Reading & Vocabulary

GUY ELDERSGUY ELDERS

www.elt2000.com

Who Am I?

• Guy Elders• English• A Father• A Dreamer• A Risk Taker• A Child At Heart

• Aoccdrnig to rscheearch at Cmabrigde uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteres are at the rghit pclae. The rset can be a tatol mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae we do not raed ervey lteter by it slef but the wrod as a wlohe.

JUST TO GET YOU THINKING……….JUST TO GET YOU THINKING……….

YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE TO LIST AS MANY THINGS TO YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE TO LIST AS MANY THINGS TO READ AS POSSIBLEREAD AS POSSIBLE

NOW THINK ABOUT WHY YOU READ THEM!NOW THINK ABOUT WHY YOU READ THEM!

WWhy is reading so importanthy is reading so important??

ANY IDEAS?ANY IDEAS?•IN ORDER TO LEARN A LANGUAGE WE NEED TO BE EXPOSED IN ORDER TO LEARN A LANGUAGE WE NEED TO BE EXPOSED TO IT – WE NEED A MODEL SOMETHING TO COPY – BOOKS TO IT – WE NEED A MODEL SOMETHING TO COPY – BOOKS PROVIDE US WITH THISPROVIDE US WITH THIS

•WE NEED TO BE CHALLENGED – TO PUSH OURSELVESWE NEED TO BE CHALLENGED – TO PUSH OURSELVES

•STUDENTS DO NOT NEED TO KNOW EVERY WORD OR RECOGNIZESTUDENTS DO NOT NEED TO KNOW EVERY WORD OR RECOGNIZE EVERY GRAMMATICAL STRUCTURE IN ORDER TO UNDERSTANDEVERY GRAMMATICAL STRUCTURE IN ORDER TO UNDERSTAND THE GIST OF THE STORY THE GIST OF THE STORY

•READING IS SOMETHING THAT WE (OR MOST OF US DO) IN OUR READING IS SOMETHING THAT WE (OR MOST OF US DO) IN OUR MOTHER TONGUE – WE MOTHER TONGUE – WE ARE ARE NOT ASKING STUDENTS TO DO SOMETHINGNOT ASKING STUDENTS TO DO SOMETHING NEW OR UNNATURAL BUT RATHER TO TRANSFER A SKILL THEYNEW OR UNNATURAL BUT RATHER TO TRANSFER A SKILL THEY ALREADY HAVE.ALREADY HAVE.

READING IS SOMETHING THAT WE DO ALL THE TIMEREADING IS SOMETHING THAT WE DO ALL THE TIME – – IT IS A FAMILIAR EXERCISE – FAMILIARITY IS GOODIT IS A FAMILIAR EXERCISE – FAMILIARITY IS GOOD – – UNTHREATENINGUNTHREATENING

IT IS A SATISFYING EXERCISE – THERE IS A BEGINNING IT IS A SATISFYING EXERCISE – THERE IS A BEGINNING AND AN ENDAND AN END

STORIES ARE A PART OF OUR LIVES – WE ALL GREW UP STORIES ARE A PART OF OUR LIVES – WE ALL GREW UP BEING TOLD STORIES WHBEING TOLD STORIES WHEETHER THESE BE ‘FORMAL’ STORIESTHER THESE BE ‘FORMAL’ STORIESOR STORIES / MEMORIES FROM OLDER RELATIVES OR STORIES / MEMORIES FROM OLDER RELATIVES

WHY DO WE READ?WHY DO WE READ?

• FOR FOR PLEASUREPLEASURE

• TO FIND SOMETHING OUTTO FIND SOMETHING OUT

ANY IDEAS?ANY IDEAS?

CHOOSE BOOKS THAT THEY WILL ENJOY NOT YOUCHOOSE BOOKS THAT THEY WILL ENJOY NOT YOU

• WRITERS WRITE FOR SPECIFIC AUDIENCES

• WE ALL ENJOYENJOY DIFFERENT KINDS OF STORIES

• WHAT YOUR STUDENTS WILL ENJOY ENJOY IS NOT NECESSARILY THE SAME AS WHAT YOU WOULD ENJOY

• REMEMBER YOU ARE USING THE READERS AS A TEACHING TOOL i.e. YOU ARE TEACHING LANGUAGE AND NOT TRYING TO TEACH LITERATURE

NOW A QUESTIONNOW A QUESTION

ANY IDEAS?

ANY IDEAS?

TITLETITLE

HERO / HEROINE (S)HERO / HEROINE (S)

VILLAINVILLAIN

BEGINNINGBEGINNING

MIDDLEMIDDLE

ENDEND

CHARACTERSCHARACTERS

PLOTPLOT

SETTINGSETTING

WHAT HELPS US TO READ?WHAT HELPS US TO READ?

• OUR KNOWLEDGE OF THE WORLD – SCHEMATAOUR KNOWLEDGE OF THE WORLD – SCHEMATA

• WE KNOW HOW CERTAIN THINGS WORK OR ARE WE KNOW HOW CERTAIN THINGS WORK OR ARE SUPPOSED TO BE – WHEN READING THIS HELPSSUPPOSED TO BE – WHEN READING THIS HELPS US TO MAKE PREDICTIONS – OUR “STORY” SCHEMATAUS TO MAKE PREDICTIONS – OUR “STORY” SCHEMATA AIDS IN OUR UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT WILL HAPPENAIDS IN OUR UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT WILL HAPPEN

• STORIES THAT CONTAIN SUBJECT AREA THAT OURSTORIES THAT CONTAIN SUBJECT AREA THAT OUR STUDENTS ARE FAMILIAR WITH WILL BE EASIER TOSTUDENTS ARE FAMILIAR WITH WILL BE EASIER TO UNDERSTAND THAN THOSE THAT DON’TUNDERSTAND THAN THOSE THAT DON’T

HELPING THEM FEEL COMFORTABLE READING IN L2HELPING THEM FEEL COMFORTABLE READING IN L2

• YOUNGER STUDENTS ESPECIALLY WILL FEEL MOREYOUNGER STUDENTS ESPECIALLY WILL FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE WITH STOCOMFORTABLE WITH STORRIES THEY ARE FAMILIAR WITHIES THEY ARE FAMILIAR WITH • FAIRY TALES AND STORIES THAT THEY ARE ALREADY AWAREFAIRY TALES AND STORIES THAT THEY ARE ALREADY AWARE OF IN THEIR NATIVE LANGUAGEOF IN THEIR NATIVE LANGUAGE

• YOUNG LEARNERS DO NOT GET BORED OF HEARING/READINGYOUNG LEARNERS DO NOT GET BORED OF HEARING/READING A STORY MORE THAN ONCEA STORY MORE THAN ONCE

• FOR OLDER STUDENTS WHO MAY GET BORED – FAMILIARITYFOR OLDER STUDENTS WHO MAY GET BORED – FAMILIARITY CAN BE ACHIEVED BY USING STORIES THAT HAVE BEEN ADAPTEDCAN BE ACHIEVED BY USING STORIES THAT HAVE BEEN ADAPTED FROM FILMS FROM FILMS

APPROPRIACY – IS IT SUITED TO YOUR STUDENTS?APPROPRIACY – IS IT SUITED TO YOUR STUDENTS?

1.1. LEVEL – THIS IS OBVIOUSLY IMPORTANT, IF YOUR STUDENTSLEVEL – THIS IS OBVIOUSLY IMPORTANT, IF YOUR STUDENTS DON’T UNDERSTAND THE MAJORDON’T UNDERSTAND THE MAJORIITY OF THE VOCABULARYTY OF THE VOCABULARY

THEN THEY WILL TAKE NO PLEASURE FROM THE STORYTHEN THEY WILL TAKE NO PLEASURE FROM THE STORY

CONVERSLY, IF IT IS TOO SIMPLE THEN THEY WILL NOTCONVERSLY, IF IT IS TOO SIMPLE THEN THEY WILL NOT LEARN ANYTHING NEW!LEARN ANYTHING NEW!

2. CONTENT – THIS CAN BE EVEN MORE IMPORTANT THAN LEVEL2. CONTENT – THIS CAN BE EVEN MORE IMPORTANT THAN LEVELTHE STORY MUST BE AGE APPROPRIATE – THEY MUSTTHE STORY MUST BE AGE APPROPRIATE – THEY MUSTBE ABLE TO RELATE TO THE CHARACTERS ANDBE ABLE TO RELATE TO THE CHARACTERS ANDEVENTS EVENTS

A QUESTION A QUESTION

WHY IS HARRY POTTER SO SUCCESSFUL?WHY IS HARRY POTTER SO SUCCESSFUL?

ANY IDEAS?ANY IDEAS?IT IS ABOUT CHILDREN: IT IS ABOUT CHILDREN: CHILDREN LIKE STORIES ABOUT CHILDRENCHILDREN LIKE STORIES ABOUT CHILDREN

IT IS SET IN A SCHOOL: FAMILIAR - IT IS SET IN A SCHOOL: FAMILIAR - ACTIVATES THEIRACTIVATES THEIR “ “SCHOOL” SCHEMATASCHOOL” SCHEMATA

IT HAS TEACHERS BOTH GOOD & BAD: IT HAS TEACHERS BOTH GOOD & BAD: REFLECTS REAL LIFEREFLECTS REAL LIFE

IT HAS ELEMENTS OF FANTASY: IT HAS ELEMENTS OF FANTASY: YOUNG LEARNERS HAVE GREATYOUNG LEARNERS HAVE GREAT IMAGINATIONSIMAGINATIONS

What makes reading difficult for students?What makes reading difficult for students?

ANY IDEAS?ANY IDEAS?

• VOCABULARYVOCABULARY• STRUCTURESTRUCTURE• LENGTHLENGTH• SUBJECTSUBJECT

PRE-READING TASKSPRE-READING TASKS

BEFORE READING THERE ARE CERTAIN TASKS THAT MUST BE

ACCOMPLISHED:

• VOCABULARY – TO PRE-TEACH OR NOT TO PRE-TEACH

• AWAKEN INTEREST – STUDENTS MUST WANT TO READ THE BOOK

HOW MUCH VOCABULARY WILL YOU TEACH?HOW MUCH VOCABULARY WILL YOU TEACH?

IF YOUR ROAD THROUGH THE BOOK LOOKS LIKE THISIF YOUR ROAD THROUGH THE BOOK LOOKS LIKE THIS

NEWNEWWORDWORD

NEWNEWWORDWORD

NEWNEWWORDWORD

NEWNEWWORDWORD

NEWNEWWORDWORD

NEWNEWWORDWORD

NEWNEWWORDWORD

NEWNEWWORDWORD

THEN YOU HAVE A PROBLEMTHEN YOU HAVE A PROBLEM

IF THERE ARE TOO MANY OBSTACLES IN THEIRIF THERE ARE TOO MANY OBSTACLES IN THEIRPATH THEN THEY WILL EVENTUALLY GIVE UP!PATH THEN THEY WILL EVENTUALLY GIVE UP!

IF YOU TEACH TOO MUCH THEN STUDENTS WILLIF YOU TEACH TOO MUCH THEN STUDENTS WILLNOT HAVE TO ACTIVATE READING SKILLS NOT HAVE TO ACTIVATE READING SKILLS SUCH AS PREDICTION SUCH AS PREDICTION

GUESSING MEANING IS AN IMPORTANT SKILL THATGUESSING MEANING IS AN IMPORTANT SKILL THATSTUDENTS NESTUDENTS NEEED TO LEARN!D TO LEARN!

AS A GENERAL RULE UNKNOWN VOCABULARY SHOULD AS A GENERAL RULE UNKNOWN VOCABULARY SHOULD NOT NUMBER MORE NOT NUMBER MORE THAN THAN ONE WORD OUT OF SEVEN.ONE WORD OUT OF SEVEN.

NEWNEWWORDWORD

Vocabulary game

EnormousHorribleExciting

RedIncredible

BreathtakingTiny

FamousInspirational

UglyMagnificent

BoringPowerfulPathetic

See how many pairs you can make – e.g. Guy is incredible and inspirational

Vocabulary Monster

Hot seat

• First, split your class into different teams (two is best, but if you have a large class, any number could be used).

• Sit the students facing the board.

• Then take an empty chair - one for each team - and put it at the front of the class, facing the team members. These chairs are the 'hot seats'

• Then get one member from each team to come up and sit in that chair, so they are facing their team-mates and have their back to the board.

• As the teacher, have a list of vocabulary items that you want to use in this game.

VOCABULARY DRAGON

TIME TO DO SOME WRITING!

You are going to describe your friend!

1. If your friend was a colour what colour would she be?

2. If your friend as a food what would she be?

3. If your friend was a drink what would she be?

4. If your friend was a musical instrument what would she be?

5. If your friend was an animal what would she be?

AWAKENING INTEREST IN THE BOOKAWAKENING INTEREST IN THE BOOK

AS WE SAID EARLIER STUDENTS MUST WANT TO READAS WE SAID EARLIER STUDENTS MUST WANT TO READTHE BOOK – THEY MUST WANT TO OPEN IT FOR THEMSELVESTHE BOOK – THEY MUST WANT TO OPEN IT FOR THEMSELVESAND NOT JUST BECAUSE IT IS THE READING LESSON!AND NOT JUST BECAUSE IT IS THE READING LESSON!

USE THE TITLE OR THE PICTURE ON THE FRONT OF THE BOOK!USE THE TITLE OR THE PICTURE ON THE FRONT OF THE BOOK!

FOR EXAMPLEFOR EXAMPLE

HOW CAN WE MAKE THEM WANT TO READ THE BOOK?HOW CAN WE MAKE THEM WANT TO READ THE BOOK?

ANY IDEAS?ANY IDEAS?

Raising InterestRaising Interest

WHERE ARE THEY GOING?WHERE ARE THEY GOING?

WHY ARE THEYWHY ARE THEYFRIFRIEENDS?NDS?

WHY WILL THEIR WHY WILL THEIR JOURNEYJOURNEY

BE INCREDIBLE?BE INCREDIBLE?

RELATE TO STUDENTSRELATE TO STUDENTSPERSONAL EXPERIENCEPERSONAL EXPERIENCE

IS THERE A JOURNEY THEY ESPECIALLY REMEMBER?IS THERE A JOURNEY THEY ESPECIALLY REMEMBER?

DO THEY HAVE PETS? DO THEY HAVE PETS?

ANY STORIES ABOUTANY STORIES ABOUTTHEIR PETS?THEIR PETS?

WHAT WOULD THEYWHAT WOULD THEYCALL THE ANIMALS?CALL THE ANIMALS?

NOW YOU TRY…….. WHAT QUESTIONS COULD YOU ASK?NOW YOU TRY…….. WHAT QUESTIONS COULD YOU ASK?

MORE PRE-READING SUGGESTIONS:-MORE PRE-READING SUGGESTIONS:-

GET STUDENTS TO SKIM BEFORE READINGGET STUDENTS TO SKIM BEFORE READING

TO FIND OUT NAMES OF CHARACTERS TO FIND OUT NAMES OF CHARACTERS

““THE INCREDIBLE JOURNEY” WHAT ARE THE NAMES OFTHE INCREDIBLE JOURNEY” WHAT ARE THE NAMES OFTHE ANIMALSTHE ANIMALS

IT IS MORE INTERESTING TO FIND OUT ABOUT CHARACTERS WHENIT IS MORE INTERESTING TO FIND OUT ABOUT CHARACTERS WHENYOU CAN CALL THEM BY NAMEYOU CAN CALL THEM BY NAME

UPSIDE DOWN COMPREHENSION QUESTIONSUPSIDE DOWN COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS

INSTEAD OF THE TRADITIONAL WAY OF HAVING STUDENTSINSTEAD OF THE TRADITIONAL WAY OF HAVING STUDENTSREAD AND THEN ANSWER COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS – READ AND THEN ANSWER COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS –

HAVE THEM WRITE THEIR OWN COMPREHENSION QUESTIONSHAVE THEM WRITE THEIR OWN COMPREHENSION QUESTIONSBEFOREBEFORE READING – CAN BE DONE IN GROUPS OR INDIVIDUALLY READING – CAN BE DONE IN GROUPS OR INDIVIDUALLY

THIS EXERCISE WILL ENCOURAGE THEM TO THINK ABOUTTHIS EXERCISE WILL ENCOURAGE THEM TO THINK ABOUTWHAT THEY WANT TO LEARN FROM THE CHAPTER AS WELL AS WHAT THEY WANT TO LEARN FROM THE CHAPTER AS WELL AS THEN GIVING THEM A REASON TO READTHEN GIVING THEM A REASON TO READ

THEY CAN EVEN ANSWER THEM (OR ANOTHER GROUPS’)THEY CAN EVEN ANSWER THEM (OR ANOTHER GROUPS’)BEFORE READING – SEE HOW GOOD THEY ARE AT PREDICTINGBEFORE READING – SEE HOW GOOD THEY ARE AT PREDICTING

IT’S MORE IT’S MORE FUNFUN TO ANSWER YOUR OWN QUESTIONS THAN THOSE TO ANSWER YOUR OWN QUESTIONS THAN THOSEGIVEN BY SOMEONE ELSEGIVEN BY SOMEONE ELSE

WHILE READINGWHILE READING

• ASSUMING WE HAVE GOT THEM INTERESTED ASSUMING WE HAVE GOT THEM INTERESTED

ENOUGH TO WANT TO READ THE BOOK WE NEEDENOUGH TO WANT TO READ THE BOOK WE NEED

TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE KEPT BUSY WHILE READING!TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE KEPT BUSY WHILE READING!

• JUST READING THE STORY IS OFTEN NOT ENOUGHJUST READING THE STORY IS OFTEN NOT ENOUGH

SOME STUDENTS WILL NEED TO BE KEPT FOCUSSEDSOME STUDENTS WILL NEED TO BE KEPT FOCUSSED

HOW CAN WE KEEP THEM FOCUSSED?HOW CAN WE KEEP THEM FOCUSSED?

ANY IDEAS?ANY IDEAS?

REASONS TO READREASONS TO READ

AS MENTIONED EARLIER – HAVING QUESTIONS TO ANSWERAS MENTIONED EARLIER – HAVING QUESTIONS TO ANSWERWHILE READING WILL GIVE THEM SOMETHING TO WHILE READING WILL GIVE THEM SOMETHING TO CONCENTRATE ONCONCENTRATE ON

GROUP STUDENTS AND GIVE THEM DIFFERENT TASKSGROUP STUDENTS AND GIVE THEM DIFFERENT TASKS

e.g. e.g. ASK A GROUP TO FOLLOW THE PROGRESS OF ONEASK A GROUP TO FOLLOW THE PROGRESS OF ONE CHARACTER THROUGH THE CHAPTER – WHERE DIDCHARACTER THROUGH THE CHAPTER – WHERE DID HE GO? WHO DID HE TALK TO? WHAT WAS HE WEARING?HE GO? WHO DID HE TALK TO? WHAT WAS HE WEARING? ETC. ETC. (especially weaker students will benefit from this type(especially weaker students will benefit from this type

of focussing)of focussing)

•THEY CAN LOOK FOR DETAILS RELATED TO SETTINGTHEY CAN LOOK FOR DETAILS RELATED TO SETTING

•STOP THE STORY AND ASK THEM TO PREDICTSTOP THE STORY AND ASK THEM TO PREDICT

•LET THEM PUT THEMSELVES IN THE PLACE OF THELET THEM PUT THEMSELVES IN THE PLACE OF THE CHARACTERS – HOW DO YOU FEEL? MAKE IT PERSONALCHARACTERS – HOW DO YOU FEEL? MAKE IT PERSONAL

•ROLE PLAY SCENES THIS HELPS YOU CHECK IF THEY ROLE PLAY SCENES THIS HELPS YOU CHECK IF THEY HAVE UNDERSTOOD OR NOT AND IS A CHANCE FOR THEMHAVE UNDERSTOOD OR NOT AND IS A CHANCE FOR THEM TO USE THEIR IMAGINATIONTO USE THEIR IMAGINATION

•DON’T ASK THEM TO UNDERLINE ALL THE WORDS THEYDON’T ASK THEM TO UNDERLINE ALL THE WORDS THEY DON’T KNOW!DON’T KNOW!

ASK STUDENTS TO KEEP A RECORD OF CHARACTERSASK STUDENTS TO KEEP A RECORD OF CHARACTERSWHAT HAPPENS TO THEM? WHEN DO THEY ENTERWHAT HAPPENS TO THEM? WHEN DO THEY ENTEROR LEAVE THE STORY? WHAT DO THEY LOOK LIKE?OR LEAVE THE STORY? WHAT DO THEY LOOK LIKE?

AT CERTAIN POINTS GET THEM TO CONDUCT IMAGINARYAT CERTAIN POINTS GET THEM TO CONDUCT IMAGINARYINTERVIEWS WITH THE CHARACTERSINTERVIEWS WITH THE CHARACTERS

ASK THEM TO REWRITE SCENES FROM THE POINTS OF ASK THEM TO REWRITE SCENES FROM THE POINTS OF VIEW OF DIFFERENT CHARACTERSVIEW OF DIFFERENT CHARACTERS

CHAPTER OR STORY ENDINGS CAN BE REWRITTEN – IMAGINATIONCHAPTER OR STORY ENDINGS CAN BE REWRITTEN – IMAGINATION

ALLOCATE THEM A CHARACTER AND ASK THEM TO KEEP HIS DIARYALLOCATE THEM A CHARACTER AND ASK THEM TO KEEP HIS DIARY SIMILARLY THEY CAN WRITE LETTERS TO EACH OTHER AS SIMILARLY THEY CAN WRITE LETTERS TO EACH OTHER AS DIFFERENT CHARACTERSDIFFERENT CHARACTERS

WHAT TO DO WHEN THE STORY IS FINISHEDWHAT TO DO WHEN THE STORY IS FINISHED

CLASSICS INCLUDE WRITING A SUMMARY! (KEEPS THEM QUIET!)CLASSICS INCLUDE WRITING A SUMMARY! (KEEPS THEM QUIET!)

CHANGE THIS! IF YOU WANT THEM TO WRITE A SUMMARY TRYCHANGE THIS! IF YOU WANT THEM TO WRITE A SUMMARY TRYGETTING THEM TOGETTING THEM TO DO DO THIS IN PICTURES OR AS A CARTOON THIS IN PICTURES OR AS A CARTOON

ASK THEM TO USE THE MAIN EVENTS AND CHARACTERS TO WRITEASK THEM TO USE THE MAIN EVENTS AND CHARACTERS TO WRITEA NEWSPAPER REPORT BASED ON THE STORYA NEWSPAPER REPORT BASED ON THE STORY

BOOK REVIEWSBOOK REVIEWS

A DETAILED BOOK REPORT WILL ENCOURAGE THEM TO THINKA DETAILED BOOK REPORT WILL ENCOURAGE THEM TO THINKABOUT WHY THEY LIKE OR DISLIKE A STORY – WILL ALSO HELPABOUT WHY THEY LIKE OR DISLIKE A STORY – WILL ALSO HELPYOU WHEN DECIDING WHETHER OR NOT TO USE THE BOOK AGAINYOU WHEN DECIDING WHETHER OR NOT TO USE THE BOOK AGAIN

ANY IDEAS?ANY IDEAS?

THEY CAN ACT OUT THE STORY – MAKE A PLAYTHEY CAN ACT OUT THE STORY – MAKE A PLAY

OR A PUPPET SHOWOR A PUPPET SHOW

FINAL WORDSFINAL WORDS

REMEMBERTHEY MUSTWANT TO READ THE

STORY

AGE APPROPRIACYCAN BE MORE

IMPORTANT THAN LEVEL

MAKE THE READINGLESSON SOMETHING

DIFFERENT

ENJOYYOURSELVES

ALWAYS HAVESOMETHING FOR THE

STUDENTS TO DO

Thank you for listening Thank you for listening

guy.elders@pearson.comguy.elders@pearson.com

www.elt2000.comwww.elt2000.com