Reading is when processing of the written text intermingles with personal background knowledge to create meaning for the reader. Reading is when the words come alive!
Unit 1 - Contextualizing Content - What does reading involve?
I have taken my own reading abilities for granted and I'll tell you why.
My brain has been working very hard to decipher the written messages all around me everyday, all day.
My reading process is so automatic that I’ve never stopped to appreciate the complexity that goes into this task. It’s
actually amazing that I’ve been able to learn to understand and read language! My language skills are not static but
ever developing. I am deciphering and implying meaning to new texts and foreign vocab words every time I read
something new. It’s a beautiful thing to have the abilities to confidently interact and receive the world around me
in this way. I have a new found appreciation for the skill of reading.
My reading process is so automatic that I’ve never stopped to appreciate the complexity that goes into this task. It’s
actually amazing that I’ve been able to learn to understand and read language! My language skills are not static but
ever developing. I am deciphering and implying meaning to new texts and foreign vocab words every time I read
something new. It’s a beautiful thing to have the abilities to confidently interact and receive the world around me
in this way. I have a new found appreciation for the skill of reading.
The three concepts that captured my attention this unit were schema theory/background knowledge, direct vs.
indirect approaches to teaching and teaching vocabulary in context.
indirect approaches to teaching and teaching vocabulary in context.
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| Schema Theory and Background Knowledge |
Schema Theory and Background Knowledge:
This was something I had never really thought about before and I found it very engaging. Reading is more than just
the mechanics of reading, the background knowledge of the reader plays an active role in allotting meaning.
Comprehension is more than just understanding the grammar, spelling and vocabulary but knowing the cultural
and experiential knowledge that make the writing meaningful. “The reader brings information, knowledge, emotion,
experience and culture - that is schemata - to the printed word” (Brown and Lee, pp 391). Understanding the role
that schema and background knowledge play in reading is crucial for teachers in the classroom. You may think you
have chosen the perfect text to teach them new vocab however the deeper meaning can be totally lost on a student
who has grown up in a completely different cultural framework. Empathy for our students is key, we must know our
students and their history if we are to serve them in helpful ways.
This was something I had never really thought about before and I found it very engaging. Reading is more than just
the mechanics of reading, the background knowledge of the reader plays an active role in allotting meaning.
Comprehension is more than just understanding the grammar, spelling and vocabulary but knowing the cultural
and experiential knowledge that make the writing meaningful. “The reader brings information, knowledge, emotion,
experience and culture - that is schemata - to the printed word” (Brown and Lee, pp 391). Understanding the role
that schema and background knowledge play in reading is crucial for teachers in the classroom. You may think you
have chosen the perfect text to teach them new vocab however the deeper meaning can be totally lost on a student
who has grown up in a completely different cultural framework. Empathy for our students is key, we must know our
students and their history if we are to serve them in helpful ways.
 |
Direct vs. Indirect approaches to teaching
|
Direct vs. Indirect approaches to teaching - Teaching strategic reading
The question is will ELLs “learn to read better is a laissez-faire atmosphere of enriched surroundings
(indirect teaching) then in a instructed sequence of direct attention to the strategies of efficient reading
(direct teaching). ” (Brown and Lee, pp 392-393). According to our textbook, experts agree that direct teaching
is the most effective way to teach reading but that it’s optimal to use a mix of both methods in the classroom. This
was surprising to me actually. I had the idea that given enough exposure to written language that a ELL would
“just pick it up” to a certain extent. Of course I knew that the basic mechanics would need to be taught directly
but I thought that indirect teaching would have been more powerful.
This has an interest for me in my current job as a high school EAL EA. Our students are in the normal academic
stream and attend regular classes most of the time. They are often thrown into the proverbial deep end of reading
and vocabulary. Of course we try to support and adapt the best we can but there often isn’t time for long detailed
lessons of direct teaching since the students are busy trying to keep afloat in their classes. From what I’ve learnt
about direct learning in this unit, it would great to try some more direct teaching on reading skills in our classroom.
The question is will ELLs “learn to read better is a laissez-faire atmosphere of enriched surroundings
(indirect teaching) then in a instructed sequence of direct attention to the strategies of efficient reading
(direct teaching). ” (Brown and Lee, pp 392-393). According to our textbook, experts agree that direct teaching
is the most effective way to teach reading but that it’s optimal to use a mix of both methods in the classroom. This
was surprising to me actually. I had the idea that given enough exposure to written language that a ELL would
“just pick it up” to a certain extent. Of course I knew that the basic mechanics would need to be taught directly
but I thought that indirect teaching would have been more powerful.
This has an interest for me in my current job as a high school EAL EA. Our students are in the normal academic
stream and attend regular classes most of the time. They are often thrown into the proverbial deep end of reading
and vocabulary. Of course we try to support and adapt the best we can but there often isn’t time for long detailed
lessons of direct teaching since the students are busy trying to keep afloat in their classes. From what I’ve learnt
about direct learning in this unit, it would great to try some more direct teaching on reading skills in our classroom.
 |
Teaching vocabulary in context
|
Teaching vocabulary in context:
Teaching vocabulary in context helps the ELL remember the new vocabulary far better then if they were to just
memorize a long list of definitions. Teaching vocabulary in context means that you present the ELL with vocab
words in a passage or format that supplements the learning of the word’s meaning and use. A long list of vocab
words can be overwhelming for students and they spend very little time interacting with each new word in this
approach. It’s unlikely that words will sink into their long term memory with this method. In context, new vocabulary
is repeated often which is helpful for memorization. The new vocabulary is paired with content that helps the reader
understand the meaning on a more practical level. Teaching vocabulary in context is easy and fun! Pull out different
genres of writing, read stories together or find a funny text for them to interact with. Teachers are able to get
creative when they decide to teach vocabulary in context and students will have more fun too. Getting a student
to have fun while learning in the best way for that information to sink in!
Teaching vocabulary in context helps the ELL remember the new vocabulary far better then if they were to just
memorize a long list of definitions. Teaching vocabulary in context means that you present the ELL with vocab
words in a passage or format that supplements the learning of the word’s meaning and use. A long list of vocab
words can be overwhelming for students and they spend very little time interacting with each new word in this
approach. It’s unlikely that words will sink into their long term memory with this method. In context, new vocabulary
is repeated often which is helpful for memorization. The new vocabulary is paired with content that helps the reader
understand the meaning on a more practical level. Teaching vocabulary in context is easy and fun! Pull out different
genres of writing, read stories together or find a funny text for them to interact with. Teachers are able to get
creative when they decide to teach vocabulary in context and students will have more fun too. Getting a student
to have fun while learning in the best way for that information to sink in!
References
Brown, D. & Lee, H. (2015) Teaching by Principles: An Interactive Approach to Language Pedagogy. Upper
Saddle River: Pearson
Saddle River: Pearson
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