Reading skill:
Basic concepts and
terminology
Reading is one of the most essential skills for learning a language, but it’s not as simple as just understanding words on a page. To teach reading effectively, it’s important to understand the basic concepts and terminology used to describe reading skills. In this lesson, we’ll explore these concepts and show how you can apply them to plan and teach reading lessons that help your students succeed.
Concepts and terminology for
describing reading skills
Here are some of the most important terms and ideas you need to know when teaching reading:
Context clues:
These are hints in the text that help readers understand unfamiliar words or ideas. It’s like solving a puzzle using the pieces around it.
Example:
If a student doesn’t know the word “ecstatic,” they might guess its meaning from the sentence: “After winning the game, she was ecstatic and couldn’t stop smiling.”
Skimming:
Skimming means reading quickly to get the general idea of a text. It’s like looking at a movie trailer to understand what the film is about.
Example:
A student might skim a news article to find out the main topic without reading every detail.
Scanning:
Scanning is reading quickly to find specific information. It’s like looking for a friend’s name in a list.
Example:
A student might scan a bus schedule to find the departure time for their route.
Intensive reading:
Intensive reading means reading carefully to understand every detail. It’s like studying a recipe to make sure you don’t miss any steps.
Example:
A student might read a legal document or a scientific article to understand all the details.
Extensive reading:
Extensive reading means reading for pleasure or general understanding, often with longer texts like books or novels. It’s like reading a novel on the beach to relax.
Example:
A student might read a short story or a novel to improve their vocabulary and fluency.
Reading comprehension:
This refers to the ability to understand and interpret what you read. It involves not just understanding words but also grasping the meaning, context, and purpose of a text.
Example:
After reading a story, a student should be able to answer questions about the characters, plot, and main ideas.
Inference:
Inference means reading between the lines to understand ideas that aren’t directly stated. It’s like figuring out how someone feels based on their tone of voice.
Example:
If a text says, “She slammed the door and didn’t speak to anyone all day,” a student might infer that the character is angry.
How to apply these reading concepts to planning and teaching
Now that you understand the key concepts, here’s how to use them to create effective reading lessons:
Teach skimming and scanning:
- Start with activities that help students practice skimming and scanning. For example, give them a short article and ask them to find the main idea (skimming) or locate specific information like dates or names (scanning).
- Use real-world materials like menus, advertisements, or news headlines to make the practice relevant.
Balance intensive and extensive reading:
- Use intensive reading for shorter texts where students need to focus on details, such as grammar structures or vocabulary. For example, analyze a short story or a poem together as a class.
- Encourage extensive reading by providing a variety of books, articles, or stories that students can choose from based on their interests. Set aside time for silent reading or book discussions.
Focus on reading comprehension:
- After students read a text, ask questions that check their understanding. Start with simple questions (e.g., “What is the main idea?”) and move to more complex ones (e.g., “Why do you think the character made that decision?”).
- Use graphic organizers like mind maps or charts to help students organize their thoughts and understand the structure of the text.
Teach inference skills:
- Help students practice inference by asking questions that require them to think beyond the text. For example, “How do you think the character felt when this happened? Why?”
- Use texts with implied meanings, such as poems or short stories, to challenge students to read between the lines.
Use context clues:
- Teach students how to guess the meaning of unfamiliar words using context clues. For example, provide sentences with challenging words and ask students to infer their meanings based on the surrounding text.
- Create activities where students match words to their definitions using examples from the text.
Make it relevant and fun:
- Choose texts that are interesting and relevant to your students’ lives. For example, if your students are teenagers, use articles about social media or pop culture.
- Incorporate games and interactive activities, such as reading races or group discussions, to make reading engaging.
Reading: Real-world activities in the classroom
Skimming and scanning
Give students a travel brochure and ask them to find the cheapest flight or the most popular destination.
Intensive reading
Analyze a short news article together, focusing on vocabulary and grammar structures.
Extensive reading
Set up a class library with books at different levels and let students choose what they want to read.
Inference
Read a short story and ask students to predict the ending or explain the characters’ motivations.
Context clues
Provide a paragraph with underlined unfamiliar words and ask students to guess their meanings using the surrounding text.
Final thoughts
Teaching reading is about more than just helping students understand words—it’s about equipping them with the skills to analyze, interpret, and enjoy texts. By understanding key concepts like skimming, scanning, inference, and context clues, and by applying these ideas in your lessons, you can help your students become confident and competent readers.
So, whether your students are reading a menu, a novel, or a news article, your guidance can make all the difference. Happy teaching!
To your CELTA journal:
Think about your favorite ways to teach reading skills.
Reflect on them and write in your CELTA journal about your experiences, including the methods and activities you find most effective. Describe any challenges you have faced, such as engaging learners, addressing different reading levels, or developing comprehension skills, and explain how you overcame them.
- Next lesson: Purposes of reading
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