Teaching Reading to Schoolchildren - Essay Example

?Introduction This paper examines two related concepts of teaching reading to schoolchildren using basal readers. It examines the concepts of Direct Reading Activity (DRA) as it was presented by Betts in 1946. It goes on to examine the concept of Directed-Reading-Thinking Activity (DRTA) proposed by Stauffer in 1969 and 1975. The steps of these concepts are examined and the rationale of each of these stages are examined in relation to the advantages and expected outcomes of each of the stages. Direct-Reading Activity (DRA) Direct-Reading Activity focuses on teaching reading skills using a basal reader. The main purpose of this method of teaching reading to schoolchildren is to provide them with instructional support and a strong basis for the development of reading skills. It requires teachers' involvement in the reading process before, during and after the reading of a basal text. Stages of DRA There are several approximately eight steps in the Direct-Reading Activity. Each step comes with some expectations and advantages to the learning of reading skills amongst children. Step 1: Choose a text and the aim of reading The first step involves the teacher identifying a given text in the basal reader. This means the teacher will have to identify a portion of the reading text and identify the main reading techniques and new vocabulary that can be learnt through the reader. This step is to set the aims, objectives and basis for the whole exercise. This step sets the framework of the entire reading and here, the teacher will know the exact objectives that must be met by the class. This can be an avenue for the teacher to guide students through the various stages of the reading process. This will enable the students to progress gradually through important stages in the process of learning how to read and comprehend information in a given text. Step 2: Select vocabulary to be pre-taught After the teacher concludes on the aims and objectives of the reading exercise at hand, the next step is to identify new and unusual words in the text. These words are often words that the students have not met before or words that have links to other situations that the children are likely to meet in the future. These words are to be identified and written on the board for the children to understand. It usually helps if the teacher explains the meaning of the words as well as the linkage of the word with other contexts within which the students are likely to meet in the future. The immediate reason for this exercise on vocabulary is to enable the children to get familiar with the more difficult words that they are going to meet in the reading. It enables comprehension during the reading process because the students become familiar with the implication of those words and the context within which they are used in the text. The longer term aim of the pre-teaching of words is to help the children to improve their vocabulary. This will help them to acquire new words that will enable them in the future. Additionally, teaching vocabulary before reading also builds the conception of predicting the meaning of words by examining the context within which unfamiliar words are used. This will help students in future comprehension assignments and examinations like SAT and other English language examinations. Elicit prior knowledge on the topic of text After the vocabulary is taught and discussed, the teacher will have to take opinions and knowledge brought forward from the class. This will include discussing matters from the known to the unknown. This implies that the children will be called upon to share basic knowledge about what they know about the subject. Thus for example, when you are to talk about a fox in the reader, the teacher can ask about the similarities between the foxes and other animals. Obvious answers that are likely to come about might include a dog and other animals. Then the attributes of a fox as a sly creature or a creature that is not so straightforward can be brought up by drawing into similar tales like sly fox and snow white. This will invariably paint the picture of the fox being a villain in the story. The importance of this stage in DRA is to enable the students to familiarize themselves with the story at hand. This will prepare them psychologically to empathize with the characters of the story and create a strong link between the story and the reader. The process of identifying with the characters in the reader is vital for children. This is because they have limited vocabulary and information. However, with a sharp and picturesque memory, the opportunity to contribute what one thinks about a given matter makes the child feel special and important in the discussion. This ensures that they contribute more and appreciate the content of the discussion that goes on. Teach students skills that will help them comprehend the text After prior knowledge of the chosen text is shared, the next step involves teaching children some technical elements of reading and comprehending information. This involves fusing important elements of reading and understanding text. Thus the teacher must examine the important element of teaching reading identified in the first phase of the DRA process, that is in relation to the aim of the reading. At this phase, the teacher must infuse the important elements of reading that is to be taught in the session into the program. This means that the teacher will have to spend some time teaching the children about important skills in the reading of texts. At the lower levels of reading, this element of DRA must focus on the material that is being read. It should be tailored to enable the students to grasp the concept through the reading. However, at higher levels (for children 9 years and older) the teacher must incorporate external elements of universal reading to enable the children to build skills in reading and comprehension for the future. Give students the concrete purpose of the reading After teaching about reading, the teacher must spend time giving the children an insight into the main ends of the reading. This will help the children to get a fair idea of the reading exercise and guide them through the reading. This is because they will have a foresight of what to expect in the text. This will set the framework within which they will read and attempt to comprehend the text. Have students read silently The children are then allowed to read independently. This reading will enable the children to attempt to read and comprehend the information written in the text. Independent reading here ensures one-on-one participation in the exercise and also builds the ability to read independently and also build the necessary intuition that can enable a child to make sense of written materials. Silent reading also helps in the individual and collective development of reading skills. This is because there is a given timeframe within which the children must complete the reading. This helps the children to improve their individual reading abilities as well as their speed in reading. Ask purpose-setting statements as question After the reading is done individually by the students, the children should be asked questions that would test their comprehension of the topics at hand. This therefore means that the understanding of the children will be tested through specific questions that would help the teacher to gauge the progress made in the exercise. In practice, this can be done through an oral testing session which will involve the teacher asking the students specific questions from the text. This will see the students contribute their ideas and thoughts to enable their colleagues who did not really get the import of the message well to follow the text. The teacher therefore has to carefully go through the questions to ask. These questions need to be very strategic to enable the students to be tested fully and totally so that their true understanding can be consolidated on a collective level. Engage students in follow up activities When the general and broad questions are asked, the teacher can proceed with an activity that will test the individual comprehension of each student. The popular system is to get the students to answer a number of questions on the text individually. This will enable the students to display their understanding and the teacher can track the progress being made by each individual student. For younger children, the teacher can formulate an activity that might be related to the identification of images or an activity that puts the import of the message to test. This will allow each student to get involved in an activity that will bring out their comprehension of the message of the text. What DRA does Basically, Direct Reading Activity proposed by Brett (1946) causes the teacher to pre-teach important vocabulary and also elicit prior knowledge of students. This enables the children to understand new words ad also get involved in the whole reading exercise. When this is done, the teacher teaches the children specific reading techniques and skills which they apply to the text individually. This provides a strong purpose for the entire exercise and enables the students to improve their reading abilities and skills. Also, the teacher can examine and observe the progress of students over time by engaging them in activities after the reading exercise. Directed-Reading-Thinking Activity (DRTA) Direct-Reading-Thinking Activity was propounded by Stauffer to improve the Directed Reading Activity that was about thirty years old then. It provides a practical framework for teachers to involve children in the reading activity and also gain optimum results in comprehension. Phase 1 Before reading, the students must be given limited information about the text. They should be given information like the title, author's name and some other illustrations of the text. The children should then be encouraged to make predictions of the story and try to tell what the story is about without reading the text. Phase 2 The predictions made by the students should be written on the board. The children must then be encouraged to explain why they think their prediction will occur. This will ultimately help the children motivated to read to find out whether their predictions will come true or not. Also, writing it on the board promotes a level of transparency which will enable the children to follow through with their initial perceptions as they continue to read through the text. Phase 3 A portion of the text is read. This portion must be compared with the predictions made by the students earlier. Predictions that are out of scope should be crossed out. Predictions that could be valid through the text should be kept. Students should then be encouraged to make further predictions based on the new information gathered from the reading. These predictions should be strongly linked with the experiences of the children. This phase is to get the students more actively involved in the reading and also get them motivated to stay interested in the reading as it proceeds. Phase 4 As the reading continues the students should be encouraged to make more predictions and these are matched up with the new information gathered in the reading. Purpose of DRTA The main aim of Directed-Reading-Thinking Activity is to enable students to get actively involved in the reading process. Due to its nature, it is not really appropriate for very young students (under 7 years). However, it can be ideal for children over age 9 since they have some background that can be built upon. References Betts, E. A. (1946). Foundations of reading instruction. New York: American Book Company National Education Association (NEA). (2011). DRA (Direct Reading Activity) Retrieved from: http://www.nea.org/tools/18345.htm Accessed: September 20th, 2011. Stauffer, R. G. (1969). Teaching reading as a thinking process. New York: Harper & Row Read More

 

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