese translation


pre- and while-reading techniques pre- and while-reading techniques Answer keyAnswer key

TECHNIQUESTECHNIQUES PRE-PRE- WHILWHILE-E-

1. open prediction2. true / false prediction3. ordering pictures4. multiple choice5. gap-fill6. ordering


pre- and while-reading techniques pre- and while-reading techniques Answer keyAnswer key

TECHNIQUESTECHNIQUES PRE-PRE- WHILWHILE-E-

7. answers given 8. pre-questions 9. grids 10. matching 11. comprehension questions 12. networks


consolidation and micro-teaching consolidation and micro-teaching

Answer keyAnswer key

Which techniques…Which techniques… List the techniques here:List the techniques here:

…are most suitable for Grade 10?

• ordering pictures• grids• network• gap-fill• matching





…require the least preparation ?

• network, • open prediction

…require the most preparation ?

• ordering pictures• multiple choice• T / F prediction





…can be written on the blackboard easily?

• network• open predictions• answers given

…need to be on a photocopied worksheet ?

• ordering • multiple choice• gap-fill





…are most similar to the school exams ?

• T/ F prediction• multiple choice• comprehension questions

… are least similar to the school exams ?

• grids• ordering pictures





… integrate the writing skill ?

• gap-fill• write-it-up

… integrate the listening skill ?

• discussion• open prediction

… integrate the speaking skill ?

• discussion• open prediction

teaching reading for high school students in vietnam

Education

teaching reading students

teaching reading comments

reading speed

process of reading

extensive reading texts

intensive reading texts

students dont

reading subskills