UNIT 5 READING

What is Reading?

Reading is one of the receptive skills which involves understanding the language of a text and connecting it with our knowledge of the world. This means knowing what coherence and cohesion mean. The first one refers to the knowledge of the world and the second one is how we recognize the grammatical links between the sentences. In addition, when we read, we have to use the appropriate reading sttrategy or reading subskill according to our purpose, thus there are three main subskills: scanning, skimming and reading for detail. Also, there are two ways of reading: intensive and extensive. Intensive reading or reading for detail includes the grammar study, infering meaning and recognizing discourse markers. In this reading we need to follow a process (pre reading, reading and post reading). On the other hand, extensive reading or reading for pleasure is focus on improving fluency. Furthermore, it is useful to understand how the study of text types or genres can help the students to realize the text structure which is useful at the moment of comprehension activities. Finally, I would apply the process used in intenssive reading with my students, which includes some activities like the pre-teaching vocabulary or the aplication of follow-up activities to make them realize all the steps involve to read correctly. 

References:

• Spratt, M., Pulverness, A., & Williams, M. (2011). The TKT course. Ernst Klett Sprachen.The TKT course. Module 1,2,3

• McNamara, D. S. (Ed.). (2012). Reading comprehension strategies: Theories, interventions, and technologies. Psychology Press.

• Readinghorizons (2011). What Strategies are Best for Teaching ESL Students to Read? [Video]. Avaliable from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zp1ehWEaaQ