Reading Strategies Use a Graphic Aids 4-3
Reading Strategies to Develop Higher Thinking Estrategias de lectura para el desarrollo de habilidades
Skills for Reading Comprehension
de pensamiento para la comprensión de lectura
Luz Marina Echeverri Acosta*
Maria McNulty Ferri **
* Unidad Educativa San Marcos, Colombia
lumacheve@hotmail.com
**Universidad de Antioquia, Colombia
mariam@idiomas.udea.edu.co
This commodity was received on May 13, 2009 and accepted on November 23, 2009.
This paper reports an activeness research project which examined the foreign language reading comprehension of public school 8th graders who experienced a directed reading-thinking arroyo with strategies for comprehension and application. The strategies used were prediction, prior knowledge, graphic organizers, and questions. Information analyzed included participants' perceptions of the usefulness of the strategies and students' work on the graphic organizers and reading worksheets. Findings showed that participants thought that the strategies and an interactive reading task improved reading comprehension. The majority of students used English to respond noesis, comprehension and a good number of application questions. The answers to the application questions provided past the less skillful students were, despite their use of Spanish, unclear. Key words: Foreign language instruction, reading comprehension, directed reading-thinking approach, thinking skills, reading strategies
En este artículo se hace un reporte sobre un proyecto de investigación acción que examino la comprensión de lectura en lengua extranjera de estudiantes de grado octavo de un colegio público, quienes vivenciaron un enfoque de lectura dirigida hacia el pensamiento, con estrategias para la comprensión y la aplicación. Se utilizaron las estrategias de predicción, conocimiento previo, organizadores gráficos y preguntas. El análisis de datos incluyo las percepciones de los participantes sobre la utilidad de las estrategias y el trabajo de los estudiantes en organizadores gráficos y en talleres de lectura. Los resultados mostraron que los participantes consideraron que las estrategias y una actividad de lectura interactiva permitieron mejorar la comprensión de lectura. La mayoría de los estudiantes usaron el inglés para responder a preguntas de conocimiento, comprensión y un buen numero de preguntas de aplicación. Se encontró además que las respuestas que dieron los estudiantes con bajo nivel de inglés a las preguntas de aplicación no fueron claras, a pesar del uso de español.
Palabras clave: enseñanza de lenguas extranjeras, comprensión de lectura, enfoque de lectura dirigida hacia el pensamiento, habilidades del pensamiento, estrategias de lectura Introduction Being able to empathise what ane reads is important for learning in school and for life in full general. In secondary education, reading in English equally a foreign language (EFL) requires teachers to explore strategies that can improve students' reading comprehension. In Colombia, students in public high schools tend to have low levels of English language which makes reading comprehension challenging (Ríos & Valcarcel, 2005). Often, instructional approaches promote reading as a product rather than every bit a process. The erstwhile focuses on the text, while the latter explores the readers, their groundwork knowledge and experience, predictions, and interaction with the text (Wallace, 2001). In addition, reading is ofttimes equated with students' knowledge of facts (Echeverria, 2008), which is the lowest thinking skill (Bloom, 1956, as cited in Wong & Wong, 1998). Thus, the thinking skills of comprehension and application which require interpretation and association of information in one'due south life tend to be left aside. Making a shift in reading teaching was function of this action research projection focused on helping 8th grade EFL students to sympathise the content better. I wanted to achieve this by restructuring reading lessons with strategies in earlier, during, and after reading activities. During these stages, students would exist more active and make connections between their ain knowledge and experience, and the new content. Students would predict information with visual aids, titles, and questions. Moreover, students would utilise graphic organizers to identify prior knowledge, brand predictions, and organize of import information from the readings. Additionally, teachers' questions would check students' knowledge of the topic, assistance them to communicate their ideas and demonstrate their level of comprehension, to connect and apply what they learned to their lives, as well as reverberate on learning. With this interest, I decided to explore if reading strategies could develop the thinking skills for improved reading comprehension in loftier schoolhouse EFL students.
Theoretical Framework
In the literature, using higher thinking skills has been associated with increased reading comprehension for junior high school L1 learners (Hendricks, Newman, & Stropnik, 1996; Bowman, Carpenter & Paone, 1998). Reading strategies such equally higher thinking techniques for questioning, graphic organizers, and collaborative learning groups were found to increment students' reading comprehension. Norato & Catechism (2008) reported increased reading comprehension for junior high schoolhouse FL students with higher thinking skills developed through questioning and cooperative work. Helping EFL students improve their reading comprehension beyond cognition required an understanding of Bloom's (1956, as cited in Wong & Wong, 1998) higher thinking skills of comprehension and awarding, and strategies to develop them. These skills have been classified into a hierarchy of educational objectives from less to more circuitous: knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation. The author suggests that teachers integrate and develop the skills in guild to straight students' level of thinking in learning activities. According to Blossom, the everyman thinking skill, knowledge, requires students to recognize and recall information. For comprehension in learning, the author explains that students can retell or interpret what they understand in their own words in written or oral form, put data in social club, compare and contrast information technology, and interpret it. Concerning application, he recommends that teachers set learning objectives for students to utilise what they learn to their lives, and to solve a problem. Strategies to develop comprehension and application in this report were activating students' background knowledge, having them make predictions, complete graphic organizers, and respond questions. These strategies were suggested in the literature and by knowledgeable others, and related to personal interest. Activating background knowledge for learning involves helping English language learners make "connections between their own knowledge and experiences and the new information beingness taught" (Rumelhart, 1994, equally cited in Echevarría, Vogt, & Brusque, 2008, p. 23). These connections can exist made with motivating and relevant materials for students (Echevarría et al., 2008). Cummins (2009) affirms that activating and building prior knowledge helps ESL (English as a Second Linguistic communication) students acquire content, and suggests strategies such every bit brainstorming or discussion, using both visuals and graphic organizers. Moreover, visuals in the class of pictorial contextual organizers "depicting action from the kickoff of the story" has improved English students' reading comprehension in French at the college level (Omaggio, 1993, p. 144). In add-on, combining visuals with questions has facilitated comprehension for EFL college students in Brazil (Raglieber, Johnson, & Yarbrough, 1988, as cited in Omaggio, 1993). Prediction equally a strategy for improving comprehension "...helps the reader prepare a purpose for their reading" (McKown & Barnett, 2007, p. 17). Pesa & Somers (2007, p. 31) aggrandize that before reading, prediction can "...activate prior knowledge, set a purpose for reading, and engage the reader from the starting time". Introducing the title of the reading, pictures associated with its content, and cardinal words can prompt prediction (McKown & Barnett, 2007). During reading, Pesa & Somers (2007) assert that prediction can aid students monitor their comprehension and continued interest. Cake & Israel, 2005 (as cited in McKown & Barnett, 2007, p. xviii) agree that "...good readers use their experiences and knowledge to make predictions and formulate ideas as they read". Besides, students can compare their predictions with information in the actual text (McKown & Barnett, 2007). The importance of students revising their predictions when necessary is highlighted by Teele (2004, equally cited in McKown & Barnett, 2007), who links this to improved reading comprehension. Teachers who read aloud in class can guide students' predictions with questions. Oczkus (2003, every bit cited in McKown & Barnett, 2007, p. 17) emphasizes that, "This strategy also allows for more than student interaction, which increases educatee involvement and improves their understanding of the text". Later on reading, this strategy can "... help students to interpret, analyze, and deepen their understanding" (Pesa & Somers, 2007, p. 32). Without prediction, students' comprehension tin can exist hard to develop. Graphic organizers take been linked to the development of higher thinking skills for reading comprehension (Gil-García & Villegas, 2003). In a pre-reading activity, graphic organizers "...help prepare students for reading" (French & Landretti, 1995, as cited in Ben-David, 2002). Gil-García & Villegas (2003) cite benefits of this strategy in helping students to link and organize their background knowledge to new noesis, recall divergently, and recall, transfer and apply what they have learned. Similarily, Cassidy & Hossler (1992, as cited in Bowman et al., p. 8) assert that students can organize and retrieve data better from a reading. Ben-David (2002) expands these benefits to helping students recollect and brandish data, and bear witness relationships in content. Alvermann & Boothby (1986, every bit cited in Ben-David, 2002, p. thirteen) suggest that "...the effects upon comprehension are increased when graphic organizers are partially synthetic by students as a during-reading or mail-reading action". Moreover, students can show personal understanding and response on graphic organizers (Buehl, 2001, reported in Echevarría et al., 2008). Questioning as a strategy tin develop different levels of thinking skills for deeper learning (Marzano, Pickering & Pollock, 2001) and help students to prepare for reading and to sympathise while reading (Hendricks, et al., 1996). Questioning can be facilitated with the Directed Reading-Thinking Activities Approach (DRTA) described by Haggard (1985, as cited in Hendricks et al., 1996) whereby the instructor reads a text with students, stops at intervals, and asks questions. Students talk over their answers in a whole-course activity in order to have a better understanding of what they are reading1. A Question-Reply Relationship (QAR) technique proposed by Raphael (1984, as cited in Hendricks et al., 1996) has been linked to improved students' reading comprehension after reading (Sorrell, 1990, as cited in Kelty, 1999; Spivey, 2000). Kelty (1999) explains four types of questions that differ in how their answers are related to the material. 'Right there' or literal questions have answers stated directly in the reading, and help students to focus on noesis past finding and recalling information. 'Think and search' or comprehension questions also accept their answers in the text, but require inference as students take to search for information in diverse parts of the reading and describe, compare, organize and explain ideas. 'Writer and you' and 'on your own' questions require students to respond and expect within themselves to find the answers. The onetime relates students' prior cognition and inferences from the text, while the latter is related to students' life experiences. With these questions, students use what they read to their lives earlier and after reading.
Context and Participants
This study was carried out with an 8th grade EFL form in a public, elementary-loftier Normal School2, in Envigado (Department of Antioquia), Republic of colombia. Participants were 30 students, anile 13 to fifteen, a cooperating teacher (CT), a practicum advisor (PA), and me as the instructor-researcher. For research purposes, students were divided into three groups: Group ane with 10 students who participated a lot in class and had a good level of reading comprehension; grouping two with 10 students who participated sometimes and had average reading performances; and group 3 with 10 students who rarely participated and had bug understanding texts. These students were identified by using Creswell's (1998) qualitative sampling techniques of typical case and maximum variation. Students were "average" or "typical" or showed "diverse variation" with respect to the given criteria of class participation and reading performance.
Method
This action research report included various stages, namely, trouble identification, literature review, planning and implementation of action strategies, information collection and analysis, and report writing (Johnson, 2005). Data were collected from four different sources. My reflections on how the students and I adult the reading activities and strategies were included in a periodical (Crookes, 2003), which includes teachers' thoughts, feelings, clarified ideas, and experiences. Students, the CT and the PA completed an mental attitude and rating checklist (Johnson, 2005) to identify which of 6 strategies were used, their perceived usefulness, and an explanation of the responsethree. An "other" option was included. A sample item for both participants is in Tables 1 and two. Students likewise completed a feedback menu (Freeman, 1998) to give their opinion well-nigh the readings and if they understood them, their preferred activities and strategies, and their importance for their lives. Students' reading performances on the graphic organizers and reading worksheets (Johnson, 2005) were collected, and their answers were read and assessed by the CT and me based on the reading content as well as their ability to link the readings to their lives. The following three types of graphic organizers were used in this report: a descriptive design organizer to represent events and describe people; a timesequence pattern organizer to order events; and a problem-solution pattern organizer (Marzano, Pickering, & Pollock, 2001; Gil-García & Villegas, 2003). A reading nearly the history of jeans was used in a unit of measurement on inventions for our class. My adapted version of this informational, nonfiction story taken from a reading resource centre had 335 words in vi short paragraphs. It was accompanied with pictures related to key concepts and vocabulary. A class discussion was used to actuate students' background noesis, and story pictures for student prediction. The graphic organizer was used initially for students to organize their ideas about the story and what they wanted to know. I read and asked students questions based on the question-answer technique. Students worked in pairs, shared their answers to the questions, and added and corrected data on their graphic organizers. Later on they expressed their opinions nigh the reading and the strategies used. The 2nd reading I adapted was a highbeginner legend —"The Human, the Boy, and the Donkey"— about people pleasing others, taken from Using Folktales past Taylor (2000), which is a Cambridge Handbook for Language Teachers. This fable has 308 words with 7 short paragraphs, and was designed with an interactive format to guide students' reading and responses to the text The Holt Reader for Elements of Literature (Holt, Reinhart & Winston, n.d.). The textile had leftside column notes that asked students to make predictions, underline parts of the text, write responses to questions, and organize pictures. Of import vocabulary was boldfaced in the text and a definition was provided in a right-side cavalcade notation. In pairs, students read the fable. They predicted the events of the legend and the title with pictures. Then in pairs students read the fable with the interactive material, fabricated more predictions, and answered questions with the question-answer technique. They drew the story on a graphic organizer and expressed their stance about the reading and strategies. All thirty students completed the attitude and rating checklist during the two reading lessons. 30 students completed a feedback bill of fare during the first lesson, and xx-eight during the second. I student from both groups 2 and iii did non consummate this instrument. Written and oral comments from the students and the CT were gathered in Spanish and translated into English language for the purpose of this paper, whereas the comments of the practicum advisor were written in English. Information analysis consisted of tallying responses to the rating checklists, and analyzing open up-ended items using a grounded approach that included coding, categorizing, and comparison information from unlike sources (Burns, 1999). Findings from two reading lessons were shared with the participants during a class to check my interpretations and to see if students identified with them. Participants stated that they agreed with them but they did non offer additional information.
Findings
In this section, I nowadays findings related to students' perceptions about the reading topics, participants' perceptions nigh the usefulness of the reading strategies and other strategies reported, the development of students' thinking skills of comprehension and application for reading, and linguistic communication evolution. Students' Perceptions about the Readings About students reported positive perceptions about the readings for both lessons, as shown in Tables 3 and 4.
Students thought the readings were interesting, informative, and relevant. Students reported that they liked the outset reading because they were able to clarify their ideas almost the topic. Students thought the 2nd reading, a fable, was relevant for their lives: "I liked to read the fable considering I learned a moral for my life" (grouping two student); "The text teaches us things that nosotros must acquire for our lives" (group three student). Likewise, I perceived that students were motivated and engaged with the readings we read in class (teacher periodical, July 29, August 12, September four, xi, eighteen, October thirty, 2008). Students' motivation towards the reading topics was important as it is a factor that influences the understanding of information (Martin, 1991). Despite these positive perceptions, one student from Group 3 reported dissatisfaction with the readings, commenting that the second one was as well long. Concerning this issue, Sasson (2007) recommends that readings be curt and interesting for inferior high school ESL students with a lower level to facilitate comprehension. Participants' Perceptions virtually the Reading Strategies Making Predictions The majority of students reported that they liked to brand predictions more than the other strategies on the feedback cards during both reading lessons. Besides, virtually students believed that making predictions before reading was a useful strategy for reading comprehension. The results are presented in Tables 5 and 6. Various reasons were cited past students as to why making predictions was helpful before reading. Many students commented that making predictions allowed them to figure out what the topic of the reading was, and to express what they idea about it. I, too, considered making predictions a very useful strategy as it helped students to explore the topic before they read and thus understand it better: "I call back they fabricated predictions that helped them to understand the story better since they had an idea nearly the topic of the text before reading it" (teacher journal, July 29, August 12, September xviii, October thirty, 2008). Students thought this strategy helped them to focus their concentration, develop their thinking, and check their expectations about the content of the reading. These are cited benefits by Duke & Pearson (2005, as cited in McKown & Barnett, 2007). One student wrote: "It is agreeable, and I can compare my predictions when we read" (student feedback carte du jour). Ii students in groups 2 and 3 reported that making predictions helped to guide them and to accelerate in the reading. The effectiveness of making predictions was also linked to additional reading strategies of discussion, teacher questions, visual content support, modeling, and creative linguistic communication use. Four students in group 1 liked making predictions with my guide questions in the commencement reading lesson because it gave them an opportunity to work together by discussing possible answers and listening to their classmates' opinions, while students in group 3 preferred more than general predictions. In improver, a few students from groups 1 and 3 reported that they especially liked to brand predictions with pictures considering it helped them to understand the text ameliorate. Using pictures for prediction has been identified as a good reading strategy by McKown & Barnett (2007) for centre-school L1 learners, and Omaggio (1993) for L2 learners. The PA too idea that modeling predictions while using pictures, which is a strategy recommended by Chamot, Barnhardt, El-Dinary, & Robbins (1999), motivated students to become more engaged and to share their ideas: I noticed that you modeled thinking near the pictures, repeated what students said, and wrote it on the board. I recollect that all the students were engaged and many of them had a chance to share their ideas with the class (Rating checklist). Furthermore, the CT perceived that students enjoyed making predictions and creating interesting stories: "Information technology is fascinating! Students enjoy it a lot. They create wonderful stories. (Personal communication) Notwithstanding these positive perceptions, a few students (two from group one and one from group 3) reported that they did not like to brand predictions and questioned its usefulness. In the outset reading lesson, ane educatee from group 1 commented that this had been a routine action for many classes, and the other pupil wrote that the text was easy enough to sympathise without using this strategy. The group iii pupil did not provide whatsoever comment related to their response for the 2d reading. Likewise, two students (one from both groups 1 and 2) reported that they preferred not to make predictions with pictures without any explanation. The pupil from grouping two explained her position past writing that she was not focused and did not empathize what she had to do: "Because I get [sic] distracted". Activating Students' Previous Noesis A second of import strategy for participants was the exploration of students' previous knowledge before reading. On the rating checklist, nearly students perceived having used this strategy in both readings equally very useful (See tables 7 and 8). Many students gave various reasons why this strategy helped them empathize what they read better. Two students from group 2 explicitly referred equally follows to their previous knowledge as a contributing factor for reading comprehension: "Many times, I knew the topic"; "When we respond questions, we tin apply what we think before reading". Both groups ane and ii students reported on the first reading rating checklist that this strategy enabled them to recall more than about the topic, to generate more ideas, and to promote their marvel: "It makes us think and to open our imagination to do the activity". In the beginning reading lesson, some students from group ii reported that their groundwork knowledge helped them identify the main idea of the reading: "Because we take an idea what the text is about". In addition, students in group 1 also reported that this strategy was useful for focusing their attention and letting them share their ideas. This supports an important characteristic of instructional activities "to talk over ideas, drawing out students" thoughts and linking them to the text (Echevarría et al., 2008, p. 56). According to the U.Thousand. Department for Education and Skills Standards – Understanding Reading Comprehension two- (2005, p. 1), "Activation of prior knowledge can develop children's agreement by helping them to see links between what they already know and new data they are encountering". I besides idea that having my students recall about the topic by drawing on what they knew was very useful for understanding the readings better. The CT agreed that this strategy was useful before reading: "For them, it is very pleasing to check their previous knowledge" (personal communication). I besides perceived that it gave me the take chances to build their noesis: The activities adult to cheque students' previous cognition were helpful for students considering they increased their background knowledge before reading; students could share their opinions, and they were familiarized with some words and data related to the content. (Teacher journal, October 23, 2008) Christen & Murphy (1991, as cited in Echevarría et al., 2008) recommended that teachers introduce new vocabulary and concepts when students lack prior knowledge. However, this strategy was perceived as not very useful by a few students beyond all groups. They commented that they did non have any prior knowledge to contribute, and that sometimes they did not empathise the linguistic communication. Echevarría et al. (2008) recognize that students have unlike background knowledge, and failure to activate and/ or build on this can lead to poor comprehension. Completing Graphic Organizers Some students from all groups reported that they liked this strategy during the start reading lesson on the feedback cards every bit it helped them to learn more and to understand amend. They idea it was enjoyable, interesting, important and useful. Fewer students from groups 1 and 2 reported this perception for the second reading lesson, although one educatee from group one commented as follows: "I similar the graphic organizer because it is easy to complete it, and it helps me to sympathise". Regarding the usefulness of graphic organizers, many students expressed having used them on the rating checklist, and that this strategy was very helpful in organizing prior knowledge about the topic before reading (Tables 9 and ten). Students reported different reasons to justify the usefulness of this strategy. In both reading lessons, students believed that completing a graphic organizer earlier reading was a helpful strategy to prepare them to read and to understand the text ameliorate at the moment of reading it. They were able to grade ideas and organize them nigh the topic, to analyze doubts, to develop their thinking and imagination, and to learn more. Other authors have referred to these benefits when using graphic organizers for reading comprehension (Ben-David, 2002) and Gil-García & Villega (2003). Ane student from grouping two perceived using graphic organizers with predictions as a creative action: "You can create, and yous inspire your imagination". Moreover, groups 1 and 2 students in the starting time reading lesson believed that it helped them recollect data almost the topic besides every bit check the accuracy of their prior knowledge and predictions: "Because this strategy helps u.s. to remember the topic and to empathise it better at the moment of reading it". Three other students from group 2 perceived benefits from this strategy related to taking into account a student'southward opinion, preparing students to answer comprehension questions after reading and reaching conclusions. As for my personal point of view, I reflected on the usefulness of graphic organizers in helping students to associate their predictions with prior knowledge, and to call back and utilize information in writing, which has also been cited by Alvermann & Boothby (1986, as cited in Ben-David, 2002): Students completed the graphic organizer with their previous knowledge about the topic, and what they learned from the predictions component... I call back the graphic organizer can be useful to help students to remember information since they have it in a written way [sic], and can use it during and after reading. (Instructor journal, September eighteen, 2008) Moreover, the CT linked the use of graphic organizers with the development of the thinking skills of comprehension and application: "The use of the graphic organizers has led to the achievement of the development of some thinking skills, specially comprehension and application" (personal communication, September 9, 2008). The PA perceived contributions related to enhanced student participation and appointment during the reading lesson: "... I saw them very engaged completing this tool..."; "I saw that students were very motivated and focused doing this activeness" (rating checklist). Withal, a small number of students across all groups reported on the feedback cards that they did non like to complete the graphic organizers and as questioned the usefulness of the strategy on the rating checklists. Their difficulties completing the graphic organizers related to a lack of understanding every bit to how to complete them, the individual nature of the activity without the assist of a classmate, and a lack of some words in English as well equally interest in completing them. A small number of students across all groups reported not having used this strategy in the outset reading lesson and believed that this strategy would take been better afterwards reading. Answering Questions Nearly students reported on the rating checklists that they used the strategy of writing answers to questions after reading, and that they perceived this as useful (Tables xi and 12). Only one student did non check the usefulness item for the first reading, and ii students also did not for the 2d reading. Most students reported that answering questions helped them to learn more. 1 pupil of group iii reported that: "When I reply the questions and do the activities, I learn more than". More importantly, students reported that answering questions while they were reading was helpful to accept clarity about the text, and to understand it better after reading, which has been cited past Hendricks et al. (1996). In addition, students expressed that the strategy was useful to show their comprehension, to demonstrate that they learned how to predict, identify and make comparisons, to remember information about the topic, and to increase their knowledge. Ane educatee from grouping 3 reported that the strategy helped him to go deeper into the topics and to facilitate development of the target linguistic communication: "Because it was to better my English and to deepen my understanding of the topics". Concerning my signal of view, I considered that students' performances on the reading worksheets were afflicted by the different types of questions associated with the thinking skills. Almost group 1 students demonstrated their understanding of the text by answering accurately the 4 types of questions ('right there', 'remember and search', 'on my ain', 'author and me') in both reading lessons. Some group ii and iii students had a few bug demonstrating their understanding for 'call up and search' or 'comprehension' questions because they wrote simple answers that were not accurate enough. Group 2 students' answers to 'on my own' and 'writer and me' questions were clear, while group 3 students' answers to these questions were simple and some a petty ambiguous. Regarding 'on my own', and 'author and me' questions, I reflected on students' performances in my journal as follows: Students answered those questions easily because students read the text; they understood the principal idea, and then, they expressed their opinions, and they continued the topic of the text to their own lives. (September xxx, Oct 30, 2008) Students from grouping 2 who considered the strategy a little useful explained that they understood the text without having to answer the questions. In improver, ane student from group 1 expressed that although she enjoyed answering questions to demonstrate her understanding, she preferred to imagine and predict content. On the feedback bill of fare in the first reading lesson, only a few students wrote that they did not like to answer the questions on the worksheet. One Group iii student wrote that information technology was difficult to answer them: "I did not like the worksheet because sometimes I am not good at it, and it is difficult to respond it".
Other Strategies for Reading Comprehension
Participants reported strategies related to roles of the reading teacher and students, and an interactive reading material to help students understand what they read ameliorate. Function of the Reading Teacher and Students Reading comprehension was associated with a reading teacher who dramatizes and discusses content while reading aloud in course, and who motivates students to read (Echevarría, et al., 2008). On the rating checklists, students and the CT commented how I had helped students to empathize content better by talking about it, and using gestures to convey concepts and information. The CT reported: "Another strategy was the gestures and actions Luz Marina did [sic] while she was reading aloud". I group 2 educatee reported during the offset reading lesson that he liked the fashion I read: "Considering she explains more and better". One group 3 student reported in the second reading lesson that she liked to listen to me when I read aloud: "Because she explains what characters desire to say". Motivating students to read with visual aids and questions, and encouraging active pupil participation during reading activities was as well an of import role that has been raised past Cummins (2009). The PA reported during the second reading lesson that my materials and questions motivated students to participate in grade: You showed students 6 beautifully drawn, colored pictures... I heard students making comments as soon as yous put the kickoff flick on the lath. You also motivated them by asking, 'At present, Do y'all want to read the story?' Students said, 'Yeah', and fabricated dissonance by applauding in class. Perchance your question focused students' direction in reading, and helped create an initial enthusiasm in students to read and observe out specific information. (Rating checklist) The CT expressed the importance of students every bit active classroom readers: Reading activities permit students participate in their learning process considering they share their ideas, opinions, and experiences. In this way, the class is a space for reflection and dissimilarity of thoughts and opinions. (Personal communication, September 9, 2008) Interactive Reading Fabric Participants perceived that the apply of interactive reading material in the second lesson was instrumental in enabling students to read more independently, when accompanied past teacher modeling and the support of a classmate and the teacher during paired reading. After reading, students answered 'on my ain' and 'author and you' questions, enabling them to relate and employ what they read to their lives. A few students from groups 1 and 2 reported on the feedback card that they liked reading with this textile in the second reading lesson, and that it was a strategy for comprehension. Students from grouping i reported that they could reread the text, ask themselves questions and work in pairs, which helped students get more independent readers. The PA reported that letting students read in pairs improved comprehension: "I think that letting students read the text and questions in pairs and discuss their answers helped them". She also commented on the importance of the instructor's role in monitoring and supporting guided student reading: "I noticed that you lot and your CT monitored during the activity, answered students' questions, reviewed their answers and praised, which was a support for them also". I reflected in my periodical that students benefited from my modeling on how to work with the reading material first, and later from their classmates' back up to help them to empathize. The PA considered that promoting reading with this kind of worksheet was an effective strategy for facilitating students' agreement: "Students responded very favorably to reading with the worksheets used in the class today". Afterwards she spoke to a few students, she concluded that they thought reading was easier and that they understood the content of the legend better with this fabric. She further added, "I believe that you take helped your students to read more independently and successfully in the EFL class" (rating checklist).
Using English for Reading Comprehension
Even though students were able to use both languages to demonstrate their comprehension, I noticed that most students chose to write their answers in English on the reading comprehension worksheets: "Only a few students wrote something in Spanish. The rest of the students fabricated an effort to write their answers in English language (instructor journal, July 24, Baronial 5, September 4, 30; Oct two, 30, 2008). On the graphic organizers, my advisor also observed students' efforts to utilize English when answering the comprehension questions on the worksheet: "I noticed that virtually students were writing in English...only 8 students were writing their answers in Spanish" (rating checklist). It is also significant to take into account that students perceived that the reading strategies and activities helped them to improve their English. One grouping i student reported on the rating checklist every bit follows: "Reading using the strategies helps me to learn English better". One group 2 student reported on the feedback card in the showtime reading lesson that "I like the reading because I am learning how to write in English". A few students also reported on the rating checklists from both reading lessons that the reading strategies were helpful to amend their English related to vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation. 1 grouping 2 pupil reported that "It is general culture, and I learned new words in English". Withal, a few students across all groups reported bug with their reading comprehension on the feedback cards due to their lack of familiarity with English (See Tables 13 and 14). According to Fielding and Pearson (1994, equally cited in O'Malley & Valdez Pierce, 1996, p. 94), "reading comprehension depends heavily on knowledge of linguistic communication and impress". Also, on the rating checklist for the first reading lesson, two students from groups 2 and 3 reported that the strategy of checking their background knowledge helped them merely a little considering sometimes they did not empathise the linguistic communication. Also, completing the graphic organizer in the second reading lesson was difficult for i student from group three as he did not know some words in English. After analyzing students' work, I ended that students across all groups showed differences using English to answer the different types of questions on the worksheets. Groups ane and 2 students used English to reply cognition or 'correct at that place' questions as well as comprehension or 'call back and search' questions. These two groups of students used English to answer most application or 'on my own' and 'author and you lot' questions, and Spanish for only a few questions. Group three students differed from these ii groups past combining English language with some words in Spanish to reply the first two question types. Concerning application questions, grouping 3 students initially tried to employ English language in the first reading lesson, but their answers were not clear. During the second reading lesson, but a modest number of these students answered the awarding questions in Spanish. I believe that group three students needed more fourth dimension to read the new material.
Developing Comprehension and Application Skills
In general, participants believed that the reading selections, strategies, and textile helped students to brainstorm developing the thinking skills of comprehension and application. The CT thought that my reading lessons were planned with this purpose: "The reading materials you present to students are not just motivating them, but also they are guiding the reading process developing the levels of comprehension and application" (personal advice, September 9, 2008). Some students reported in both reading lessons that the strategies and materials used in class helped them to improve their comprehension. Students perceived that they understood the readings better, were inspired, and had developed their thinking. One grouping 3 pupil reported in the start reading lesson that "I develop my thinking and I inspire my imagination". One grouping 1 pupil reported in the second reading lesson that "Nosotros tin grow mentally everyday in the language that dominates the globe". Some students also reported that they could apply what they read to their lives, which included learned information related to the topics, general civilization, and the moral of the texts. My advisor besides perceived the post-obit: "Students have read for knowledge, comprehension, and in some mode, for a chance to apply what they know nearly the topic and the reading. In other words, they have had the opportunity to reflect on the topic and reading material and relate it to their lives (rating checklist)". Regarding my personal point of view, I considered that reading strategies were useful to promote these thinking skills: "Through the reading strategies, students take the opportunity to evidence that they sympathize what they read and that they employ what they learn from the text to their own lives" (teacher periodical, August xix, 2008).
Discussion and Conclusion
English every bit a foreign language teachers in public high schools tin can design and teach unlike reading strategies, make up one's mind which strategies students find useful, and give students opportunities to employ the strategies to develop the skills of comprehension and application. The findings of this report indicated that using the reading strategies of activating background knowledge, making predictions, completing graphic organizers, and answering questions with the DRTA and with interactive cloth, led students to exist motivated to read, learn more, and understand meliorate. In classrooms, teachers can bring interesting readings based on students' interests and language power. They tin can fix their students to read and develop their thinking by showing bonny visual aids related to the topic and content, modeling predictions, asking students' questions to guide their prediction, and encouraging student word. Information technology is as important that teachers actuate students' background knowledge with visual aids, questions, and class give-and-take (Cummins, 2009) to help them focus their attending, call up more and generate ideas well-nigh the topic and main ideas equally well equally link what they know with the new content and share with classmates. When students take little prior noesis well-nigh the topic or take low language abilities, teachers can build up groundwork noesis past introducing key concepts and vocabulary needed prior to reading (Cummins, 2009). Teachers can innovate graphic organizers and assistance students write, organize and compare their prior knowledge, ideas, and predictions to the reading, increase their knowledge, remember information, develop language, and understand the reading amend. Teachers can model using an organizer (Robertson, 2008), allow students work together with this strategy, and extend the time for the activity so that it is more than useful for students with express English. These strategies combined with reading comprehension questions after the readings, assist students to recognize that they are understanding better, learning more than, developing language, and being able to bear witness this. Teachers tin utilise interactive reading fabric to help students motility from a DRTA to more contained reading when accompanied with teacher modeling and student paired reading. This interactive textile directs students' reading procedure and gives them the opportunity to practice predicting, highlighting, asking themselves questions, reading and rereading with a peer forth with seeking help from others. Robertson (2008) highlights these strategies for increased comprehension. Combining all these strategies, teachers tin can encourage students to stay interested and engaged with the reading by asking them to say something about the reading aloud. This can be directed towards their interest in the topic, or only towards giving a personal response to the text (Zimmerman & Hutchins, 2009). With interesting readings, strategies, and fabric, teachers can assist EFL students to start developing the thinking skills of comprehension and application. While students may be motivated to demonstrate their reading comprehension in English, a depression level of English language tin can compromise students' ability to demonstrate application. Thus, teachers can remind students to utilise their native language when needed in social club to maintain their engagement with the reading. Through the development of this project, I learned that the way strategies are integrated into the reading lesson has an important influence on students' level of agreement. Implementing multiple reading strategies is constructive for public loftier school EFL students' comprehension. I hope that the results of this study will provide ideas for other EFL teachers who are interested in improving their students' reading comprehension. 1 DRTA is also known every bit shared reading according to the Curriculum and Standards produced by the Section for Instruction and Skills in the Britain (2005). ii An "escuela normal" is a school that trains high schoolhouse students to get teachers. These students can teach with their high school diploma or they can become boosted teacher training at university. 3 Checklists were used in Spanish and translated into English language for the purpose of this publication.
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Luz Marina Echeverri Acosta is a full-time EFL instructor at Unidad Educativa San Marcos in Envigado, and a role-time teacher at Colegio de Capacitacion de Envigado. She is about to graduate from the undergraduate Foreign Languages Instruction Program at Universidad de Antioquia.
Maria McNulty Ferri is a instructor educator in the undergraduate Foreign Languages Teaching Programme and member of the inquiry groups Grupo de Investigacion Acción y Evaluación en Lenguas Extranjeras (GIAE) and Enseñanza y Aprendizaje de Lenguas Extranjeras (EALE) at Universidad de Antioquia. She holds a Main's caste in Teaching English as a Strange Language, Universidad de Caldas, Manizales, Colombia; a diploma in Teaching English as a Second Language, University of Toronto, Canada; Honorary degree in psychology, Wilfrid Laurier University, Canada.
Source: http://www.scielo.org.co/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1657-07902010000100008
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