Reading Introduction

 

Understanding what they are being asked is of great consequence to our learners.  Many times they will have to take tests and be assessed, in the workplace and for further academic study.  Reading comprehension, understanding the main idea, discerning information relevant to the task demanded – all these are primarily reading competencies.  The exercises in this section have been developed to increase your learners’ navigation and negotiation of various texts.

 

Test Taking

Our students have to learn how to discern what is really being asked.  They may not be familiar with test formats (multiple choice, fill-in-the-blank, process exams, etc).  Reading speeds are a serious disadvantage for ESL learners as well.

 

Levels of Assessment

Adapted from material provided by Phil McBurney, McLeod Adult Learning Centre

Instructors assess the sophistication of their students’ thinking by asking questions that require various levels of thought.  It is helpful for students to be aware of how their assignments and tests are worded.  In basic terms, reading comprehension may be assessed at three levels:

 

Text Box: Level 1: Understanding what is written “on the line” Level 2: Understanding what is written “between the lines” Level 3: Understanding what is “beyond the lines”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How Can I Help Learners Answer Questions?

The following can help you provide clues to learners as to what is really being asked.

 

Summary and Definition Questions:

 

·          What is (are)…?

·          Who…?

·          When…?

 

·          How much…?

·          How many…?

·          What is an example of…?

 

 

Analysis Questions:

 

·          How…?

·          Why…?

·          What are the reasons for…?

·          What are the types of…?

·          What are the functions of…?

·          What is the process of…?

·          What other examples of…?

·          What are the causes of…?

·          Why does … result?

·          What is the relationship between … and…?

·          How does … apply to…?

·          What is the main argument of…?

·          How is this argument developed?

·          What evidence or proof or support is offered?

 

 

Hypothesis Questions:

 

·          If … occurs, then what happens?

·          If … had happened, then what would be different?

·          What does “theory X” predict will happen?

 

Evaluation Questions:

 

·          Is … good or bad?

positive/negative?

effective/ineffective?

relevant/irrelevant?

clear/unclear?

logical/illogical?

proven/not proven?

ethical/unethical?

·          What are the advantages and disadvantages of…?

·       What are the pros and cons of…?

·       What is the best solution to the problem/conflict/issue?

·       What should or should not happen?

·       Do you agree or disagree?

·       What is your opinion of…?

·       What is the support for my opinion?

 

 

 

Media Literacy

Understanding the Kosovo Conflict

Educators Katerina Ceman and Mrinalini Rajwar developed this site to look at bias in the media and in government rhetoric. The lessons require critical reading and thinking, and is a good example of how the Internet can support rich learning activities.

http://www.lhric.org/validation/war/lesson.html

 

Irony, Symbolism and Metaphor

Roessingh’s term for the understanding of the mainstream culture required for inferential reading and writing, the “cultural capital,” is extraordinarily difficult to acquire. Research (Cummins, Roessingh) shows that it takes years to learn the cultural capital required for inferential reading and writing skills which are so important to Grade 12 success since results rely as much on cultural capital as language proficiency, because of the literature emphasis in Grade 12 English.  Although related, the concept of cultural capital is separate from language competency.  Learners, teachers, administrators and policy makers need to appreciate that there is no fast track for the development of the academic skills which are related to language competency and cultural capital.

 

Roessingh’s research shows that adjunct support in mediating the language of metaphor, imagery and reading interpretively for tone, mood, and irony helps only in the immediate class.  Once learners must perform on their own – for instance, in an examination - they “cannot tease out the meaning.”  

 

How can we get people to see that the metaphors we live by are highly culturally embedded even if the values are similar and that it’s not a language issue?  If we consider “The Road Less Traveled” and the yellow woods as a metaphor for aging and passing time, a student from a country without four seasons may very well not pick up on the metaphor but understand the language.

 

How can we catch these people up on the cultural capital?