Mastering Idea-Based Reading for Higher-Level Learners

1. The Art of Idea-Based Reading! Cristin A. Boyd Studies in American Language, San Jose State University, San Jose, CA superteach@cristinanderic.com http://boydsteachingresources.pbworks.com/

2. Background & Disclaimers • 18 years teaching experience • Stilted reading skills at higher levels (high-intermediate/advanced IEP) • Concepts/ideas based mainly on classroom experience • Evidence of S improvement • In class practice • On exams • Comments from Ss • Increased TOEFL (iBT and PB) scores • These skills are for high-int/advd readers • Limited time w/ Ss; main skills I focus on www.boydsteachingresources.pbworks.com

3. Do your students. . . • Get side-tracked with individual words? • Misunderstand small & large portions of what they read? • Miss key ideas and concepts? • Take hoooooours to read something that should take 20 minutes? • Insist on understanding e-v-e-r-yw-o-r-d? • Cling too tightly to translators? www.boydsteachingresources.pbworks.com

4. Why do Ss read this way? • Very strong desire to understand everything • Words are tangible; ideas often elusive • Native country/culture learning/experience • Math-like learning of language • Bottom-up processing • Heavy focus on vocabulary • Limited T proficiencyLimited reading resources • Memorization-focused learning • Reader responsible backgrounds • Word/character-focused L1 (example) www.boydsteachingresources.pbworks.com

5. L1 Influence on Word focus mu ('tree') shows a trunk and two leafless branches of a tree. The bottom half of the character may be hanging branches or the roots of a tree .… the character doubles to represent "forest" and triples to represent "dense forest." It joins with the character for "person" to represent "rest,” . . . mo ('last' or 'top') shows a tree in which the top is marked with a horizontal stroke, while ben ('source' or 'origin') shows a tree in which the root is marked with a horizontal stroke. Relationships between characters complex also From: http://www.mmtaylor.net/Literacy_Book/DOCS/pt1.html

6. Why Else?Us… Teachers! We train, teach, test and talk Words • Low-level reading/learning • Translation • Intensiverather than extensive reading • Vocabulary words, definitions, meaning, exams • Limited real-life reading practice • Vocabulary learning (vs. acquisition) • Grammar, sentence structure, vocabulary all focus on words www.boydsteachingresources.pbworks.com

7. Why is word-level focus problematic for higher level readers? English meaning is not word-based Meaning is found in . . . -- collections of words (groups of sentences and paragraphs) -- “discourse blocks” (Christensen 1963, Pitkin 1969) -- paragraphs (Kaplan 1972) What are the parts & functions of a paragraph? www.boydsteachingresources.pbworks.com

8. Higher level readers need fluency-focused reading skills Fluent readers read quickly & efficiently They do not focus intensively on words They expect & focus on ideas www.boydsteachingresources.pbworks.com

9. Implications for Teaching “. . . students need to learn to read, think and interpret text in news ways” B. Mikulecky, co-author of Reading Power Series One fundamental ‘new way’ isidea-focused reading www.boydsteachingresources.pbworks.com

10. What skills are needed for idea-focused reading? • Focusing on ideas • Rhetorical features • Expectations • Not reading every word • Using context to understand vocabulary • Reading faster & more efficiently • Reading through Ambiguity • Embracing a new “western style” approach to reading (not a complete list) www.boydsteachingresources.pbworks.com

11. Resource 1: What Good Readers Do handout Purpose: Reviewhigher level reading skills; Help socialize Ss to new reading style www.boydsteachingresources.pbworks.com

12. Important Features of Good Readers handout Everything…. But in particular • Focus on main ideas • Reading faster • Not reading every word • Ambiguity Tolerance • Understanding concept • Understanding self • Changing reading style www.boydsteachingresources.pbworks.com

13. Resource 2: Paragraph Rhetorical Structure • Skill: main idea reading, faster reading www.boydsteachingresources.pbworks.com

14. Teaching Parts of Paragraph • Lecture/discussion format • Review parts of a paragraph/emphasis on main idea • What are the parts of a paragraph? • What does a topic sentence DO? • Supporting sentences? • Conclusion? • What other things make a good paragraph? • Coherence: repeated key words • Do all these apply to an essay, article, chapter? Good readers expect paragraphs to be about one idea! www.boydsteachingresources.pbworks.com

15. Practice using Longer Readings & Summary Grid Skills: faster reading, focusing on main ideas, not focusing on words www.boydsteachingresources.pbworks.com

16. Resource 3: Cloze exercises for “not” reading every word Skills: not reading every word; using context Short reading time = increased speed www.boydsteachingresources.pbworks.com

17. Resource 4: Vocabulary in Context handout Skill: use of context to understand vocabulary; not use dictionaries or translation www.boydsteachingresources.pbworks.com

18. Resource 5 Lots of opportunities to practice “western style” Reading (in class and out) www.boydsteachingresources.pbworks.com

19. Resource 6 A Short Course in Teaching Reading 2eby B. Mikulecky (2011) Pearson-Longman www.boydsteachingresources.pbworks.com