ORELT - Module 3 - Modified - 0

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ORELT
Open Resources for English Language Teaching
Module 3 – Success in Reading

The Commonwealth of Learning (COL) is an intergovernmental organisation created by Commonwealth
Heads of Government to encourage the development and sharing of open learning and distance education
knowledge, resources and technologies.
Commonwealth of Learning, 2012
CC BY-SA
© 2012 by the Commonwealth of Learning. Open Resources for English Language Teaching: Module 3 –
Success in Reading is made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Licence
(international): http://creativecommons.org/licences/by-sa/3.0
For the avoidance of doubt, by applying this licence the Commonwealth of Learning does not waive any
privileges or immunities from claims that it may be entitled to assert, nor does the Commonwealth of
Learning submit itself to the jurisdiction, courts, legal processes or laws of any jurisdiction.
All of this document may be reproduced without permission but with attribution to the Commonwealth of
Learning and the author.
Open Resources for English Language Teaching: Module 3 – Success in Reading
ISBN: 978-1-894975-46-9
Published by:
Commonwealth of Learning
1055 West Hastings, Suite 1200
Vancouver, British Columbia
Canada V6E 2E9
Telephone: +1 604 775 8200
Fax: +1 604 775 8210
Web: www.col.org
E-mail: [email protected]
Acknowledgements
The Commonwealth of Learning (COL) acknowledges the contributions of the following in the
development of the Open Resources for English Language Teaching (ORELT) at Junior Secondary
School (JSS) Level modules:
Professor Thomas K. Adeyanju, Ahmadu Bello University, Nigeria (Module 1); Dr Musa Maisamari,
University of Abuja, Nigeria (Module 2); Dr Speranza M. Ndege, Institute of Open, Distance & e-
Learning, Kenyatta University, Kenya (Module 3); Dr Mukti Sanyal, Bharati College, University of
Delhi, India (Module 3); Dr Cornelia Muganda, Institute of Continuing Education, The Open
University of Tanzania (Module 4); Professor Isaac Olaofe, Faculty of Education, Ahmadu Bello
University, Nigeria (Module 5) and Dr Padmini Boruah, Department of English Language Teaching
(ELT), Gauhati University, India (Module 6).
We also wish to acknowledge the following people for reviewing/critiquing the modules:
Dr Padmini Boruah, Department of ELT, Gauhati University; Dr Mukti Sanyal, Bharati College,
University of Delhi; Dr Ravinarayan Chakrakodi, Regional Institute of English, South India; Dr
Kishor G. Bhide, Department of English, SNDT Arts and Commerce College for Women, India; Dr
V. Rajagopalan, SSKV College of Arts and Science for Women, India; Mr Rajesh Nimesh, Video
Production Division, Central Institute of Educational Technology, National Council of Educational
Research & Training, India; and Professor Vasudha Kamat, Central Institute of Educational
Technology, National Council of Educational Research & Training, India.
Dr Padmini Boruah, Department of ELT, Gauhati University edited and substantially revised all the
six modules. Messrs Nicholas Kimolo and Maurice Mulinge of Futuristic Ltd. developed the
multimedia content materials and Dr Abdurrahman Umar, Education Specialist, Teacher Education;
Commonwealth of Learning conceptualised, designed and co-ordinated the ORELT project.
Module 3
Contents
About this module manual 1
How this module manual is structured...........................................................................1
The module overview...........................................................................................1
The module content..............................................................................................1
Resources..............................................................................................................2
Your comments.....................................................................................................2
Module overview 3
Welcome to Module 3 — Success in Reading...............................................................3
Is this module for you?...................................................................................................3
Module objectives..........................................................................................................4
Module outcomes...........................................................................................................4
Time frame.....................................................................................................................4
Study skills.....................................................................................................................5
Need help?......................................................................................................................6
Getting around this module manual 7

Margin icons..................................................................................................................7
Unit 1: Building Confidence in Reading: Countering Defects 9

Introduction....................................................................................................................9
Unit objectives...............................................................................................................9
Teacher support information..........................................................................................9
Case study....................................................................................................................10
Activities......................................................................................................................11
Activity 1: Understanding students’ attitudes.....................................................11
Activity 2: Countering common errors in reading..............................................12
Activity 3: Developing efficiency in reading: Anticipating the topic.................13
Unit summary...............................................................................................................14
Reflections...................................................................................................................15
Assessment...................................................................................................................15
Resources.....................................................................................................................16
Resource 1: Student questionnaire on attitudes towards reading........................16
Resource 2: The trip to Temple Town................................................................17
Resource 3: Reading passages............................................................................17
Teacher question and answer.......................................................................................19
Unit 2: Reading Silently for Understanding and Speed 21

Introduction..................................................................................................................21
Unit outcomes..............................................................................................................22
ii Contents
Teacher support information........................................................................................22
Case study....................................................................................................................22
Activities......................................................................................................................23
Activity 1: Guessing meaning from the context.................................................23
Activity 2: Reading rate and reading comprehension.........................................25
Activity 3: Understanding graphical presentation of information......................26
Unit summary...............................................................................................................27
Reflections...................................................................................................................27
Assessment...................................................................................................................27
Resources.....................................................................................................................27
Resource 1: Guessing word meaning from context............................................27
Resource 2a: Reading texts.................................................................................28
Resource 2b: Reading comprehension (table)....................................................30
Resource 3a: Graphical information in texts.......................................................31
Resource 3b: Information in print (text and table)..............................................31
Resource 4: Histogram showing students’ study hours......................................33
Teacher questions and answers....................................................................................33
Unit 3: Reading Efficiently: The Sub-Skills of Reading 35

Introduction..................................................................................................................35
Unit outcomes..............................................................................................................35
Terminology.................................................................................................................36
Case study....................................................................................................................36
Activities......................................................................................................................37
Activity 1: Reading for gist: Skimming..............................................................37
Activity 2: Reading for specific information: Scanning.....................................39
Activity 3: Understanding text and distinguishing text style..............................40
Unit summary...............................................................................................................42
Reflections...................................................................................................................42
Assessment...................................................................................................................42
Resources.....................................................................................................................43
Resource 1: Travel guides: Africa’s best beaches..............................................43
Resource 2: Practising skimming........................................................................44
Resource 3: Understanding text organisation.....................................................44
Unit 4: Reading — Study Reading: Strategies for Reading across the Curriculum 49
Introduction..................................................................................................................49
Unit outcomes..............................................................................................................49
Terminology.................................................................................................................50
Case study....................................................................................................................50
Activities......................................................................................................................51
Activity 1: Surveying text...................................................................................51
Activity 2: Understanding the use of discourse markers....................................53
Activity 3: Study reading (taking notes from a reading passage).......................54
Unit summary...............................................................................................................54
Reflections...................................................................................................................55
Module 3
Assessment...................................................................................................................55
Resources.....................................................................................................................56
Resource 1: A book cover...................................................................................56
Resource 2: Surveying a book: Finding information about content...................56
Resource 3: Understanding the function of discourse markers...........................57
Resource 4: Making an omelette.........................................................................57
Resource 5: How to make a telephone call from a public telephone..................58
Resource 6: Functions of discourse markers.......................................................59
Resource 7a: What causes earthquakes?.............................................................59
Resource 7b: Making notes on a passage: What causes earthquakes.................60
Resource 8: Commonly used abbreviations and symbols in note taking............61
Teacher questions and answers....................................................................................62
Unit 5: Extensive Reading: Encouraging Lifelong Learning 63

Introduction..................................................................................................................63
Unit outcomes..............................................................................................................63
Terminology.................................................................................................................64
Case study....................................................................................................................64
Activities......................................................................................................................66
Activity 1: Creating a “reading culture” in class................................................66
Activity 2: Jigsaw reading..................................................................................67
Activity 3: Understanding text style: Types of passages....................................68
Unit summary...............................................................................................................69
Reflections...................................................................................................................69
Assessments.................................................................................................................69
Resources.....................................................................................................................70
Resource 1: Creating a book corner in the class.................................................70
Resource 2: Jigsaw reading: Sequencing paragraphs in a text............................72
Resource 3: Types of passages...........................................................................73
Resource 4a: Narrative and descriptive passages...............................................74
Resource 4b: An argumentative passage............................................................75
Module 3
About this module manual

Module 3 — Success in Reading has been produced by the
Commonwealth of Learning (COL). All module manuals produced by
COL are structured in the same way, as outlined below.
How this module manual is

structured
The module overview

The module overview gives you a general introduction to the module. It
will help you determine:
 if the module is suitable for you,
 what you need to know,
 what you should expect from the module, and
 how much time you will need to invest to complete the module.
The overview also provides guidance on:
 study skills,
 where to get help,
 course assignments and assessments, and
 activities and units.
We strongly recommend that you read the overview carefully before starting your study.
The module content
The module is broken down into units. Each unit comprises:
 an introduction to the unit content,
 unit objectives,
 unit learning outcomes,
1
About this module manual
 new terminology,
 core content of the unit with a variety of learning activities,
 a unit summary,
 assignments and/or assessments, as applicable, and
 answers to assignments and/or assessments, as applicable
Resources
For those interested in learning more on this subject, please see the list
of additional resources at the end of each unit of this module manual.
These may be books, articles, websites or audio/video files that can
assist in the teaching of the unit, and so on.
Your comments
After you have completed Module 3 — Success in Reading we would
appreciate your taking a few moments to give us your feedback on any
aspect of this module. Your feedback might include comments on:
 Module content and structure.
 Module reading materials and resources.
 Module assignments.
 Module assessments.
 Module duration.
 Teacher support (assigned tutors, technical help, etc.)
Your constructive feedback will help us to improve and enhance this

module.
Module 3
Module overview
Welcome to Module 3 — Success

in Reading
Unlike listening and speaking, the skills of reading and writing are not
acquired naturally as we grow up. These two skills, also called literacy
skills, are crucial to success in school and later life. This module will
discuss the skill of reading, which helps a student to improve various
areas of language such as vocabulary, grammar and comprehension.
Reading is a complex skill involving several sub-skills and can be

developed only through practice. Children who read actively from
childhood have a wider range of vocabulary, can read faster and
understand better, and find it easier to express themselves when they are
adults. Children who do not have a habit of reading often find
themselves unable to articulate their thoughts and feelings adequately.
As they lose practice in reading, they begin to read more slowly. This is
dangerous, because slow reading requires more effort, which makes it
easy to give up. So here we have a vicious circle: we do not read
because we cannot read fast, and because we do not read enough, we
cannot improve our reading speed and reading comprehension.
In most parts of the world, people are deeply concerned about low
literacy skills, which can result in an increase in school dropout rates.
Parents and teachers of competent readers know that children have to be
initiated into reading with loving care and patience; and interest and
competence in it has to be nurtured and developed over many years.
This module will help you motivate reluctant or poor readers to begin to
take an interest in reading by learning to use the sub-skills of reading. It
will help you introduce students to the different strategies that efficient
and fluent readers use to comprehend different types of passages. The
module will also deal with some common reading weaknesses and how
to overcome them, and should encourage teachers to conduct action
research by taking a critical look at their classroom practices.
Is this module for you?

This module is intended for teachers of English as a Second Language
(ESL) at the Junior Secondary School (JSS) level.
3
Module objectives
The objectives of this module are to enable teachers to:
 assess their students’ competence in reading and their motivation to

read,
 prepare and execute a reading programme for their students,
Objectives  use a task-based interactive approach to enhance students’

understanding of the reading process, and
 demonstrate the use of strategies that increase the efficiency and

speed of reading.
Module outcomes
Upon completion of Module 3 — Success in Reading you will have:
 used various activities and classroom strategies to build your

students’ confidence in reading,
 made students aware of the reading mistakes they should avoid,

Outcomes
 created opportunities for your students to engage actively in reading,
 trained your students to read silently with better understanding, and
 equipped your students with reading skills and strategies they can use
for effective learning across the curriculum.
Time frame
You will need approximately 15 weeks to finish this module — eight
weeks for formal study and seven weeks for self-directed study — to
complete all the activities recommended.
How long? This is a distance learning programme, thus the time frame is flexible
and largely self-directed.
Study skills
As an adult learner your approach to learning will be different from that
of your school days: you will choose what you want to study, you will
have a professional and/or personal motivation for doing so and you will
most likely be fitting your study activities around other professional or
domestic responsibilities.
Study skills
Essentially you will be taking control of your learning environment. As a
consequence, you will need to consider performance issues related to
time management, goal setting, stress management, etc. Perhaps you will
also need to reacquaint yourself with such things as essay planning,
coping with exams and using the Web as a learning resource.
Your most significant considerations will be time and space; that is, the
time you dedicate to your learning and the environment in which you
engage in that learning.
We recommend that you take time now — before starting your self-
directed study — to familiarise yourself with these issues. There are a
number of excellent resources on the Web. For example:
 http://www.how-to-study.com/
The “How to Study” website is dedicated to study skills resources.
You will find links for tips on study preparation (a list of nine
essentials for a good study place), taking notes, strategies for reading
textbooks, using reference sources and coping with test anxiety.
 http://www.ucc.vt.edu/stdysk/stdyhlp.html
This is the website of Virginia Tech’s Division of Student Affairs.
You will find links to tips on time scheduling (including one called
“Where Does Time Go?”), a study skill checklist, basic concentration
techniques, how to take control of your study environment, note
taking, how to read essays for analysis and tips on developing
memory skills (“Remembering”).
 http://www.howtostudy.org/resources.php
Another “How to Study” website with useful links to learning about

time management, efficient reading, questioning/listening/observing
skills, getting the most out of putting your knowledge into practice,
memory building, staying motivated and developing a learning plan.
The above links are our suggestions to start you on your way. At the
time of writing these Web links were active. If you want to look for
more go to www.google.com and type “self-study basics,” “self-study
tips,” “self- study skills” or a similar combination.
Need help?
Contact your Google Group support email, SMS number or your tutor.
Group email: [email protected]

Help
Getting around this module manual
Margin icons
While working through this module manual you will notice the frequent
use of icons in the margin. These icons serve to “signpost” a particular
piece of text, a new task or change in activity; they have been included
to help you to find your way around this module manual.
A complete icon set is shown below. We suggest that you familiarise

yourself with the icons and their meanings before starting your study.
Activity Assessment Assignment Case study
Outcomes Summary Objectives Feedback
Terminology Reading Reflection Study skills
Help Time Audio Video

Module 3
Unit 1: Building Confidence in Reading:

Countering Defects
Introduction
It is said that the human brain is “programmed” to want to learn.
However, as a teacher you must have noticed that many students fail or
get poor grades all through school. We often think of them as lazy,
uninterested or inattentive students. But often the truth is that they are
simply poor or weak readers, which has an adverse effect on their
performance in almost all academic subjects. They fall behind in class
because they do not receive the instruction, scaffolding and practice they
require to become competent and fluent readers. In this unit, you will
learn how to motivate reluctant readers and help them build their
confidence. You will learn to use an interactive methodology to help
students experience success in reading and build confidence in their
ability to read efficiently.
Unit objectives
The objectives of this unit will help teachers to:
 motivate passive and bored readers to become interested in the

reading process, and
Objectives  instil in students the confidence to read for longer periods.
Teacher support information

The activities in this unit will help you encourage your students to read
efficiently and develop confidence in reading. The activities require
students to “learn by doing” so that they are all actively engaged in the
process of reading. One strategy you can use to support weaker readers
is to identify the more fluent and efficient readers and use them to
support the poorer readers in the class. The success of your programme
will depend on how you can motivate and sustain the interest of good
readers, and use them to inspire their less able peers. You can begin it as
a pilot study with one of your JSS classes, preferably Form One. For the
best results, start it early in the academic year and sustain it across two,
if not all three, terms. Please do not expect miracles to happen, as
different students may be at different stages of learning. You will have
to allow the
9
students to work at their own pace in a tension-free and supportive
environment.
Case study
Miss Halima Rodgers was the English Language teacher for the Form
One class at Hilltop High School. She knew that during the year she
would have to ensure that the new students read English language texts
Case study well enough to be able to leave school with good grades. She also knew
that many came from homes without a reading culture and would need
help to use reading as a learning tool. She was convinced that if she
could make even a marginal improvement in each student’s reading
ability, they could improve their grades not only in English but also in
most other subjects.
When the new class came to her in January, she gave them a reading
comprehension test and discovered that only ten students out of a class
of 52 scored more than 50% in the test. Most had copied large chunks of
the given text as answers; only ten students had composed responses to
the specific questions in their own words. Many had located the key
word or phrase but could not or had not taken the risk of
formulating/composing a response to the specific question asked. Five
students appeared to be behind. They had trouble with the basic
mechanics of writing and had left more than three questions unanswered.
This was exactly what Miss Rodgers had expected. She realised that she
had another typical Form One class this year and decided that she would
use the reading programme that she had pilot tested last year. She
decided to share her plan of action with the class and involve them in
making the project a success. Over the next few classes, she did the
following:
1 She discussed and explained the crucial role of reading for success in
school.
2 She discussed and analysed the class score on the reading
comprehension test she had administered on the first day of the new
term.
3 She discussed each question, asked the highest scorer to read out his
or her answer and explained why it deserved the mark. The purpose
of the detailed discussion was to help students see that scores were
not based on teacher prejudice or bias but on performance
expectations.
4 She explained the class scores in terms of good, average and poor
readers. The emphasis was on performance level as reflected in the
test. She then divided the class into ten groups with five students in
each group. Every group had one high scorer, two average and two or
three poor readers.
5 The high scorer in each group was made Group Leader and was
entrusted with the responsibility of improving the scores of his or her
group across the term. The group that showed the maximum
improvement would be awarded certificates and trophies at the
school’s annual Prize Day function.
6 She started a book corner in the class, with each student bringing in
old books from home, neighbours or used-book stores. Students were
encouraged to borrow and read books at least three times every week.
The emphasis was on introducing a reading culture into the class.
7 During the term Miss Rodgers noticed that her Group Leaders were
taking their jobs very seriously. She helped them devise strategies to
help the weaker readers guess the meanings of words from the
context, and to read texts once quickly for overall meaning and then
with more attention to detail. Towards the end of term, Miss
Rodgers’ students showed marked improvement in their reading
habits. The improvement between the groups was so close that all the
ten groups were awarded prizes.
Points to ponder 1 How do you judge or identify the poorer readers in your class? Do you
use any special strategy to encourage poor readers?
2 Research shows that children transfer their literacy skills (i.e., their
ability to read and write efficiently) across curricula. Have you
noticed any similarities in your students’ written responses to
comprehension questions in different subjects?
Activities
Activity 1: Understanding students’ attitudes

At the JSS level, students are old enough to take responsibility for their
own academic progress. In fact, as we have all experienced, rather than
being told what is good for them, children of this age group prefer to
discover answers for themselves.
Activity 1
As reading is probably the most important language skill in terms of
academic success, students will benefit if they become aware of their
abilities, strengths and weaknesses in their reading proficiency.
The beginning of the academic year is the ideal time to make students
conscious of the importance of being competent in reading. One way we
can do this is through self-reflection questionnaires. You can make your
own self-reflection questionnaire, or try out the one given in Resource 1,
from W. Grabe and F.L. Stoller’s Teaching and Researching Reading
(Pearson Education, 2002, pp. 242–244). This is a good sourcebook for
activity research.
1 For this activity, administer the questionnaire on attitudes towards
reading reproduced in Resource 1.
2 As this is an exercise on self-reflection, make sure the students do not
spend too much time pondering over each question; the answers
should be quick and honest. You could also tell them that there is no
right or wrong answer; the student should say what is true for him or
her.
3 Practise the procedure on the board, so that students who are
unfamiliar with the 1-2-3-4 rating scheme can become comfortable
with it before starting the questionnaire.
4 Analyse each section of the questionnaire to obtain three different
scores for each student. The first score (based on Section I) will
indicate the student’s previous experience with reading. The second
score will indicate the reading environment and the third, his or her
individual perception about the usefulness of reading.
5 You will notice that each of the three sections has six questions. So,
to calculate scores, add the section score and divide it by six. The
average score will range from one to four.
6 Lower scores (1 and 2) suggest a positive attitude to reading. Higher
scores (3 and 4) suggest a more negative attitude. Once all the scores
have been calculated, look at the individual profiles and then the
class profile as a whole.
7 Insert the individual scores alongside the reading comprehension pre-
test scores. Study the correlation between the two scores. You may
find reasons to explain student performance. This will help you to
counsel and to create individual reading instruction plans.
8 Note down your observations. You may wish to share some of these
with the student or his or her parents/guardians/other teachers.
Activity 2: Countering common errors in reading

When we read in a language in which our literacy skills are well
developed, we do not have to struggle with the words on the page
because we read quickly and effortlessly.
Activity 2
This activity should make students compare their reading skills in the
language they are competent in (usually the home language) with their
skills in English. By reflecting on the strategies they use to read in each
language, the students will become aware of their reading errors, if any.
This will then enable them to use counter-strategies to overcome them.
To begin the activity, divide the students into small groups and have
them brainstorm on the following points:
 Which language they like to read in.
 Why they can read better in that language (you could prompt them to
think about their familiarity with spellings and pronunciation of
words, etc.).
 Whether they read in English with the same ease.
 The differences they can identify in their reading habits in these two
languages.
The discussion and feedback on this task should include some of the
following reasons why we read better in a language other than English:
familiarity with spellings and pronunciation (so we do not have to stop
and spell out any long word to understand it); and familiarity with the
meanings of words as well as the places and the events referred to in the
book, and so on.
Now give the students a short passage to read from an interesting book
or magazine, which is just a little challenging for them, or use the
sample passage in Resource 2. Tell them to note down their starting
time and finishing time. Announce that this exercise is to find the fastest
reader in the class, but that not only should they read fast, they should
also read with understanding and be able to answer the questions you
will ask them on the passage (Resource 2). This will ensure that they do
not merely pretend to read.
As they read, notice the following reading errors:
1 Vocalisation: murmuring and pronouncing the words as they read.

2 Pointing: using their fingers to point to each word as they read.
3 Eye span: reading one word at a time, rather than in sense groups (see
Unit 2).
4 Regression: going back to the beginning of each previous line.
5 Skipping words: ignoring and moving over words that look difficult
to spell or are unfamiliar.
After they finish reading, bring to their notice how people who read
silently, without vocalising or pointing with a finger, can read with
speed. Have them reflect on whether they had to go back to the previous
line, or skipped reading certain words.
Now have them read the passage again (timing themselves again),
consciously avoiding these errors. This time, put the students in groups
and have one of them monitor the others’ reading habits.
You can then have them repeat this exercise (with different passages)
over several sessions, and ask them to note down their timings again at
the end of that period. When the students find an increase in their
reading speed, they will realise that they have managed to overcome
their reading errors and will be far more motivated to read.
Activity 3: Developing efficiency in reading: Anticipating the topic

Often students do not like to read because their previous experiences of
reading have been unpleasant and frustrating. They may have problems
recognising letter-sound correspondences, experience confusion caused
by homophones, be unfamiliar with different meanings of a word and so
Activity 3 on.
The gap between their actual performance in reading and the

expectations placed on JSS students can soon become so wide that they
give up reading altogether.
This activity aims to help you build your students’ motivation to read by
preparing them for the reading process. Students with poor reading skills
(like the ones mentioned above and in Activity 1) can be motivated to
read if they can anticipate what they are going to read. Anticipation is a
pre- reading skill that helps readers focus on the content even before
they actually begin the reading process.
For this activity, give the students, working in pairs, the following topics
and ask them to guess what they will read in the passage. Ask each
student in each pair to write at least two anticipation questions on each
topic.
1 India: A Nation with Unity in Diversity

2 Inside a Science Museum
3 Deforestation: Effective Measures
An example of anticipation questions for the first two topics would be:
1 Is this passage going to talk about religion?

2 Are there dinosaurs in a science museum?
As you will notice in Resource 3, the first passage does not address the
first question, while the second passage does mention dinosaurs. It is not
important if the passage we read has the answers to all our questions, but
it is important that we read the passage with more interest and attention
while looking for the answers.
Now play the audio clip of the first part of each passage, or read out the
transcripts in Resource 3, and let the students see if they guessed
correctly. Even if they guessed wrongly, point out that they listened to
the passage with more interest and attention than usual because they had
a reason for listening. Even if they did not understand a few words in the
passages, this did not stop them from listening actively till the end. This
is how anticipating the content helps people read faster, and with better
understanding.
Now have the students practise the skill of anticipating by working on a

passage from any of their English language textbooks. Have them note
down the start and end times for each passage. Their reading speed and
comprehension are bound to improve after practising a few times. Ask
them to try using the same strategy while reading other subject textbooks
as this skill will be useful in comprehending any text.
Unit summary
In this unit we tried to make you aware of some common problems
associated with reading, and how certain reading challenges cause
children to lose the motivation to read. We also saw how important it is
Summary to make students aware of their reading habits, and what strategies we
can use to help them overcome their reading challenges. The activities in
this unit can also help students develop their reading efficiency across
the curriculum.
Reflections
 What are the most common reading challenges you have noticed in
your students? Do you think their comprehension will improve if
they follow the strategies given in this unit?
Reflection
 What are some of the challenges/problems you may have to face in
making students practise their reading skills in the class? How will
you overcome these challenges?
 What are some of the weaknesses in the suggestions made in this unit?
Assessment
 Talk to one or two colleagues and find out if they share your views
on the students’ reading skills. Suggest some ways in which you can
jointly involve students in activities that will improve their
Assessment comprehension and reading speed.
 Do your students read faster and with better understanding when they
are reading storybooks? Can you think of any reasons for this
difference?
Resources
Resource 1: Student questionnaire on attitudes towards reading

STUDENT QUESTIONNAIRE Yes Always No Never
READ AND RATE EACH QUESTION HONESTLY AND

1 2 3 4
QUICKLY CIRCLE YOUR CHOICE
Section I: Think about your past experience with reading.

I did well in reading last year 1 2 3 4
I like to read books that make me think 1 2 3 4
I like having the teacher say I read well 1 2 3 4
I visit the library with my family 1 2 3 4
I like to read on rainy Saturdays 1 2 3 4
I remember family members reading to me 1 2 3 4
Section II: Think about people you know who read.
Members of my family like to read 1 2 3 4
I know people who can help me with my reading 1 2 3 4
My brothers and sisters sometimes read to me 1 2 3 4
My friends like to read 1 2 3 4
My friends and I like to share books 1 2 3 4
I talk to my friends about what I am reading 1 2 3 4
Section III: Think about reading. How useful is it?
I can learn a lot from reading 1 2 3 4
I have favourite subjects that I like to read about 1 2 3 4
I read to learn new information about topics of interest 1 2 3 4
I like to read new things 1 2 3 4
I can use my reading to help me with schoolwork 1 2 3 4
I sometimes read to my parents 1 2 3 4
NB: Some of the items included in the questionnaire above have been adapted from A. Wigfield and
J.T. Guthrie (1997), “Relations of children’s motivation for reading to the amount and breadth of
their reading.” Journal of Educational Psychology, 89:420-32
Resource 2: The trip to Temple Town
At the hotel, the guy in a smart uniform standing at the front desk gave
Jaydeep the letter. It was in a sloping hand, typical of a girl’s
handwriting, and said, “I met an interesting guy who dances all day.
First,
Resource 2 they called him the king of dance. When he didn’t stop, they built a
temple for him.” It also had the name of a hotel.
Jaydeep’s excitement grew. He was closing in, drawing nearer and

nearer to his goal. He wasn’t sure why he was doing this, wasting two
valuable weeks of vacation, but he felt he had to follow his instincts.
Like a police sniffer dog that cannot be taken away from the culprit,
Jaydeep felt he was powerless to return.
At 6:30 in the evening, as the sun went down in an orange ball over the
sea, Jaydeep walked to the Shore Temple. The path was lined with tiny
stalls that sold seashells, souvenirs, prayer beads, incense sticks and
other articles of worship. Would she be there, waiting to see if he would
follow her? Perhaps his decision to come was not such a bad decision
after all. Maybe she would agree to have dinner with him... maybe she would
agree to be his wife... maybe... Jaydeep stopped with a start. There she
was, her long black hair swinging from side to side as she walked along
the shore.
Questions:
1 Did Jaydeep come to the place as a tourist to look at temples?

2 How did he know the girl was here?
3 What things did the shop sell?
4 Did he see the girl?
Resource 3: Reading passages

A nation with unity in diversity
India is divided into 28 states, which have their own governments, and
Resource 3 seven union territories. Each state is unique, with its own language,
traditions and cultures. People from all these states and union territories
have an official language, which is usually the home language of most of
the citizens of that state, and many other languages and dialects. People
of different states look different, and have very different festivals,
customs and traditions.
Interestingly, however, people still share a feeling of belonging to one

country — India or Hindustan. They share their history of the freedom
struggle, and consider Mahatma Gandhi as the Father of the Nation.
Indians across different states celebrate certain festivals like Diwali —
the festival of lights — and Holi — the festival of colours — and many
states celebrate the harvest and coming of the new year in April.
Although people belonging to different states speak different home
languages, almost everyone knows English and Hindi, and can therefore
communicate with one another.
Inside a science museum
Last year we had an excursion to the Science Museum in our capital

city. You can’t imagine what we saw there! It was truly the most
memorable day of my life. I really didn’t know you could learn so much
about science and the history of our scientific development! Our guide
took us around the museum, and showed us many different scientific
collections. We saw different kinds of aircraft, weapons of war, older
models of radios and televisions, and other fascinating machinery. They
even had a huge dinosaur skeleton, and a robotic dinosaur which opened
its large jaws very wide, shook its head and screamed! I was really
frightened when I heard it scream — it sounded so natural! I also loved
the section on rare butterflies and other insects. Then there was the snake
collection and the huge aquarium which had at least 30 different kinds
of sea fish.
Deforestation: Effective measures
Deforestation refers to the cutting down of trees in a forest and using the
area for commercial activities. Deforestation is one of the biggest
reasons for the increase in pollution, global warming and soil erosion in
modern times. Because of the rapid growth of population, people across
the world are thoughtlessly cutting down forests to make space for
houses. Although deforestation is considered illegal in many countries, it
has not stopped people from breaking the law, because timber (that is,
wood from trees) is very valuable and people who sell timber make a lot
of money.
Deforestation has dangerous consequences. When we cut down trees, we

make the soil loose. The roots of trees hold the soil firmly, and this
prevents the soil from being washed away during heavy rains. When the
soil becomes loose, it is easily carried away, and all the important
minerals contained in the soil also get washed away. This leaves the soil
infertile. When floods come, the rains take away the soil, and the force
of the water easily carries away with it people’s houses, crops, animals
and their means of livelihood.
Resource files
See in the enclosed DVD a video recording of the activities:
Video  Scripts\Module3\Unit1\Activity3\Resource3\Video\India_A_Nation_With_U
nity_In_Diversity.mp4
 Scripts\Module3\Unit1\Activity3\Resource3\Inside_A_Science_Museum.mp
4
 Scripts\Module 3\Unit 1\Activity 3\Resource3\Deforestation.mp4

Teacher question and answer
Question: What do I do if half of my class reads poorly and the
other half does not have much of a reading problem?
Sometimes it is difficult to give individual attention
to all my students, especially in large classes. How
Feedback do I handle this problem?
Answer: This is a common problem, and one way you can

handle it is by pairing the stronger students with the
poorer ones, and having the stronger ones help the
others. You can, for instance, have the stronger
students read the passage aloud to their partners, so
that they learn to pronounce the unfamiliar words.
Or they can monitor the way the poorer students
read and help them discover their reading defects,
and so on. Having students work in pairs and groups
also helps you manage large classes better. You can
go round and watch the students work, and then
address their problems when you give feedback.
This way, they will receive individual attention, and
common problems can be addressed efficiently, thus
saving you time.
Module 3
Unit 2: Reading Silently for Understanding and

Speed
Introduction
Reading silently improves students’ understanding because it helps them
concentrate on what they are reading, rather than the pronunciation of
individual words. When we read silently, we can form mental pictures of
the topic being discussed. Also, we do not need to read one word at a
time. When you encourage your students to read silently, you are
helping them develop the strategies they need for reading fast, and with
better comprehension. This is called reading efficiency, and it will help
your students to read any text with maximum attention to meaning.
Silent reading also helps develop the skills of reading for a purpose, as
the focus is on understanding the content without the additional burden
of having to pay attention to pronunciation.
Research has shown that people read in sense groups, which means,
roughly, that we read a number of words together so that they make
sense to us. For example, this is how I read the first sentence of this
paragraph: Reading silently/improves students’ understanding/because it
helps them/ concentrate on/what they are reading,/rather than the
pronunciation of individual words. Within these groups of words, our eyes
stop at the content words (reading, silently, improves, students’, because,
helps, concentrate, etc.) — that is, nouns, adjectives, verbs, etc., the
words that carry independent meaning — and skip over the function
words (it, them, on, the, of, etc.) — that is, grammatical words such as
articles and other determiners.
The activities in this unit will demonstrate certain strategies that students
can use to become more efficient readers. It will also introduce you to
the technique of classifying the contents of a text according to main and
subordinate ideas, illustrations and information that is not directly
related to the topic, and adjusting our reading speed accordingly.
21
Unit outcomes
Upon completion of this unit you will be able to:
 help students develop silent reading skills to read more efficiently,
 teach students how to guess the meanings of unfamiliar words from

the context,
Outcomes
 help students understand the relation between reading speed and
reading efficiency, and
 help students improve their reading efficiency through understanding

how to interpret information given in graphical form.

In this unit you will be able to help students practise the strategies used
in silent reading to improve their reading speed and skills. After the
activities, you should begin to see gradual improvement in their
comprehension. This is because silent reading helps students to focus
their attention on the text; their increased concentration on the text is
sustained until the entire text is read. This also helps students absorb
ideas into their subconscious and then use them in their daily lives.
Case study
Hassan Muammar was a student at St. Michael’s Junior Academy. He
enjoyed being at this school because of its extracurricular activities. He
was a good rugby player and he loved football. His friends attributed his
success to his physique: his height and an agile body that enabled him to
Case study run fast. But something always bothered Hassan.
Though he loved the extracurricular activities, he knew his mother

would not be pleased if he did not improve his fluency in reading. He
always stammered and faltered over words in class, was usually the last
to finish reading any text and found it very difficult to remember what
he had read.
One Monday he shared his concerns about his reading problems with his
English teacher. The teacher was not surprised; he had noticed that most
of his students were good at sports, especially rugby and football, but
were poor readers. The teacher realised that he had to find strategies for
developing his students’ fluency, speed and interest in reading.
The teacher first initiated a class discussion on reading stories, asking
his students about the kinds of stories they liked to read. Most students
said they loved to listen to stories, but did not enjoy reading them as it
took them a long time to finish reading a story book. The teacher then
announced that he would tell them the first parts of two interesting
stories and, if they liked them, they would have to read the next parts
themselves. The students were happy with this arrangement, and readily
agreed to the plan.
He then announced the name of the first story: “Ambrose.” To motivate

the students to listen, the teacher informed them that the story was set in
ancient Greece. He then divided his class into groups of three students,
and told each group to write down three things that they expected to hear
in the story.
The students took up the challenge, and came up with many interesting
ideas about what they thought they would learn about Ambrose when
they heard the story. The purpose of this game was to make the students
excited about reading the story, and the teacher was happy to note he
had succeeded in increasing their motivation. To maintain this
excitement, the teacher told them that he would not tell them whether
they had guessed correctly. If they wanted to know what really happened
to Ambrose, they would have to find out from the story itself!
He then read out the first paragraph of “Ambrose.” Some of the things
the students guessed turned out to be correct, while others were quite off
the mark. The students enjoyed listening to one another’s guesses, and
became impatient to find out if the rest of the story confirmed their
guesses. Then he instructed the class to read the story for themselves and
find out whether they had guessed correctly.
Points to ponder 1 Do you have poor readers in your class? Do you think this kind of
strategy would work in your situation?
2 Can you think of other ways in which we can motivate students to
read? Do you think they can only begin at the JSS level, or should the
habit of reading begin well before that?
Activities
Activity 1: Guessing meaning from the context

Reading has been called a “psychological guessing game.” Many experts
believe that the reader makes guesses about what is going to appear
next; when the predictions are correct, they read easily and efficiently.
Activity 1
Reading requires much guessing at a variety of levels. Readers can use
guessing to their advantage to guess context messages, cultural
references, implied meaning, grammatical and organisational
relationships and the meaning of words. Since reading with
understanding is a process of linking new information to what we
already know, we
bring our knowledge of the world, subject matter and context into our
knowledge of language (its grammar, vocabulary and orthography).
It is not possible, or even desirable, for students to refer to a dictionary

every time they come across a difficult word. This would reduce their
speed, slow down comprehension and reduce interest. It is better to
teach students to make intelligent guesses about the meaning of a word
from the clues that can be found in the surrounding words and sentences.
In this activity, you will learn how to help students guess meaning from
context.
Before the activity, have a class discussion on how often students refer
to a dictionary when they are reading something.
Put them in small groups and ask them to quickly brainstorm on the
advantages of using a dictionary regularly. During the feedback, ask
them if they refer to the dictionary every time they come across a
difficult or new word. Make them think about the possible disadvantages
of this habit, but remind them that sometimes it is necessary to go to the
dictionary.
Gradually bring the discussion around to what they do when they come
across an unfamiliar word in any passage that they are reading. Possible
responses would be ignoring the word and moving on, referring to a
dictionary, trying to guess the meaning and so on.
Draw their attention to the fact that efficient readers do not carry
dictionaries around with them; rather, they try to guess the importance of
the word in relation to the overall theme, and use the surrounding words
to understand its meaning. As they come across more occurrences of the
word in different texts, their original guess about the meaning of the
word is either confirmed or challenged. (A list of other strategies we use
to guess meanings of unfamiliar words is given in Resource 1.)
Now give them the following example to show how we look for clues
for the meaning of a word in the surrounding words or sentences.
He tried to open the box with no luck. He couldn’t find the key, so he
decided to use a smidget.
What do you think smidget means?
Ask them to guess the meaning of smidget. See if they drew any of the
following conclusions:
Clues that can be found from the passage:

A smidget is something that is used to open a box. It
is something solid.
It sounds like the word midget, which means small.
Questions that can be asked:

Is it something very heavy, like a hammer that is used to break a lock?
Is it something very small, like a hairpin that can be used to pick a
lock?
Now give them the final sentences of the paragraph. Did they guess
correctly?
He got a thick wire from the shed, bent it in the shape of a smidget, and inserted
it into the keyhole. Sure enough, the lock turned easily.
Smidget: A small object made of metal that can be used as a tool.
Below are some more short passages for practice. Ask the students to
guess the meanings by using the same strategies.
His father, Dondinho, was a professional soccer player and that was their
only source of income. Though he grew up in poverty he learned to love
and enjoy soccer in the sporty atmosphere of his home.
Icarus and his father collected lots of bird feathers and made two pairs of
wings. One morning, they fastened the wings to their shoulders with wax
and were ready to fly.
Rajen had to cross a bridge to get to school. Jeev used to escort him every
day. He carried his brother’s schoolbag. Rajen had only to follow him. If he
lagged behind, Jeev would ask, “Why? You are perhaps tired. Come, hold
my hand and walk with me.”
Activity 2: Reading rate and reading comprehension

Why we are reading a particular piece of material influences how we
read it. Different materials require different levels of comprehension and
recall.
Activity 2
For example, we may not need to recall everything when leisurely
reading an article in a newspaper, but we do need a high level of
comprehension and recall when reading a contract that we plan to sign.
When reading course assignments, our purpose may vary as well. We
might read a Psychology assignment very closely in preparation for an
exam; we might read a portion of a Science text only to learn (and
remember) how many types of metals there are. As our comprehension
varies, so does our reading speed. In general, we find that as the level of
comprehension required decreases (e.g., when reading a magazine as we
wait in the doctor’s office), our reading speed increases.
Note that with reading, flexibility is required. A newspaper will be easier

to read because we are scanning through the articles, but if we have an
article addressing a specific subject, we might be forced to slow down so
that we comprehend and remember the details. This ability to adjust our
reading rate and methods to suit the type of text we are reading and why
we are reading it is called reading flexibility.
To develop reading flexibility, your students should read different types

of texts, and then reflect on whether they read different books with the
same speed or effort. An appropriate exercise is given in Resource 2a,
which contains two texts. Have the students read the two resources
silently and time themselves.
Now ask them which resource they found easier to read. Tell them to
think of some reasons for this.
(Possible answer: The second text was easier to read and remember
because (i) it begins with a familiar phrase — A long, long time ago..., (ii)
the sentence structure is simple, (iii) the sentences are short, (iv) there
are few unfamiliar words, (v) the topic is culturally familiar, (vi) it has a
clear beginning, middle and end, and (vii) it talks about the life of
specific people.)
To conclude, take the students through the table in Resource 2b, and
draw their attention to the fact that we vary our reading speed according
to the type of text and how much comprehension is required.
Activity 3: Understanding graphical presentation of information

Whether we read academic or non-academic texts, we know that texts do
not contain only words. Some texts give us information in other ways,
with diagrams, maps, flowcharts, tables and so on.
Activity 3
Our reading speed is affected by how we “decipher” or “decode” the
information given graphically in a text. This exercise demonstrates how
we can help students to understand information given in visual form.
Have your students brainstorm on the different ways in which

information is given in, for instance, their Science textbook. Prompt
them to think about a typical chapter, and the kinds of ways in which
words are arranged in it. (Give them a hint: How is a scientific
experiment described?) Show them the pictures in Resource 3a and
draw their attention to the non-textual elements such as the diagram and
the table.
Now show them the text and table given in Resource 3b, and in groups,
ask them to compare the advantages and disadvantages of reading
information in text form and graphical form.
Note: The sample text is related to the topic of reading, but it may not be
easy for students to understand. The important thing here is not to have
students understand the passage, but to make them notice the different
ways in which information has been presented. They should come up
with points like: it is easier to remember information given in a table, it
takes much less time and skill to understand something presented in
graphical form, and information can be presented in a logical and
orderly manner in a chart or table.
Finally, give them an exercise to practise their own skills in interpreting

information or data given in graphic form. Resource 4 is a histogram
showing students’ study hours for a secondary school. The students have
to answer questions based on the diagram to find out how best to
understand information given in tabular form. This exercise gives them
practice in comparing information across columns and rows, locating
specific information on a graph, interpreting facts and figures, etc.
Unit summary
In this unit you learned that reading efficiency and speed increase when
people read silently. You also learned about some strategies and skills
that your students should practise to improve their comprehension skills
Summary and reading speed. When students see an improvement in their ability to
read texts with understanding and speed, their confidence in reading will
increase, and this should motivate them to read more. The ability to
recognise text types and topics is an added skill that will help students to
improve their reading skills.
Reflections
 Did you find the activities relevant and interesting?
 Did the resources motivate your students to read more?

Reflection
 Did the students participate actively in the activities? Were the
activities too difficult for some students? How did you help them?
 In your opinion, should anything have been done differently?
Assessment
 Think of two more activities to develop reading speed, using the
students’ course books. Also note down possible challenges that you
might encounter in having your students do the activity in class.
Assessment
 Look for a table of information in any of your students’ other subject
textbooks, and design a set of questions around it. Collect other kinds
of visual information that students usually have to read, and use them
to test whether the students understand graphical presentations of
information.
Resources
Resource 1: Guessing word meaning from context

When we read, we already have certain kinds of knowledge about the
words, some of which we have learned consciously at school, and some
of which we have learned instinctively over time. Here are some aspects
Resource 1 of words in English that we use as cues to guess their meaning:
 Prefixes: (anti-, pro-, un-, dis-, co-, etc). For example, prefixes like
un- or dis- usually carry a negative meaning, so we can guess that a
word like uncertain has some negative connotation.
 Suffixes: (-tion, al, -ist,-ism,-tive, ally, etc). For example, suffixes like
–tion make a word a noun, while –tive will make a word an adjective.
 Roots that are familiar (re-place-ment, wander-lust, etc.).
 Grammatical context that signals information (noun, verb, adjective,

etc.). For example, if a word sits between an article and a noun, it
functions as an adjective; that is, it is being used to describe
something.
 Knowledge of the topic and whether the word in question is central to

understanding the topic.
 Understanding the main ideas expressed until one meets the

unfamiliar word.
 Frequency of occurrence of the word in question. If it appears only

once, and is in an example, the word can be ignored. However, if the
word recurs in crucial positions, we may have to look up the
dictionary for its exact definition.
Resource 2a: Reading texts

Text 1: Equality in education
In Kenya, the general education policies are based on the belief that all
Resource 2a people should have equal chances. This means none should be denied
education on the basis of their race, age, gender or religion. Education
should lead to social equality and responsibility. Free primary education
has led to a general increase in enrolment in primary school. Many
children who had been left out because of economic reasons now have a
chance to go to school. This has led to a significant increase in
enrolment, especially amongst girls. If this policy is extended to
secondary school, there will probably be an increase in the enrolment of
girls in secondary school as well. If more girls have the opportunity to
complete a secondary education, they will have more opportunity to
enrol in colleges and seek better employment.
Although primary school enrolment of girls roughly equals that of boys

in some places, about two-thirds of the world’s illiterate adults are
women. Of the more than 100 million children who drop out of school
before completing standard four, two-thirds are girls.
To deal with the high dropout rate amongst girls, the Government of
Kenya has come up with awareness programmes to improve the lives of
girls, so that they can be motivated to attend school. Education is
important in enabling women to improve their standards of living.
Although women provide important labour, especially in the agricultural
sector, they receive very little for their effort. Education will enable
women to have access to better paying employment.
(Adapted from B. Kukubo, T. Ngari and Z.K, Mutea (2004). Explore

English, Form 2. Nairobi, Kenya: Longman Kenya Ltd.)
Text 2: The stepmother
A long, long, time ago, in the distant village of Kithare, there lived a
man and his wife. The man worked on his farm every day. One day, the
wife gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. She named her Lora. The mother
fed the child on bananas, potatoes, rice, bread, maize, beans and
vegetables. Each day the baby grew older and more beautiful. “Oh! My
daughter will attract many suitors when she is of age,” she whispered to
herself.
One day, the mother got sick. No medicine man could cure her and she
died. The husband was left alone with his daughter. So he married
another wife.
The second wife gave birth to a baby girl. She named her Rosina. The
two girls grew up together. They were soon inseparable. They fetched
water from the river together, they weeded the farm together, they
gathered firewood together, they cooked together and even slept on the
same bed. Lora grew more beautiful each day but Rosina was not
beautiful. Lora’s beauty was the talk of the village. Soon, suitors began
visiting the homestead to ask for Lora’s hand in marriage.
Rosina’s mother did not get jealous. She knew that even if her daughter
was not beautiful, God would give her a suitor. Rosina’s mother was out
to prove to the world that a stepmother can love a stepdaughter with
genuine love. She prayed every day for God to give her daughter a
husband. One day, a rich young man from a neighbouring village visited
the village, and saw Rosina helping an old farmer pick up his load. The
young man was very impressed by Rosina’s kindness, and soon asked
for Rosina’s hand in marriage. By this time, another worthy man from
their own village had permission to marry Lora. Thus, in the end, both
girls married good suitors. Rosina’s mother proved correct the saying
that “what is ugly in one’s eyes is beautiful in another’s eyes.”
Resource 2b: Reading comprehension (table)
Type of material Purpose in Desired Appropriate
reading level of rate of
compre- reading
hension
Resource 2b
1 Poetry, legal Analyse, 100% Under 200 w
documents, criticise,
argumentative evaluate
writing
2 Textbooks, High 80% 200-300 w

research comprehension
documents recall for exams,
writing research
reports following
directions
3 Novels, Entertainment, 60%–80% 300-500 w

paperbacks, enjoyment,
newspapers, general
magazines information
4 Reference Overview of Below 600-800 w

materials, material, locating 60%
catalogues, specific facts,
magazines, non- review of
fiction previously read
material
Resource 3a: Graphical information in texts
Typical pages from JSS Science textbooks
Resource 3a
Resource 3b: Information in print (text and table)

(Excerpts taken from free Internet article from Reading and Writing (2006)
19:1–19 Springer 2006, DOI 10.1007/s11145-003-8128-y, available at
www.psych.yorku.ca/gigi/documents/Kerr_Symons_2006.pdf)
Resource 3b
Computerized Presentation of Text: Effects on Children’s Reading of
Informational Material
Matthew A. Kerr and Sonya E. Symons (University of Ottawa, Ottawa,

Canada; Acadia University, Wolfville, Canada)
Text
Reading rate, free recall, cued recall, and comprehension data are
presented in Table 1. Means for each of these variables were compared
using paired-sample t-tests with medium of text presentation (i.e., paper
and computer) as the independent variable. Effect sizes were calculated
and are reported as Cohen’s d. Children spent a mean of 2.5 minutes (SD
= 0.8) reading text on paper compared to a mean of 2.8 minutes (SD =
1.0) reading text on the computer monitor. Reading rates in words per
minute were calculated because one passage was slightly longer than the
other. Children read the paper text at a faster rate than the computer text
(t(59) = 5.16, P = 0.001, d = 0.35). When asked to recall as much
information from the text as they could, participants recalled more of the
text that they had read on the computer than the text that they had read
on paper (t(59) = 2.37, P = 0.02, d = 0.25). There were no reliable
differences of presentation medium on cued recall (t(59) = 0.00) or
comprehension (t(59) = 0.17, P = 0.87). It is possible that the observed
higher free recall scores after reading from computer screens may have
been a result of greater reading time. Analysing efficiency rather than
accuracy is one way to examine this time/accuracy trade-off. Carver
(1990) calculated reading efficiency (E) as the product of the accuracy
of comprehension (A) and the rate at which information is presented (R),
where E = AR. In the present study, accuracy of recall and
comprehension were defined as the proportion of correct responses on
the respective tests. Rate of presentation is the individual’s reading rate
expressed in words per minute. The efficiency equation yields an
estimate of how much of the text was recalled or comprehended per
minute of reading. The best observed free recall score plus one was
deemed “maximum” free recall, and was used in calculating free recall
efficiency. Means and analyses of the efficiency variables are included
in Table 1.
Table 1: Descriptive statistics for recall and comprehension by

presentation medium.
M SD
Reading rate (wpm)
Paper 177.8 63.1
Computer 156.8 55.4
Free recall
Paper 3.6 1.9
Computer 4.1 2.0
Cued recall (maximum = 8)
Paper 2.8 1.7
Computer 2.8 1.6
Comprehension (maximum = 7)
Paper 3.4 1.7
Computer 3.3 1.5
Free recall efficiency (wpm)
Paper 68.2 48.2
Computer 67.0 44.7
Cued recall efficiency (wpm)
Paper 68.1 50.6
Computer 57.8 45.5
Comprehension efficiency (wpm)
Paper 91.5 63.9
Computer 75.7 45.4
Resource 4: Histogram showing students’ study hours
Resource 4
The chart above tells us what percentage of their time students of City
Secondary School spend studying. Look at the chart carefully and
answer the questions below.
a What percentage of students study between midnight and 1:00 a.m.?
b What is the most popular study hour?
c Why do you think only about 22% students study at home between
8:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.?
d Why does the chart show students’ hours only from 7:00 a.m. until
3:00 a.m.?
e During which hours do more than 25% of students study?
(Correct answers: a = around 7.5%, b = 8:00 p.m.–9:00 p.m., c =

because they are at school then, d = because students are sleeping the
rest of the time, e = 7:00 p.m.–9:00 p.m.)
Teacher questions and answers

Question: Do you think students should be encouraged to read
silently? Should children read aloud so that their
pronunciation improves?
Answer: The answer to this question is in the question itself:

Feedback reading aloud helps improve pronunciation. But it
slows down the speed of reading, and diverts our
concentration from the meaning. This leads to poor
understanding, and also prevents us from
remembering important points.
Question: How can I make students realise that practising

these reading skills will improve their reading speed
and comprehension?
Answer: You can encourage them to keep a record of their

reading speed in a journal or logbook. Tell them to
note the starting and ending time every time they
read a book using these skills. At the end of the
month, they can compare their reading speed.
Reading speed is calculated in terms of words per
minute (wpm). So if I take three minutes to read a
passage of 300 words, my reading speed is 100
wpm.
Unit 3: Reading Efficiently: The Sub-Skills of
Reading
Introduction
In real life, people read a variety of texts for both information and
pleasure. Reading materials differ in content, style and purpose, and we
adjust our reading style accordingly. To become efficient readers, we
have to train ourselves to read different texts in different ways. For
example, we do not read a novel and a textbook in preparation for an
examination in the same way. When we are reading a novel, we do not
need to pay attention to every detail the way we do when reading a
textbook and read more quickly: most speed reading involves a process
called chunking. Instead of reading each word, the reader takes words in
“chunks,” — that is, groups of words that make a meaningful unit, such
as phrases, clauses or even whole sentences. And, as adults, most of our
reading is silent. When we read silently, we save the time spent on
articulating words, and read in chunks or sense groups instead of one
word at a time.
In this unit, we will try to help you make your students aware of the
various sub-skills and strategies we use to read different texts with
efficiency. Reading efficiently, as you have already seen in Units 1 and
2, means adjusting one’s reading speed and style to match the purpose
for which we read. This involves reading for an overall idea or gist,
specific information and detail, and to understand the writer’s attitude.
This unit will give you some information about various sub-skills of
reading, and how students can be trained to use these sub-skills to read
actively.
Unit outcomes
 help your students understand the relation between reading purpose

and reading efficiency;
 give your students practice in the sub-skills of skimming for an

Outcomes overall idea and scanning for specific information;
 help your students understand text structure, so that they can

distinguish between main, subordinate ideas and illustrations, and
digression, if any; and
 help your students develop their reading efficiency by modifying

their style of reading to suit the purpose for which they are reading.
Unit 3: Reading Efficiently: The Sub-Skills of Reading
Terminology
Scanning: Searching quickly for a specific piece of

information or a particular word. For example,
when looking up a word in a dictionary, an
Terminology address in a directory or the flight arrival schedule
of a particular flight, we do not read entire pages
or passages. We search for the keywords or ideas
because we know what we are looking for.
Scanning involves moving our eyes quickly down
the page seeking specific words and phrases.
Skimming: Reading through a text quickly to get an overall

idea of the contents; that is, the gist of the
passage. For example, before buying a book we
glance quickly at the cover page, the reviewer’s
comments on the back cover (also called book
jacket), the contents page, etc., to get a general
idea of its contents.
Book corner: A special area in the classroom set aside for a

collection of non-academic books for children,
preferably storybooks for that age group.

The activities in this unit should develop students’ efficiency in
developing some important sub-skills of reading. It is therefore
important to have them work independently, either on their own or by
collaborating with their peers. Improving reading efficiency is a matter
of practice, and if students can be engaged in meaningful and interesting
activities, their skills will develop more quickly. This will then help
them read different kinds of texts, and respond to the information
provided more efficiently.
Case study
Elizabeth Roy, a JSS teacher of English and Social Studies, was eager to
attend a training course for English teachers in Cape Town. She hoped to
learn some ways of helping her Grade 9 students read better. For some
reason, her students read their English textbooks with more interest than
Case study they read their Social Studies texts. She wondered whether it was
because English textbooks had stories and such things about people,
while Social Studies talked about facts.
When she shared her concerns with the experts, she realised that she was
not the only one whose students behaved like this. Other colleagues were
facing the same problem. The experts decided to make this a complete
36
session. The next day, they had the participants, including Elizabeth,
work on exercises related to the textbooks that they taught. They took
Elizabeth and the others through a series of interesting activities that
made them read the same texts for different purposes, with varying
speeds and with a focus on different aspects of the passage. Elizabeth
realised that if she could get her students to actively engage with the text
through a variety of activities, they would read other subject texts with
the same interest as they read their English textbooks.
Elizabeth tried out some of the techniques and exercises she had learned
in her class, and found to her pleasant surprise that the students’ interest
picked up, and they slowly began to perform better in Social Studies too.
She realised that no matter what kind of text we read, if we read actively,
we will get the maximum benefit and joy.
Points to ponder 1 Is it necessary to teach children how to read different kinds of texts?
Do we use the same or different strategies to read different texts?
2 Should we use other subject texts to teach reading, or would the
English textbook be enough?
Activities
Activity 1: Reading for gist: Skimming

In real life, we read a variety of materials in the languages we know (our
home language or English, for example). Some materials like course
books are read with close attention to detail as we need to use the
information in examinations.
Activity 1
Other materials, like magazine articles, are read for pleasure. Then there
are things like billboards and hoardings that we mostly read with little
concentration as we really do not need to use their information in our
daily activities.
In this activity, we will deal with the sub-skill of skimming, which is

used to get an overall idea of the text.
To begin the activity, ask the class to list the different types of things they
read. They will probably come up with things like textbooks, storybooks,
magazines, comics, signboards, letters, postcards, menu cards, labels on
things they buy, phone books, instruction manuals (for phones, TVs, cameras,
etc.), subtitles of English movies, maps, encyclopaedias and so on. Now tell
them to list these different types of texts and classify them according to
the reasons for reading them given in column 2, in the table below. Write
the list on the board as the students respond.
Your board might look like this:

Kinds of things we read Reasons for reading
 Novels, short stories, fiction  For specific information
 Non-fiction, textbooks,  To pass an exam

travel books, encyclopaedias
 To pass time
 Newspapers, journals,
magazines, maps,  To know details of something
directories, dictionaries
 To have an overall idea
 Forms,
applications,  For having a general idea
questionnaires
 Brochures, catalogues,
hoardings, advertisements,
notices, labels, posters,
displays at airports, stations,
etc.
 Letters, reports, proposals
Ask them to look at the list and decide which type of reading materials
they read fast, very fast, slowly and very slowly. Bring the discussion
around to the fact that we read different texts at different speeds
depending on why we are reading.
For the main activity, give them the following situation: A friend, Nigel,
wants to go on a vacation to the seaside, and he cannot decide where to
go. He knows you have some idea, so he has asked for your advice to
help him choose a good place. He is in a hurry, so he has asked you to
give him an idea as soon as possible.
In groups, have the students read about Africa’s best beaches in

Resource 1, and help him make a decision. They can look at the pictures
of the beaches and read the tourist information before they decide.
After they finish the task, ask them to recall how they read the passages:
did they read them very slowly, or somewhat quickly? What kind of
information did they look for, and how did they decide on a destination?
From their answers, try to have them realise that they read about the
different beaches somewhat quickly so that they could get an overall idea
about them and give the information to Nigel. This skill is called
skimming.
To test their ability to skim a text for the overall idea or gist of a passage,
ask them, in their groups, to read the summaries of the beaches given
below, and match them to the descriptions of the African beaches given
in Resource 1.
 World-class surfing, Billabong Pro competition, amazing beaches along the

South African coast.
 White beaches, hospitable people, old fishing villages, modern resorts,
north-end beaches a must-see.
 Breath-taking beaches around the Nile Delta; ideal spot for diving; near the
Pyramids.
 Fabulous beaches, relaxation, gentle surf, sea, sky.
Conclude the task by bringing to their notice that reading for gist or
overall idea involves:
 reading the text quickly for general information (skimming),
 mentally summarising the information for later use, and
 remembering keywords (diving, surfing, relaxation, breath-taking

beaches, hospitable) only, and not every detail.
Before ending the discussion, ask them to again list the kinds of texts
they skim for gist. Then ask them to collect a few of those to practise in
the next class.
For more ways of practising skimming, see Resource 2.
Activity 2: Reading for specific information: Scanning

Another important sub-skill of reading that all efficient readers use as a
strategy is called scanning, or looking for specific information.
To demonstrate the use of this sub-skill, have the students work in pairs
Activity 2 and say which kinds of texts given in the list below they read very
quickly, and why.
 A play
 A telephone directory, to look for someone’s phone number
 The sports page in the morning newspaper
 The school noticeboard
 The label on a bottle of jam, to find the price
 The back cover (jacket) of a book
 A shopping list
 The questions on the question paper in an exam
 The large advertisement on the main road
 The departure announcement board in a train station
 The booklet that came with the new CD player I bought recently
During the feedback have the students recognise that we read such texts
to find some specific information, and not to understand or remember
every bit of information given there. We quickly scroll down a page to
locate the particular thing we are looking for (e.g., a telephone number,
train departure time, cricket score). Scanning is a very important reading
skill that is frequently used for real-life purposes.
Now give the students an activity to practise the skill of scanning.

Divide them into pairs then give each pair an English newspaper. You
should use different newspapers so that each pair has fresh information
to share with the rest of the class. Each pair should quickly scan their
pages and find answers to the list of questions below. You can add to the
list depending on the design of newspapers in your home town.
Remember that this is a scanning task, so do not let the students spend
too much time on it.
1 Look at the top front half of the newspaper. List three main types of
information all newspapers must have.
2 Which item on the front top half of your newspaper is in bold and in
the largest font size?
3 Note down at least one international headline on the front top half of
your newspaper.
4 Does the front page carry any advertisements? What product is being
advertised?
5 Which page covers the business news? What is the most important
piece of news there?
6 Flip through the pages of your newspaper and find out which topics/
areas take more than one page.
7 Which page carries the editorial? Is there more than one editorial?
8 Are there any pages especially for children? What are the headlines?
After the students finish, have them think of what strategies they used to
find out the information quickly. Elicit points like they read only letters in
bold print, they skipped all the smaller columns, their eyes moved very quickly
over the page, stopping only when they got the specific information they
required, and so on.
You can have them practise scanning information in the lessons you
teach every day — making them locate a particular sentence on a page, a
page number of something, the meaning of a word given after the lesson,
the number of questions following the lesson, etc. All these everyday
activities help students develop their scanning skills.
Activity 3: Understanding text and distinguishing text style

The texts we read do not all deal with their topic in the same style, and
do not all present information in a uniform, step-by-step manner. An
efficient reader is one who can recognise the style of paragraphs in a
prose text and know whether it deals with a main idea, a supporting
Activity 3 detail, illustrations, a detour or digression.
Such a reader then knows which part needs to be read with more attention
to detail, and which part needs less concentration. This is not to suggest
that efficient readers are careless people who do not read a passage
thoroughly — it merely means that they can vary their reading speed and
comprehension according to the purpose for which they are reading.
In this activity, you will be able to help your students understand how to
recognise whether a paragraph is dealing with main or subordinate
points, examples or digressions (that is, things that are not directly
related to the topic). One way in which this is done is by noticing the use
of special phrases that give us the necessary clue.
For this activity, first give students the following short paragraph and
ask them to underline the most important sentence in it and say how they
recognised it:
Unlike my friend Samuel, I enjoy coming to school. Regular school attendance

is very important for the development of knowledge. For example, we not only
get to learn from our teachers, we get a chance to chat with our friends and
share jokes. My cousin has a good store of jokes.
They should have underlined the second sentence, and the word
important would probably have helped them decide. Now have them
match the sentences in the paragraph with the headings in the second
column in the table below:
1 Unlike my friend Samuel, I enjoy coming to Main idea

school.
2 For example, we not only get to learn from our Related idea
teachers, we get a chance to chat with our friends
and share jokes.
3 My cousin has a good store of jokes. Example
4 Regular school attendance is very important for the Unrelated idea

development of knowledge.
(Answers: Sentence 1 — Related idea, Sentence 2 — Example, Sentence

3 — Unrelated idea and Sentence 4 — Main idea)
Draw the students’ attention to the fact that passages usually have a
mixture of all these types of sentences or paragraphs, and so we must
recognise which ones are important to remember. These need to be read
more slowly and carefully, while a lot of time need not be spent on the
less important sections. Sum up by introducing the terms Main Idea,
Subordinate Idea (related idea), Illustration (example) and Digression
(unrelated idea).
Clues that help us identify different styles are found in expressions like:
An important point here is.../We want to emphasise that... (main idea)
The reason for this is.../Another idea connected to this is... (subordinate idea)
A good example of this is.../For instance,.../I would like to illustrate this
point by... (illustration)
By the way,.../We may note in passing that.../Something interesting, but not
directly related to this is... (digression)
For more practice, give your students the exercises in Resource 3. You
could also bring to the class interesting passages from storybooks,
newspapers or magazines and have them identify the four categories. To
make them test their reading speed and comprehension, ask them to time
themselves and read the passages on their own the first time. Then,
working with a partner, ask them to identify the main and subordinate
ideas, illustrations and digressions, and then read the passage again. This
time, they should improve in both speed and understanding.
Unit summary
In this unit you learned how to improve your students’ reading speed,
developing flexibility in reading by learning how to skim for gist and
scan for particular information. The unit also tried to show how to
Summary understand text structure by recognising the different ways in which
information is presented in texts. When students learn to distinguish
between main points and subordinate ideas, identify illustrations and
recognise digressions in a reading passage, their comprehension and
speed will improve, and they will be able to read with efficiency.
Students must keep practising these skills, because they make us
efficient readers through life and help us read a variety of texts with ease
and understanding. These skills can also be transferred across subjects
and used for reading non-academic texts too.
Reflections
 Has the unit introduced technical terms like skimming and scanning
adequately? Do you think newspapers are a good learning resource?
Could other reading comprehension activities be done by using
Reflection newspapers?
 What other kinds of texts can you use to show students how to
identify main and subordinate ideas in a text?
Assessment
 Identify two passages that can each be used for practising both
skimming and scanning skills. Think of two activities that will test
your students’ ability to skim and scan.
Assessment
 How can we identify main and supporting ideas in a passage? Read a
text and note at least two expressions that helped you identify a main
idea and a subordinate point.
Resources
Resource 1: Travel guides: Africa’s best beaches

Egypt – The Nile Delta (near Alexandria and the Red Sea) has some
breath-taking beaches. The Red Sea area is the ideal spot for both diving
and indulging in tourist activities like visiting the Pyramids and enjoying
Resource 1 the local culture.
South Africa – Although the South African coast is home to some

amazing beaches, Jeffreys Bay (known as J’Bay) is the place to go for
world-class surfing. Time your visit to coincide with the annual
Billabong Pro competition.
Mauritius – Mauritius is an example of how top beaches are often found

on small islands. Pereybere, Flic en Flac, and Ile aux Cerfs all have
fabulous beaches where you can relax — thanks to the sound of the surf,
the beautiful sky and sand.
Zanzibar – This “spice island” near East Africa has amazing white
beaches, traditional fishing village, upscale resorts — and friendly
locals. Seek out beaches at the north end of the island.
Resource 2: Practising skimming
Once you are sure your students understand the purpose of skimming for
an overall idea, you can give them a task centring on the class book
corner. Ask each student to pick up a book they have not read before.
Resource 2 When you say “Go,” they should quickly skim through the book for a
general understanding of what it is about. Give them five minutes to do
this. They should flip through the book, read the title, contents page,
introductory paragraphs and summary or last page. No one makes notes.
After the five minutes are over, tell them to stop. Now ask each student
to tell a partner what he or she thinks the book is about. This should take
no more than three minutes. Then the other partner does the same. The
students can refer to the books they skimmed through while they talk.
You can repeat this exercise several times during your English class. For
example, before starting a new unit or lesson, give your students two or
three minutes to skim through the lesson and tell the class what they
think it is about. After the lesson, decide whether the predictions were
correct and to what extent. Allow the students to talk about the strategies
they used. This will alert others about the need to read actively.
Resource 3: Understanding text organisation

Passage 1
Look at the picture: What fish is it? What do you know about this fish?
Resource 3 Have you ever seen such a fish?
Here is a short paragraph on this fish, but the sentences are not arranged
in the proper order. Your task is to arrange the sentences correctly and
number the sentences: Write 1 over the most important sentence, 2 over
a supporting detail or subordinate idea, 3 over an illustration and 4 over
any unrelated idea.
1 Are you afraid of sharks?

2 My uncle says that sharks have a bad reputation just because people
think that all sharks are killers.
3 I haven’t taken a seaside holiday for the last three years.
4 The largest sharks like the whale shark and the basking shark are not
killers.
5 There are, of course, several other types of sharks that use their rows
of sharp teeth to tear apart everything, including human beings!
6 But the next time you see a shark, try not to be scared. Even if you
fall into the water, it may not attack you.
(Correct sequence: 1, 2, 4, 5, 3, 6)
Main idea (1): 2
Subordinate idea (2): 1, 5, 6
Illustration (3): 4
Digression (4): 3
Passage 2
Does your family rear cattle? What kinds of products do we get from
cattle?
Here is a passage on livestock farming in Kenya. The paragraphs are all

numbered. Discuss them with a partner, and say which paragraphs deal
with main ideas, subordinate ideas, illustrations and digressions.
(Note: Some passages may not contain all these categories. In the
passage below, for example, there is no digression. Draw the students’
attention to this during the discussion and make sure they understand
that it does not signal a weakness in the text.)
Beef and livestock farming
1 Beef farming is the rearing of cattle for meat production whereas

dairy farming is the rearing of cattle for milk production. Kenya has a
cattle population of about 10 million herds.
2 Beef farming is widespread in Kenya but more common in drier parts
of the rift valley: North-Eastern, Eastern and Nyanza. About 90 per
cent of beef cattle in Kenya are kept by subsistence farmers and
pastoralists. There are cattle ranches in Laikipia, Trans-Nzoia,
Malindi, Molo, and Kajiando.
3 Examples of breeds are Zebu and Boran; crossbreeds include
Hereford, Aberdeen Angus and Galloway. Beef is consumed
countrywide. Canning and freezing are done in Nairobi, Thika and
Nakuru.
4 Dairy farming is important for the following reasons:
i It provides milk which is a source of protein
ii Milk is used in the production of the other products such as
chocolate, biscuits, sweets, butter and cheese
iii The animal waste is used as manure
iv It has also led to the establishment of industries and Kenya Meat
Commission that offers employment
5 The following are the most common dairy breeds in Kenya.

Friesian: White and black in
colour. The forehead and the Ayrshire: White and red in
feet are usually white. colour.
Jersey: Brown in colour and the
Guernsey: Brown in colour.
smallest of the four breeds.
Some are white on their lower
abdomen.

Question: How do I help students transfer the sub-skills they
have learned here to help them read material on
other subjects efficiently?
Answer: You can encourage your students to apply their new

Feedback skills to other subjects by having them bring
passages from other subject textbooks to the class.
Encourage them to bring to the class passages or
texts that they have been finding difficult to
understand or remember.
Engage them in peer activities like reading the text

quickly for an overall idea, and then working
together to locate the main ideas and illustrations.
You can even ask one pair to read the text in detail
and make up a set of scanning questions to ask
another pair, and so on. This will ensure that
everyone reads the texts actively, and learns to use
their sub-skills efficiently.
Module 3
Unit 4: Reading — Study Reading: Strategies for

Reading across the Curriculum
Introduction
Unlike their experience in early school, where “reading” is restricted to
recognising letters and words and understanding simple sentences,
students at the JSS level need to comprehend and respond to whole texts
(paragraphs, sections, lessons and books) that deal with a variety of
subjects. They will use, for example, textbooks on Mathematics,
Geography, Biology, Economics or English Literature — reading
material that encodes meaning in different ways, such as paragraphs,
diagrams, tables, lists, graphs and so on. An efficient reader can decode
the information given in a text and store it in a way that allows him or
her to retrieve the information when necessary, transform it into
graphical form if necessary and use it for real-life purposes. For
example, a student may be required to list the uses of aluminium in a
Science exam, draw and label landforms in a Geography exam, compare
and contrast the two world wars in Social Studies or summarise a poem
in English Literature.
In other words, reading is an active skill that involves processing

information effectively and using it in various contexts and forms.
Memorising and repeating whole chunks of texts is not the sign of an
efficient reader: at best, these help develop pronunciation skills. When
we teach students to read effectively, we train them in using certain
strategies that allow them to pay maximum attention to meaning so that
they can comprehend a text and use the information in it effectively. By
teaching students reading strategies, we empower them to decipher
meaning in any kind of reading material on their own. In this unit, we
will discuss and demonstrate strategies that you can use to improve the
reading skills of your students to help them read well across the
curriculum.
Unit outcomes
 survey semantic markers notes,
 teach students to survey a text to predict the content,
Outcomes  enable your students to recognise the functions of discourse markers,

and
 teach students to take notes from a passage efficiently.
49
Terminology
Surveying: Using several strategies such as scanning and

skimming together to get an overall idea of a
book/article/passage. It includes such activities as
Terminology reading the first and last paragraphs of a text, the
index page, the foreword, etc. Surveying is a
preparatory activity; it is done before one reads
the book or article. This aids comprehension
because it tells us what to expect to read even
before we have read a page of the book or article.
Linking devices: These are sometimes referred to as discourse

markers or linkers. They are words and phrases
used in speech and writing to help people
understand the message by connecting one idea to
the next. These words usually come at the
beginning of a sentence and function like
signposts on a road. For example, at first, finally, in
short, however, etc.
Summary note card: A rectangular card, about 5 inches by 3 inches in

size, that is used to note short summaries of books
or passages, including publishing details, for later
use.
Case study
English teacher Miss Winnie Rodgers of Hilltop High School was happy
with the progress the slower readers in her class were making with her
special reading programme. They practised using the skills she had
Case study taught them, such as skimming for the overall idea of a text and scanning
a text for specific information. They looked noticeably more confident
and were engaged actively in the learning experience. Some students
brought newspapers, magazines and books from home to school to add
to the collection in the book corner. She was especially pleased about
this.
When other subject teachers complained in the staff room about the
students’ poor comprehension in their subjects, Miss Rodgers shared
with them the techniques she had used to transform poor readers into
efficient ones. With her colleagues’ encouragement she decided to give
her students practice in using the same strategies to read other school
subjects. She selected three passages: a science experiment that included
a diagram, a comparative passage on two periods in history and a
passage from an Economics text that discussed, with the help of a table,
the effects of rising costs on the lifestyle of the poorer sectors of society.
For each passage, she devised sets of exercises that made students
survey the text for gist, scan for specific information, transfer the
information from the table and diagram into paragraph form, and so on.
After two weeks, she asked her colleagues if these practice sessions
had
made
any
difference in their students’ responses and comprehension. She was
thrilled to hear from each of the teachers that the students had performed
much better on their class tests, and had been more engaged in reading
the textbooks in the class. The students’ overall performance improved
dramatically that year, and the principal organised a week’s orientation
for all subject teachers to use these strategies regularly in class.
Points to ponder 1 Do you think it is possible to use the same skills to read textual
information found in school subjects, and non-academic texts such as
advertisements or travel brochures?
2 Have you ever tested whether your students comprehend other subject
texts as well as they do with their English textbooks? If they do not,
do you think you could help them?
Activities
Activity 1: Surveying text

Reading is a skill that we use to get information from a text and also for
our pleasure or entertainment. We read a variety of texts with different
purposes, at different speeds and with different levels of comprehension.
When we teach students to read efficiently, we not only train them to
Activity 1 recognise words and structures in a particular language (in this case,
English), we give them strategies to comprehend and recall the
information they read on various topics and subject areas. In this
activity, we will introduce you to some strategies that your students can
use to get information about the text they are going to read, even before
they actually read it. This not only motivates them to read, it helps them
comprehend the text better, as they can anticipate what they are going to
read about.
Before beginning this activity, have the students think about this: when
they go to a shop to buy a jar of fruit jam, and the shopkeeper shows
them various brands, how do they decide which one to buy? Separate
them into pairs and ask each pair to list three things they do to help them
take a decision. They should mention looking at the printed price, the
ingredients list, the manufacture date, nutritional information, etc.
Draw their attention to the fact that we use these same strategies when
we buy or borrow a book to read. This process is called surveying —
finding relevant information about the contents of the text before
actually reading it. Now show them the front and back covers of a book
and ask them, still working in pairs, to note what kinds of information
they can find about the book, beginning with the name of the author, the
price of the book and so on. You can bring your own book, or use the
pictures of the book given in Resource 1.
Discuss the following:
 The factual details: The name of the author, full name of the book,
the publisher’s name, the price, the address of the publisher, the
ISBN/ISSN number and so on.
 The reviewer’s comments: On the back cover/jacket of the book, we

usually find quotes from famous reviewers who have read the book
in advance and promote it.
 The publisher’s blurb: This is also on the back cover/jacket and is a

short description of the book written by the publisher.
Discuss the information the students gather — point out that they now
have some important information about the book, which will help them
decide if it will interest them.
Now give them any book from your library, and tell them to note what
we call the pages that come before the chapters begin. They should be
able to mention the Contents page, the Preface and the Foreword or
Introduction. Some books may even have an Epilogue at the end. If the
students are not sure of the meanings of these words, briefly explain to
them, or have them look up the words in a dictionary.
Now announce that they are going to read a book called The Heavenly
Boy by Manuela Smith. To prepare themselves to read efficiently, they
should do the following:
1 Predict: Write down two things that you expect to read about in the
book. (For example: Is the book about a boy who goes to heaven?)
2 Survey: Read the information about the book given in Resource 2:
a Look at the information on the front and back covers
b Read the publisher’s blurb on the book jacket
c Read the Contents page
d Read the Preface
e Read the Foreword
3 Summarise: Recall or read what information you noted. Summarise
the book in one sentence. (For example: This book describes the
journey of...)
Collect the students’ responses and draw their attention to how much
information they have about the book even before having read it.
Encourage them to repeat this activity with other books. As a homework
assignment, ask each student to make a summary note card noting
information about one book from their class/school library, so that they
have a whole collection of cards with neatly recorded information for
future use.
Activity 2: Understanding the use of discourse markers
As we all know, when we read a text, we do not read only the important
words to understand it; we are guided by some words and phrases that
serve as signposts and guide our understanding of the information.
These signposts are especially useful when we read texts that tell us
about
Activity 2 objective facts, processes and procedures. For instance, descriptions of
physical events such as earthquakes or eclipses, the function of the
system, or the consequences of the atom bombs dropped over Hiroshima
and Nagasaki need our active concentration, especially if we are reading
them for academic purposes. In this activity, we will discuss some
functions of these signposts, which we call discourse markers, and
have students practise reading texts with attention to these discourse
markers. These words and phrases perform various functions such as
introducing a topic, listing, adding a point, summarising, clarifying and
so on.
Introduce the concept of linkers and cohesive devices that are used as
discourse markers by bringing up text types the students are familiar
with, like a fairy tale or fable. Elicit from them typical markers found in
familiar texts. Ask them questions like, “How does a fairy tale start?
What are the exact words used? And, how does a murder mystery
begin?” Make them aware that they recognise such texts easily because
of certain fixed and familiar phrases such as Once upon a time..., A long,
long time ago..., Musa heard a scream...
Now give Resource 3 to the students, working in pairs, and ask them
which passage is clearer and easier to understand, and why. They should
notice that the second passage sounds better as it contains certain
expressions that help us understand it more easily.
To show them another example of how discourse markers work, give

each pair the passage in Resource 4 about making tea, and have them do
the accompanying task. At the end of the task, have a discussion on how
the use of expressions such as firstly, then, after that, finally, however, etc.,
gives the second passage a direction, and makes it easier for us to read,
understand and remember the information. Explain to them that such
expressions (words or phrases) that help the reader to “navigate” through
a text are called discourse markers. Such expressions are found in most
prose texts, including texts for other subject areas. The ability to
recognise the functions of these discourse markers in a text improves
both reading speed and reading efficiency.
Now divide the students into small groups, and give them a passage
from any subject textbook written in English and which contains such
discourse markers. (Such passages are common in Social Studies or
History textbooks.) Or you could give them the passage in Resource 5.
Working with a partner, the students should underline all the discourse
markers they find. Then they should say what function these markers are
performing in the text. Resource 6 has a table showing the functions of
various discourse markers. Work through this with your students at the
end of the activity. Give your students a copy of this handout so that
they can consult it later, and use it to improve their reading skills.
Activity 3: Study reading (taking notes from a reading passage)
When we read something to make use of the information later, such as
subject textbooks, reference books, reference articles from a journal or
the Internet, for example, we need a way to record the main points for
future use — that is, we need to take notes. Note taking involves several
Activity 3 strategies like reducing content by leaving out unimportant words, using
abbreviations and symbols, listing, paying close attention to discourse
markers in the text and summarising.
It is an important reading skill, as the strategies can be transferred across

the curriculum, when one is studying other subjects. At school, however,
we rarely teach students to take notes, preferring to explain the lessons
ourselves and then testing students’ comprehension through the
accompanying questions. Active reading involves collecting, sequencing
and remembering information in a way that can be used later. If students
are not encouraged to read and note information by themselves while at
school, their reading skills will not improve through college.
As a pre-task exercise, divide the students into groups to brainstorm on

the different ways in which they remember what you teach them in class.
Expected answers would include underlining important sentences, ticking
the important points, writing Imp or * next to an important point, etc. Draw
their attention to the fact that they do all these in the textbook itself, and
that they need to learn how to take notes in their notebooks so that they
can revise the important points easily before their exams.
Now give them, in their groups, the passages in Resources 7a and 7b.
These include two versions of notes taken on a passage by two students.
Your students have to read them and decide (i) which student has taken
notes in a better way, and (ii) why they think this version is better.
During the discussion, elicit points like using numbering, listing, giving
headings, using abbreviations and symbols etc., so that they understand
how best to take notes.
For the final step of this activity, choose a passage from any text suitable
for their level. Make sure the passage has at least a few discourse
markers so that the students can practice understanding their functions in
texts. Ask them to take notes on the passage using strategies like those
used in Resource 7b. You can have them refer to Resource 8, which has
a list of a few commonly used abbreviations and symbols. Then have
them summarise and reconstruct the passage from the notes. This is very
important, as it will help them understand whether they managed to take
notes on all the important points.
Unit summary
In this unit we tried to introduce you to strategies and methods that can
be used to encourage students to read efficiently across the curriculum,
and should wean them away from bad practices like mugging and
Summary cramming. The unit should have given you a variety of activities and
resources so
that you can give your students plenty of practice in improving their
study skills. The unit also took you through a sequence of teaching
points — beginning from surveying a text and recognising the functions
of discourse markers to taking notes. All of these steps should prepare
JSS students to improve their reading skills in different subject areas.
Reflections
 Do you reflect on your reading style or method? Do you think it is
useful to do so?
Reflection  Have you already been using the techniques introduced in this unit
with your students? If you have, has their reading efficiency
improved? Can you think of any problems with using such
techniques? To what extent is instruction on reading like the
strategies given in this unit useful? Do you think our practices of
reading are formed in early childhood/adulthood and cannot be
changed?
 To what extent do you think you will be able to use ideas and
methods presented in this unit in your class? Why?
Assessment
 Think of a situation in your own life when you had to struggle to
understand and remember information in a course book. Note the
strategies you used to get over the problem. Did you use any of the
Assessment skills described above?
 Do you think the study skills described in the unit can be used to
study poems or plays, or are they just for texts written in prose? What
kind of discourse markers would you find in a play?
Resources
Resource 1: A book cover
Resource 1
Resource 2: Surveying a book: Finding information about content
Resource 2
Resource 3: Understanding the function of discourse markers
Passage 1a
The outermost layer of the Earth is not uniform. It is fragmented. Each
Resource 3 fragment is called a plate. These plates are in continual motion. They
brush past one another. A plate goes under another due to collision. They
cause disturbances in the earth’s crust. These disturbances show up as an
earthquake on the surface of the earth. We know for sure what causes an
earthquake. It is not yet possible to predict when and where the next
earthquake will occur.
Passage 1b
The outermost layer of the earth is not uniform, but fragmented. Each
fragment is called a plate, and these plates are in continual motion.
Sometimes they brush past one another, or one plate goes under another
due to a collision. When this happens, they cause disturbances in the
Earth’s crust, which show up as an earthquake on the surface of the
Earth. Although we know for sure what causes an earthquake, it is not
yet possible to predict when and where the next earthquake will occur.
Resource 4: Making an omelette

Look at the sentences below. They describe the process of making an
omelette. However, they are not in the correct order. The box above the
sentences contains some words that we use to express what comes after
Resource 4 something. Discuss this with a partner and rewrite the sentences in your
notebook in a paragraph, according to the correct steps. Remember to add
the words from the list where necessary, so that the process of making
an omelette is clear to someone who is making one for the first time.
You may also join two sentences if you want, like this:
When the batter begins to leave the side of the frying pan, carefully lift one end
of the omelette with a flat ladle and fold it.
first then finally after some time

next when after that if you like and
Making an omelette
1 Take two eggs.

2 Remove it from the heat.
3 Chop an onion into fine pieces.
4 Add a pinch of salt and a dash of black pepper.
5 Carefully pour the egg batter into the frying pan and spread it around
the pan.
6 Beat the mixture thoroughly with an egg beater or a fork.
7 Pour a teaspoon of cooking oil into the hot frying pan.
8 Break them carefully into a wide bowl.
9 The batter begins to leave the side of the frying pan.
10 Spread the oil carefully all around the pan so that the egg batter does
not stick.
11 Serve with tomato ketchup.
12 Add the chopped onion to the eggs.
13 Carefully lift one end of the omelette with a flat ladle and fold it.
14 Heat a frying pan.
15 Fold it in the middle, and turn it again.
16 Both sides of the omelette turn golden brown.
Resource 5: How to make a telephone call from a public telephone

Making a call from a public telephone is not very difficult. All you need
to do is keep some coins ready to insert in the slot, remember the
number you want to call and then follow the instructions carefully. To
start, lift
Resource 5 the telephone receiver and listen. If you hear a continuous dialling tone,
it means the phone is working. Otherwise, you will have to go to another
booth. When you hear the dialling tone, press the keys of the number
you want to call. Then wait for a few seconds for the number to start
ringing. If the person on the other end is on another call, you will hear an
“engaged” tone. However, if the person picks up to answer your call,
you will hear a series of beeps — for example, a “pip-pip” sound. At this
point, you will have to drop your coin into the slot. The beeps will stop,
and you will hear the voice of the person you are calling. After some
time, when your 60 seconds are nearly over, the beeps will begin again
to warn you that if you wish to continue speaking, you must put in
another coin. You will have another 60 seconds to speak. Finally, when
your call is over, replace the receiver and leave the booth so that next
caller can make their call.
Resource 6: Functions of discourse markers

Discourse marker Function
First, at the beginning, to start, to Listing, indicating order/sequence
begin, next, then, to begin with, in
Resource 6 the end, finally
Also, moreover, above all, in Adding/reinforcing
addition
In other words, to put it in another Rephrasing/reformulating
way, that is to say
Then, at that time, after that, Time relationship
previously, at that moment
For example, for instance, let’s Illustration
take
Therefore, because, so, thus, since Cause and effect relationship
If, unless Condition
However, but, although, on the Contradicting/going against
other hand, otherwise something previously mentioned
I would like to draw Emphasising
To sum up, in other words, to Summarising
summarise, to round up my
lecture
Resource 7a: What causes earthquakes?

Outermost layer of earth is fragmented
Plates are in continual motion

Resource 7a
Brush past one another
One plate goes under another
Disturbance causes earthquake.
Tremors occur when a volcano erupts
Or meteor
Or nuclear explosion
Resource 7b: Making notes on a passage: What causes earthquakes
Causes of earthquakes
1. Structure of earth’s crust
Resource 7b
a. Not uniform — fragmented
b. Fragment — called a PLATE
2. Movmnt of plates
a. in cont. Motion
b. sumtimes — brush past another}
c. sumtms — 1 plate under anthr } — cause disturbances
3. distrnbancs cause erthqks
4. othr causes:
i. tremors frm volcano eruptns
ii. meteor hitting earth
iii. undrgrnd nuclear explosn
Resource 8: Commonly used abbreviations and symbols in note taking
Word Abbreviation Word Symbol
Important imp
Therefore, ‫׵‬
thus, so
Resource 8
Very
v imp Above ↑
important
For example e.g. Because, since ‫׶‬
Et cetera, and Is equal to, the

etc. =
so on same
Is not equal
That is i.e. to, not the ≠
same as
Namely, such
viz. Plus, more +
as
Note well N. B. Minus, less -
Examination,
Eaxmtn, desttn,
destination, Greater than ˃
canceltn
cancellation
Though tho Less than ˂
Through thru From…to →
Great gr8 Percentage %
Some, Divide,
Sum, sumthg ÷
something, divided by
Improvement, Imprvmnt, Multiply,
measurement, measrmnt, multiplied ×
instrument instrumt by
Insert
First, second, st nd rd
third… 1 ,2 ,3 … (something left ٨
out)
Suddenly sudnly Parallel to

Teacher questions and answers
Question: What do I do if the students’ other subject texts do
not contain discourse markers like the ones
described in this unit?
Answer: Even if such passages are not easily found in your

Feedback students’ course books, your students must learn
how they function in texts, as they will have to read
and understand texts themselves after they leave
school. The skills described in this unit are ones that
have relevance throughout life.
Question: Why do I need to teach my students how to take

notes if I am there to help them understand the
subject texts?
Answer: A popular description of a successful teacher is one

who “progressively makes herself unnecessary for
the students.” Your students will not have you by
their side all through their lives, and if you continue
to “spoonfeed” them, they will never learn to eat
themselves. Our job as teachers is to equip them
with the skills that will help them read better
through life. Teaching them to take notes now will
help them when they go to college, or even when
they start work.
Unit 5: Extensive Reading: Encouraging
Lifelong Learning
Introduction
In this final unit on success in reading, we will look at ways of
sustaining the habit of reading with efficiency, and of using this habit to
read texts outside the curriculum.
Several analogies have been used to describe reading. It has been

compared to a battle because a reader selects strategies to “attack” a text;
victory is won when the text “surrenders,” or yields meaning. It has been
compared to marching; both activities require you to move purposefully
and rapidly towards a destination. It has been compared to solving a
puzzle; it requires a reader to draw on all of his or her background
knowledge and focus on the textual cues to work out the meaning.
Reading can also be like a pleasurable stroll, especially when you are
reading literature. You stop by words and expressions to appreciate their
beauty, and notice how they contribute to making your journey
worthwhile. And it has even been compared to peeling an onion. A
reader has to skim off the surface, working through layers of meaning to
reach the core. These analogies highlight the different characteristics or
processes involved in reading: it is rapid, purposeful, flexible, interactive
and evaluative, and it involves comprehending and learning. In this unit,
and in the preceding four, we have tried to give you strategies to engage
your students in “attacking” a reading text, uncovering the various
meanings in a text and taking a great deal of pleasure in the process.
Unit outcomes
Upon completion of this unit you will have:
 helped build a “reading culture” in the class, to enable your students

to sustain the habit of reading,
Outcomes  helped your students follow the logical sequence of ideas in a

narrative,
 helped your students recognise some of the common styles of reading

passages, and the functions and directions of each, and
 encouraged students to read a variety of academic and non-academic

texts outside the curriculum for both knowledge and pleasure.
Unit 5: Extensive Reading: Encouraging Lifelong Learning
Terminology
Jigsaw reading: A popular way of making students read in class.

Students are divided into groups and each member
in the group is asked to silently read a different
Terminology part of the text. The full picture is then pieced
together when all the members of a group come
together to discuss and complete the task.
SQ3R: Survey(S), Question (Q), Read, Recite, Review

(3R): A technique used for efficient and active
reading. Students begin by surveying a text by
reading the cover pages and introductory pages of
a book, or the first and last paragraphs of a
passage, to form an idea of the contents before
actually reading the book/passage. This is
followed by them asking two or three questions
to guess what to expect in the book. Then comes
reading the book, using skills like skimming,
scanning and guessing meaning from the context.
After that comes reciting — recalling consciously
what has been read. Finally comes reviewing —
evaluating their overall experience of reading the
book.

This unit should help you encourage your students to use the strategies,
information and ideas presented here beyond the current academic year.
We appreciate the problems a teacher faces in trying to make room for
extensive reading along with all the other components of the regular
English curriculum for the school, but we hope that the ideas in this unit
will help you take up the challenge and extend your students’ reading
programme to the next form or year. Why? Because you may be the only
way your students are exposed to English. Your encouragement and
guidance will help them maintain the reading skills they learn from you
throughout their life. If you can actively engage your students in the
activities in this unit, as well as those in the previous four units, it will
contribute immensely towards their lifelong learning.
Case study
Angela was in her last year of school. She came from a very humble
background: her parents could not afford to buy her books or magazines
to read in her spare time. Angela did not want to let her family situation
Case study stop her from studying for a professional degree, but she realised that
she had very little knowledge of things happening outside her region.
Then
64
her teacher, Mr Kimolo, who had always encouraged her to go on to
college, stepped in.
Mr Kimolo realised that Angela’s problem was not unique — most of

her classmates came from similar backgrounds and for many of them,
this school year might be their last chance to gain some world
knowledge. He discussed the situation with his colleagues, family
members and friends, and asked everyone to contribute something in
English — storybooks, novels, magazines, newspaper supplements,
travel guides and brochures, and any other reading material that would
give his students insights into real life outside the classroom. Mr Kimolo
also wanted his students to realise that there was a variety of reading
material beyond their textbooks, and that they needed to read and
understand the information presented there to improve both their
knowledge and experience.
Mr Kimolo then had his students design a modest bookcase which they
put in a corner of the room. All the reading material was kept there, and
each student was responsible for the book he or she borrowed. Mr
Kimolo encouraged them to read and discuss the books, both in and
outside the class, using the reading techniques he had been teaching
them during the last year. He encouraged them to consciously use terms
like “skimming,” “scanning,” “silent reading,” “SQ3R,” etc., while
reading and discussing the books. Being able to understand and use such
“adult” knowledge made them feel important, and helped them to stay
disciplined in their reading habits.
By the end of the year, the students had developed the habit of
passionately discussing, arguing about and criticising books during their
leisure hours. Mr Kimolo was also pleasantly surprised to hear them
discuss the day’s events, review films, plays and other social events
happening in their town, and so on. He realised that, with just a little
encouragement, he had opened a door to a different world for them. He
was confident that they had become efficient readers, and would be able
to benefit from this throughout their lives.
Points to ponder 1 How do students decide which books are important for them to read?
Is this a decision that should be made only by their teacher, or should
students also be allowed to experiment with various reading
materials?
2 Nowadays children, especially those in urban areas, spend more time
on their computers than with books. How can we make them do both
— read books and use the computer? As a teacher, would you
encourage your students to read e-books on the Internet and have
class discussions on them?
Activities
Activity 1: Creating a “reading culture” in class

The main aim of this activity is to build the students’ confidence in their
reading skills by creating a relaxed atmosphere so that each student can
read outside the class according to their own taste and pace. This activity
is meant to foster the habit of extensive reading, which is an integral part
Activity 1 of language development. Studies have shown that when students are
“immersed in meaningful texts, without tight control over syntax and
vocabulary, children appear to learn the language incidentally, and to
develop positive attitudes to books” (W. Elley (1991). Acquiring
Literacy in a Second Language: The effect of book-based programs.
Language Learning, 41, pp. 375–411.)
As we are all aware, most students talk more freely with their peers than
with their teachers. We can use this habit to encourage group reading
activities outside class hours, for “out-of-class” reading. We can then
foster extensive reading in the class without sacrificing other aspects of
our teaching.
For this activity, divide the students into small groups, allocating one or
two stronger readers to each group, and allot one teaching period per
week in the class timetable for the reading programme.
Encourage your students to create and set aside a corner of the

classroom for a book corner with books collected as suggested in
Resource 1. Ensure that it has a wide range of text types: comics,
magazines, newspapers, short stories, abridged classics, children’s
literature, mystery books, science fiction, children’s knowledge books,
maps, illustrated tour brochures, etc. Remember to include some
materials suitable for the weaker readers as well.
Give the students time in class to choose a book to read. Remind them to
use the survey techniques they learned in Unit 4: ask them to skim the
book jackets, scan the contents page, read the blurb, the preface,
introduction, etc., before they select the book for “out-of-class” reading.
Give them 20 minutes for this preparatory activity. Monitor the kinds of
books they select, but help only if someone seeks your opinion directly,
or you find that someone has chosen a text that he or she will not be able
to cope with.
Allow a week for the students to read their chosen book at home. Tell
them that they have to bring back the book to class for the next reading
class, and to be prepared to join in a discussion on their reading within
their groups.
After reading the book, they should prepare a short summary of the book
in the style of a film trailer or promotional — that is, briefly introduce
the book and then stop at an interesting point, leaving their listeners
wanting to read the book. (For example, finishing their brief summary
with a question or a hint about the ending: What do you think Ryan
decides at the
end? To start afresh or to come back to Tracy? To find out what happened to Ryan,
read on…/Jack Richards, the author, traces Ryan’s life and keeps us in suspense
until the end…
Activity 2: Jigsaw reading

This activity helps students to recognise the sequence in paragraphing in
a reading passage. The task of selecting the right order will depend on an
awareness of logical sequencing based on linguistic cues such as the use
of linkers, cohesive markers, pronouns, tense forms, etc. The task can be
Activity 2 done comfortably in the class and students can work either individually
or in small groups. This can be used as a standalone task or a pre-reading
task. The purpose of this task is to make students understand the logical
sequence in which a story proceeds, or in which ideas are presented in a
book. This is a crucial part of reading efficiency.
For the activity, follow the steps below:
1 Divide the reading passage paragraph by paragraph and make as

many sets as there are groups in the class.
2 When you use this activity for the first time in the class, have a five-
paragraph story, like the one given in Resource 2, so that there are
five students in a group and each has to read a paragraph.
3 Shuffle the paragraphs and distribute the sets to the groups.
4 Tell the students that they have to put the paragraphs together in an
appropriate order. Ask each of them to begin by reading their
paragraph and telling their group what it is about.
5 Ask the groups to share with the class the ordering they have agreed
on. Allow them to explain why they selected that particular order.
6 This activity can be a pre-reading task before reading a longer
narrative. On the basis of the paragraphs they have read and ordered,
the groups can be asked to predict how the story might continue.
Each group should present their prediction to the class.
7 You can raise the difficulty level of the task by giving longer
passages with more paragraphs, or with discursive or expository
texts. This will draw the students’ attention to a range of linkers and
cohesive markers, and how they signal the structure of the text.
8 This task can be pitched at an easier level for younger students by
using scrambled sentences instead of paragraphs.
Activity 3: Understanding text style: Types of passages
In real life, outside the classroom, we read a variety of materials, most of
which are written in different styles. For example, a short story does not
have the same style as a description of, say, a tourist spot. Or a magazine
article comparing the spending habits of the middle class with those of
Activity 3 the upper class will not have the same style as a report on a scientific
discovery. Unless students are familiar with these various types of
styles, they are unlikely to get the most out of what they read. In this
activity, we will help you introduce your students to a few styles of
prose passages such as narrative, descriptive, comparative, expository
and argumentative passages. (See Resource 3 for a description of these
passage types.)
As a pre-reading activity, divide the students into pairs and give each
pair the two passages in Resource 4a to discuss and note the differences
in the way the passages are written. They should be able to notice the
use of certain discourse markers (practised in Unit 4), the choice of words,
the sentence structures, the beginning and the end. Tell them that the first
passage is called a narrative passage, and the second one is a descriptive
passage. Draw their attention to the characteristic features of such
passages from the information given in Resource 3.
Now have them sit in groups and identify one narrative and one
descriptive passage from any of their course books, and say why they
have defined the passages as narrative or descriptive. During the
discussion try to bring out the aspects of the style that will help them
identify similar passages in future. This technique is part of what we call
experiential learning, where we engage students in tasks to discover
something for themselves.
In the next step, show them a comparative passage (such passages are
easy to find in History or Social Studies textbooks) and have them notice
how two things, people, events or situations are compared. They should
also underline the discourse markers used for comparison. This will help
them realise how to identify a comparative passage, and how to
differentiate it from a narrative or descriptive passage. Now show them
the style of writing of a science experiment. Such an expository passage,
which informs, defines, describes and explains, is commonly found in
academic textbooks and the information given there is usually supposed
to be remembered in detail. Finally, give them an argumentative passage
(e.g., an essay on a great man, such as Nelson Mandela, or the one given
in Resource 4b) and ask them, in their groups, to note down what is
different in this passage as compared to the four passages they have
already looked at.
After the students have spent some time comparing the styles of the
different passages, have them draw up a table of the features they have
noticed, and put these up in a chart on the display board.
To help the students carry their new knowledge beyond the classroom,
have them search the book corner for each type of passage. After the
whole class has made a selection, the students can classify and store
passages under these headings. Of course, the students need to be shown
that not all passages can be clearly demarcated into different passage
types, and that the same passage may have a combination of several
types of writing styles. The important point here is for students to be
able to recognise different types of passages when they see them, and to
understand the function of each.
Unit summary
In this unit you learned that reading is a lifelong activity and that we
need many different strategies to teach our students to read efficiently
and fluently. The strategies demonstrated in the explanations, activities
Summary and resources can be used to continue reading programmes beyond high
school. They not only help with reading but also provide strategies to
improve one’s writing skills. Understanding the sequence of ideas
presented in a text, recognising the style of a text, understanding the role
of discourse markers and using survey techniques to prepare to read —
all foster lifelong learning, and should be introduced to students through
extensive reading activities at the JSS level. This unit tries not only to
teach some new strategies, but also to consolidate the learning points
from the previous units. It should have helped you give some direction
to your students’ extensive reading habits.
Reflections
 Do you think this unit has covered important reading strategies?
 Did you find the activities relevant to the unit?

Reflection
 Were the resources useful?
 In your opinion, what should have been done differently?
Assessments
 Give your students a descriptive passage and ask them to transform it
into a narrative passage, following the guidelines about different
types of passages given in Resource 3. Then record the decisions
Assessment they took and the changes they made during the task.
 Select a few passages for weaker readers to read. Note down the
particular aspects of the content and style of the passages that helped
you select these passages.
Resources
Resource 1: Creating a book corner in the class

The school library has always been the centre of learning for both staff
and students. However, logistics may prevent students from visiting it as
much as they should. With the help of students and parents, teachers can
Resource 1 start a book corner in the classroom. This initiative alone can improve
students’ confidence in reading.
A book corner need not always be expensive. Teachers can start by

encouraging students to bring books that they or their siblings or friends
have already read. Teachers should also bring in some of their favourites
or some bought at used-book stores, garage sales, etc. Try to include
fiction plus some non-fiction like biographies, history, travel, food, etc.
Various publishers and websites have lists that you can consult. For
example:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_children's_literature_authors
Sometimes titles are reviewed by teachers and listed according to age-

appropriate reading interests. See, for example, some of the titles listed
at http://www.teachersfirst.com/100books.cfm:
Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
Summer of the Monkeys by Wilson Rawls
The Cay by Theodore Taylor
The Sign of the Beaver by Elizabeth George Speare
Teachers can also visit websites that give tips to parents and teachers. For
example:
http://www.teachersandfamilies.com/open/readingtips.html
The contents of this page are given below:
Encourage your children to read!
Building strong reading skills and an interest in reading is one of the

most important things parents can do for their child's academic
development. There are many ways to help children develop an interest
in reading.
Let the child choose a book to read. Fiction is fine, but non-fiction titles
— biographies, science, and history — are also great topics.
Show that you like to read. Set aside some time each week to read a
book of your choice while your child reads also.
Read a story to your child. Try reading a chapter each night at bedtime
for a great evening routine.
Visit your public library. It’s the world’s best summer entertainment
deal! Let your child build his own library by setting a shelf aside for his
or her
“special” books.
Do you have a reluctant reader? These strategies can help:
Look at a book before your child starts reading it. Guess what might
happen and who the characters might be. When the child finishes the
book, let him or her tell you whether your predictions were accurate.
Build your child's vocabulary. Introduce new words each day and use
them!
Music and rhymes help young children develop strong reading skills,
especially when reading aloud.
Encourage reading with a reading chart using stickers or other indicators

of your child's progress. Remember, too, that there is no substitute for
praising success at reading.
Copyright © 2003-2010 by The Source for Learning, Inc. All rights

reserved.
Resource 2: Jigsaw reading: Sequencing paragraphs in a text
Here are five paragraphs from the novel Wanderlust by the Indian author
Joydeep Choudhury. Divide the students into groups. Each student in the
group should read one paragraph. Then the group should work together
to
Resource 2 decide on the correct sequence of the paragraphs.
a Rohit Malhotra had turned forty a few months ago but his looks did
not betray his age. He looked a lot younger than his years. In these
years of life, he had seen a lot and experienced every kind of lust. But
no lust quite matched his wanderlust.
b His motorbike and he, a pair made for each other, had hit the roads
every couple of months in their travels to the hills. Together, they had
covered almost every inch of the hilly terrain in Himachal,
Uttaranchal, Kashmir, the North-east and all the way down south in
the Nilgiris. Even at the height of militancy in Kashmir, Rohit had
followed the tug of his wanderlust and travelled on his trusty
motorcycle, riding between the bullets and never once getting hit.
c He had slept in an abandoned shed alongside the road in Kausani and
taken shelter from rains for two long days in a small nook in a hill
near Dhanaulti — surviving off dry fruits and rainwater. He had also
lived for four days with a local Naga tribal family in Tuensang when
he ran up a high fever. Life always threw him a lifeline when he
needed one.
d Rohit rode on, gently pulling the throttle and feeling the engine rev
up. At this age, he no longer felt thrill in speed but quite enjoyed the
powerful purr of his 250cc Yamaha. He rode leisurely, occasionally
stopping by the side of the hilly tracks to soak in the ambience of the
mountains. He had an intimate equation with the hills and his soul
spoke a language of silence that only the pines and cedars could
understand.
e Rohit had left Shillong a trifle late in the morning, after a hearty
breakfast of toasted bread, boiled eggs and delicious steamed momos
served with a pot of piping hot coffee. The sky was a clear blue with
nary a speck of cloud in it. The breeze was cool but not chilly. This
was July, the peak of the monsoon season in Meghalaya, hardly the
best time for a biker to hit the roads.
(From Wanderlust by Joydeep Choudhury)
Resource 3: Types of passages
Type of passage Description
Narrative A narrative passage describes a sequence of
Resource 3 fictional or non-fictional events. An important

feature of narrative style is a chronological
presentation of events, usually with a clear
beginning, middle and end. A narrative passage
includes descriptions of objects, people and events
that resemble real life, people’s conversations, a
climax or interesting finale. We usually recognise
a narrative style by its use of expressions like
Once upon a time..., a long time ago..., then..., after
that..., in the end..., etc. We also find familiar
words, personal pronouns and informal language.
Along with exposition, argumentation and

description, narration, broadly defined, is one of
four rhetorical modes of discourse. More narrowly
defined, it is the fiction-writing mode whereby the
narrator communicates directly to the reader.
Descriptive A descriptive passage presents the characteristic

features of an object, person, event or situation. It
can describe the appearance of something, or how
something works or behaves. Descriptive
passages are usually of two types: static
description and process description. Static
descriptions describe the appearance of
something, and usually contain verbs of being or
having (is, are, has, have, contains, shows,
includes, etc.). Process descriptions, on the other
hand, describe how something works or behaves,
and usually include verbs of doing (works, moves,
opens, closes, pour, stir, shake, twist, etc).
Descriptive passages do not include personal
opinions or judgements; they try to give an
objective account of the thing described.
Descriptive passages also contain qualifying
adjectives such as beautiful, kind, strong, bright,
soft, hard, etc. In a process description we find
discourse markers showing the sequence of steps,
such as first, secondly, then, after that, finally and so
on.
Comparative A comparative passage, as the name suggests,

requires us to compare two or more objects,
people, events or situations. When we compare,
we talk about both the similarities and differences
between the things compared. When we contrast
two or more things, we focus more on the
differences than similarities. Comparative
passages usually include discourse markers such
as
on the other hand, when we compare, the difference
between these, the similarities observed include,
however, although, but and so on. A comparative
passage can be written in two styles: describing
all the features of the first thing under comparison
in a paragraph or two, and following a similar step
for the second object. Or, one by one, all the
feature of both the objects are compared, showing
the similarities or differences between the two.
Expository Expository writing is used to inform the reader, to

explain, describe or define a subject — but not to
express the writer’s opinion. College and
university students use this type of writing a lot,
but it is also used in recipes and other texts that
have an instructional or directional purpose.
Expository texts are usually written in the third
person, but the second person may also be used.
Argumentative An argumentative passage uses evidence, facts and

data to convince readers of a writer’s position on a
subject. Argumentative passages usually contain
discourse markers such as if, since, because,
therefore, however, on the other hand, in my opinion,
etc., to express a condition or cause and effect
relationship, to counter a previous viewpoint, etc.
Such passages usually do not include personal or
informal language. Argumentative passages are
never neutral — they always express a certain
side of an argument.
Resource 4a: Narrative and descriptive passages

A narrative passage
A long time ago, when the world as we know it now did not exist, two
Resource 4a men were gathering fruit on the shore of an island. They followed the
routine they had been using since childhood: harpooning the fruit on the
tree with a sharp wooden harpoon, tearing it apart with their fingers and
eating it up. The water lapped the shore of the island gently, the waves
sliding up the shore and receding, never stopping still. Suddenly there
was a deep rumbling from somewhere inside the earth, and then the
earth shook. It was a sensation never before experienced by the two
fruit- gatherers, and they were too shocked to even scream. Then the
fruits began to fall off the branches. One by one, the fruit rained on the
two poor men, and they could neither hide nor sit still. Slowly and
quietly, the waves crept upon them, growing larger with each shake,
until they looked like angry white columns. The earth boomed and
cracked open, leaving deep cuts on its surface. A final tremor lifted the
two men and carried them out to sea. After an agonising moment, the
next wave deposited them back on the branch of a mango tree.
A descriptive passage
An earthquake is caused by the movement of fragments of the earth’s

crust, called plates. The plates can move due to an underwater eruption
of a volcano, a meteor hitting the earth, or a nuclear explosion. When an
earthquake occurs, sudden cracks appear on the surface of the earth. This
may cause buildings to crack too. The movement of the plates also
causes waves in the sea to rise up, trees to fall down, and the shape of
the land can also change. Earthquakes can cause a lot of damage to
property, and sometimes even loss of life. For example, when a building
collapses, people can die under it. The sudden shaking can uproot trees
or cause fruits to fall off the tree. Scientists have been working hard to
study how earthquakes occur, but they have not yet been able to predict
earthquakes. People all over the world, especially those living in
“earthquake zones” like Japan or India, always live with the fear of
earthquakes.
Resource 4b: An argumentative passage

There is a general impression amongst the public that our schools and
colleges educate students. That some kind of uncritical knowledge is
imparted to them is beyond any doubt. Students are made to copy notes,
Resource 4b learn them by heart and reproduce them during examinations. Those
who learn by heart and reproduce their learning to the exact letter are
considered to be the best. Those who do not succeed in the exercise are
termed “failures.” The examination results are all about grading in
memory work that has nothing to do with education. An educated person
is one who has developed the qualities of mind and heart, who can
critically evaluate things and objectively decide the course of his or her
action based on factual information.

Question: What if I cannot find enough passages in different
styles (expository, narrative, etc.) in my students’
course books to demonstrate the different styles of
passages?
Feedback
Answer: Since these activities are meant to encourage
extensive reading, it is actually advisable for you to
bring passages written in different styles from
outside the curriculum. This will give students some
much- needed exposure to a variety of literary and
non- literary styles.

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indd 3 6/25/2012 9:53:38 AM

Module 3 – Success in Reading

Getting around this module manual 7

Unit 1: Building Confidence in Reading: Countering Defects 9

Unit 2: Reading Silently for Understanding and Speed 21

Unit 3: Reading Efficiently: The Sub-Skills of Reading 35

Unit 5: Extensive Reading: Encouraging Lifelong Learning 63

About this module manual

How this module manual is

The module overview

 if the module is suitable for you,

 what you need to know,

 what you should expect from the module, and

The overview also provides guidance on:

 where to get help,

 course assignments and assessments, and

 activities and units.

The module content

The module is broken down into units. Each unit comprises:

 an introduction to the unit content,

 unit learning outcomes,

 core content of the unit with a variety of learning activities,

 assignments and/or assessments, as applicable, and

 answers to assignments and/or assessments, as applicable

 Module content and structure.

 Module reading materials and resources.

 Teacher support (assigned tutors, technical help, etc.)

Your constructive feedback will help us to improve and enhance this

Welcome to Module 3 — Success

Reading is a complex skill involving several sub-skills and can be

Is this module for you?

 assess their students’ competence in reading and their motivation to

 prepare and execute a reading programme for their students,

Objectives  use a task-based interactive approach to enhance students’

 demonstrate the use of strategies that increase the efficiency and

 used various activities and classroom strategies to build your

 made students aware of the reading mistakes they should avoid,

 trained your students to read silently with better understanding, and

Another “How to Study” website with useful links to learning about

Group email: [email protected]

A complete icon set is shown below. We suggest that you familiarise

Activity Assessment Assignment Case study

Outcomes Summary Objectives Feedback

Terminology Reading Reflection Study skills

Help Time Audio Video

Unit 1: Building Confidence in Reading:

 motivate passive and bored readers to become interested in the

Objectives  instil in students the confidence to read for longer periods.

Teacher support information

Activity 1: Understanding students’ attitudes

Activity 2: Countering common errors in reading

 Which language they like to read in.

 Whether they read in English with the same ease.

As they read, notice the following reading errors:

1 Vocalisation: murmuring and pronouncing the words as they read.

Activity 3: Developing efficiency in reading: Anticipating the topic

The gap between their actual performance in reading and the

1 India: A Nation with Unity in Diversity