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[Otterman Ollie]

Hi

Just a simple thing really , when you have a classfull and the lesson is about reading ,usually a topic that is just not going to capture their imagination ,god who chooses this stuff? Any way as usual the kids have a different agenda and despite your best efforts at a silent reading lesson they are just not going to do what you want, basically shut up and read . So what is the soloution ? In a very short time you can see the stretching and yawning taking place as if by magic mobiles appear the overall volume of the library like classroom slowly and surely rises to a street market ,is this how a reading lesson is expected to go ? I don't think so, I need them to be focused on what they are doing how are we going to get these comp and true false exercises done ,not to mention the critical thinking !!! WHAT what did you say ?? Critical THİNKİNG!!!!! No people this silent bollocks is just not going to do it I need something radical ,revolutionaly, even risky,yeah I'm gonna make them read OUTLOUD ,yeah that'll focus the little darlings coz then they have to follow what the first poor smuck has to read incase I ask them to carry on . Yes I know they have'nt seen this word before let alone pronounced it coz its got more than 5 letters in it , so what, after I 've made them repeat it a few dozen times if necessary they won't forget it in a hurry who cares if its not a high frequency word they are upper intermediate students they MİGHT need it some day . And so it goes on this reading aloud not every lesson you understand maybe once or twice a week ,apart from focusing the kids on the task at hand I can think of other reasons why this way is more, shall we say teacher friendly ,now those amongst you who favor the other method tell me why you don't use or encourage mine, am I the only one in never never tefl land that expects my reading classes to be able to read English out loud ??

[Afra]

I'm not sure what the question is here but if it's whether other people have their students read aloud, I would answer 'Yes', but not for the reasons you give. I have students read aloud in small groups as listening activities.
Are you obliged to use the methodology you describe to teach reading? There are much more interactive ways of developing this skill, especially as it seems that you are teacing children or teenagers.

[ls650]

Did anyone else have trouble reading that first post...?

[Roger]

Do I understand you correctly?
You want your students to READ SILENTLY and THINK ABOUT A GIVEN TEXT BEFORE ANALYZING IT AND ANSWERING QUESTIONS?

If so, I would say this approach is the approach I personally FAVOUR too.
What I purport doing in a READING class is to make students aware of the meanings, both apparent and hidden, in a text; silent reading enables students to THINK about it - and to read BETWEEN THE LINES.

The question for me is: Why do this in CLASS? Why not before class, as homework?
My own answer: I have to require my Chinese students to read in class because they don't have the sense of responsability that it's up to them to be prepared and to give answers to my questions; they expect me to answer the book's questions and to memorise them.

My opinion on READING ALOUD is: it's very bad and often counterproductive; bad because while you pronounce those words (and pay so much attention to your pronunciation and, perhaps, intonation, you cannot absorb the semantics of what you are reading).
Also, if it is done in chorus, or without monitoring, then mispronunciations get internalised to the point of becoming fossilised.
THis is what CHinese students are doing - you hear them "practise reading aloud" at least for one hour before class begins, and often after class.
My preferred way: to have a SINGLE student read a passage aloud, so that his or her peers can gauge the differences between more standard English and their own English.
I suggest for their practice to tape-record their reading aloud and to listen to themselves. Adopt this advice for your own language study -and you will notice how far behind your target you are; you will have no trouble identifying a native speaker, and so, you will easily find fault with your own foreign pronunciation.

[arioch36]

Had trouble following the question.

Giving the reading assignment before class, requiring written homework and then discussing it in class is something that I do in my oral English class that seems effective ...but only because my students found out quickly that I grade the homework and give zeros for copying. Otherwise they will give crap for homework, as many Chinese ( and foreign?) teachers couldn't care.

From the internet you gave some supplemental material to the book ...with different slants.

Reading out loud ...very limited and only one student at a time as Roger said. Unfortunately for your workload, IMHO, the only way to teach critical thinking is to make the students write about the reading.

[Ludwig]

[Afra]

There are many other ways of 'teaching' critical thinking, decision games, discussion, action planning, etc.

[Otterman Ollie]

Hi
Thanks for your comments so far ,the question was ,in a nutshell do you think the practise as Roger suggested of one student at a time reading part of a text is counterproductive or does it at least have the merit of channelling the classes attention into using the language even if it is just reading .
The point I clearly failed to make was that for some reason this style of approach is not used by many ,I personally think that by doing this it does make life easier for the teacher and a fair few of the class actually enjoy reading out in front of their peers ,those who are distracted or not following are quickly found out if you ask them to carry on from the previous speaker . I did emphaise that this is done on only one or two times during the course of a week,someone suggested to give it to them before the lesson as an assignment ,good idea but the reality is that they rarely do and come to class knowing very little about the subject or the vocab ,hence this charade for want of a word ,in the end we get there its just that I feel I have a little bit more control this way . Comments ?

[guest of Japan]

Both methods are boring and ineffective. Have you thought about cooperative learning? Projects? Not treating your students like programmable robots?

I know. Why don't you have them read and edit your post? Certainly a lot of critical thinking is necessary to interpret your angst.

[Otterman Ollie]

Thanks guest ,never thought of that one must try that too .

Afra ,you mentioned there are several ways to do this kind of activity ,I just want to focus their attention ,clearly what I'm doing is off the mark any suggestions of the constructive kind ?

Regards Ollie

[guest of Japan]

Firstly, I'd like to apologize for the callousness of my post. There was no good reason for that.

Next I'd advise you to try to use cooperative learning. This is not the easiest way to teach. It takes a lot more preparation and your role in the classroom will be that of facillitator.

I'll give a very simple breakdown on how it can be done. Break the class into groups of four. Assign roles such as group leader, presenter, and secretary.

Present each group with a collection of related short readings and a few questions focusing on whatever skill areas you wish to focus on. (This is the time consuming part.)

Each student should be responsible for one reading of the collection. When they have finished reading they should pull their new knowledge together to answer the questions you present them with. After all the questions have been answered the presenter(s) from each group should share the work accomplished with the class.

The first tme this is done it will probably not be smooth sailing. It will take the students a while to get into the habit of doing these activities well. You will have to monitor very intently. I don't recommend this below an intermediate level without support of a native speaker of the student language.

Again, I apologize and I thank you for taking my comment so decently. I hope my more rational post helps.

[Gordon]

Guest of Japan,
I thought I was the one who was the grumpy bear. Good apology though.

[guest of Japan]

When I lived in the US I mastered the art of making excuses. Now that I'm in Japan I'm studying the art of the apology.

Gordon, I've never thought of you as the grumpy bear.

[scot47]

theproblemwithottermanollieandhispostsisthat theyaresometimesunreadable

seemsthatheteachesreadingbutnevermasteredtheartofwritingsomethingthathisaudiencecandecipher

[scot47]

theproblemwithottermanollieandhispostsisthat theyaresometimesunreadable

seemsthatheteachesreadingbutnevermasteredtheartofwritingsomethingthathisaudiencecandecipher