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H Learning Modules ... Unit 1: Reading 1.2. Di erent views of teaching reading

1.2. Di erent views of teaching reading

Unit 1. Reading

1.2. Different views of teaching reading

Reading has traditionally played an important role in language learning. Over the past decades a large amount
of research has been carried out on reading. Researchers from a variety of disciplines, including cognitive
psychology, developmental psychology, and education have focused their attention on the cognitive processes
that are involved in skilled reading.

In Unit 1.1. two kinds of processing in reading were distinguished:

Bottom-up processes: those that take in stimuli from the outside world (letters and words)
Top-down processes: those that use background information in understanding the meaning of a passage.

Taking into account the bottom-up processes, the linear model of reading sees reading mainly as a process of
decoding letters and words in a text in order to arrive at the meaning they enclose. To do so, the reader starts
with the smallest unit, the letter, and gradually builds up his or her understanding of the text through the
combination of units at different levels.

On the other hand, the top-down processes lead to another model of reading, the so-called psycholinguistic
model, in which the focus shifts towards the reader and great importance is given to the role of the background
knowledge in allowing the reader to understand the text. Rather than decoding words, the reader generates
predictions about the text, which are then confirmed or modified.

Currently popular "interactive" models suggest that in most situations, bottom-up and top-down processes work
together to ensure the accurate and rapid processing of information. It is believed that the most successful
readers are both skilful "bottom-up" processors of texts - they can convert the language on the page into the
information it represents both rapidly and accurately - and skilful "top-down" processors - they can relate this new
information to the relevant knowledge they already have to construct a plausible meaning for the text. These
models also tell us that successful readers do these two things simultaneously: they decode and interpret as they
read.

However, theories about the cognitive processes involved in reading differ in the emphasis that they place on the
two approaches. Theories that stress bottom-up processing focus on how readers extract information from the
printed page, claiming that readers deal with letters and words in a relatively complete and systematic fashion.
Theories that stress top-down processing hold that readers form hypotheses about which words they will
encounter and take in only just enough visual information to test their hypotheses.

These different views of reading have direct implications for the way reading is taught in the foreign language
classroom. If we think that the top-down process is more important, we will have to allow students to bring their
background knowledge into play in the process of reading. Besides, this means that instead of paying attention
exclusively to the comprehension of the text, teaching has to shift towards the process, as opposed to the
product, of reading.
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Have a look at this website

http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/think/articles/theories-reading

Three ways of using texts

Over the years texts have been used for different purposes in the foreign language classroom:

a) Text as a linguistic object (T.A.L.O.). A TALO text is used for language work, to learn grammar, present
vocabulary, practice pronunciation, identify the spelling of oral language, as a model for writing, etc.

Some sample TALO activities are:

Find all the examples of X in a text (for example, a grammar pattern, function words, a particular verb form .
. .)
Find all the words in the text that are connected to X (words that are topically linked, or lexical sets)
Decide why certain forms were chosen over others (why was a conditional used, for example)

This language oriented approach is still sometimes used in the teaching of reading and it appears to equate
reading with mastery of the language system (sentence structure, reference, cohesion, etc.).

b) Text as a vehicle for information (T.A.V.I.). A TAVI text is mainly used to develop reading comprehension, to
learn about culture, for pleasure . . .

TAVI type activities include:

predicting the content of the text, discussing questions or statements that relate to the text
marking things in the text that you knew / didn't know before
answering comprehension questions
summarising the main points of a text
putting events in order

This reading oriented model derives from psycholinguistic research and makes the following important points:

Only a small part of the information necessary for reading comprehension comes from the printed page.
Identification of meaning takes place in terms of units larger than words.

c) Text as a stimulus for production (T.A.S.P.). Texts can also be used as a springboard for another task, usually
speaking or writing task.

TASP type activities could be:

doing a role play based on the text

discussing issues raised by the text
having a debate about the points of view presented in the text
writing a similar text about something the students know about
writing a response to the text

The objective of reading will condition the activities we plan in a reading session.

As observations show, both the learners' and the teacher's purposes in using a text have an influence on the way
it is read. Sometimes our textbooks or our habitual way of exploiting texts in class may lead us to use reading texts
mainly as vehicles for teaching language rather than for developing the learners' reading ability. If the teacher
only exploits texts as "linguistic objects", as opposed to vehicles either for conveying information or for providing
enjoyment, the class may soon become bored. In teaching reading the crucial factor is definitely motivation
which is achievable through involving learners in natural, purposeful reading.
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Activity

Why use reading texts in class? Number the possible reasons for reading below in order of importance for you.

a) To make students identify the graphic representation of English sounds.

b) To give further practice and revision of previously-taught language in new contexts.

c) To promote an interest in literary texts in English.

d) To increase students' reading speed and fluency.

e) To introduce new language items in context.

f) To improve students' pronunciation and intonation through reading aloud.

g) As a vehicle for knowledge of the culture of English speaking countries.

h) To help learners develop reading comprehension (i.e. extracting meaning from a text).

i) To provide variety.

j) Because it is a source of pleasure and entertainment.

k) To provide a model for writing activities.

j) To give learners authentic exposure to language.

Post your comments and suggestions onto the discussion board where everybody can read them.

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