This lesson plan is for an academic ESL reading course in an intensive English language program.
The
students are young adults representing mixed native languages (Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese,
Japanese, Korean, and Malagasy).
Welcome and announcements (5 minutes)
Warm-up (10 minutes)
Fluency practice: combined repeated and
timed reading (20 minutes)
Reading Strategy Presentation: Skimming
(10 minutes)
Practice: Skimming (20 minutes)
1. Welcome students to class and ask how they
are doing.
2. Remind students of upcoming assignments
and important dates (best accomplished by
asking them what is due this week)
(Weekly routine): Have students speak with a partner
about something interesting they read over the
weekend. Ask for volunteers to share with the class.
(Weekly routine):
1. Distribute a reading passage (slightly below
target reading comprehension level) to
students.
2. Instruct students to record a words-per-
minute reading goal on a tracking sheet
(which they use throughout the semester).
3. Display a timer. Instruct students to read the
passage as quickly as possible. Have them
calculate and record their WPM based on the
time it took them to finish the passage.
4. Repeat steps 2-3.
5. Administer a short comprehension quiz on
the passage. Have students record their score
on the quiz.
Finally, conduct a class discussion on the fluency
passage reading.
Present and discuss:
1. Common reasons to skim a passage
2. Steps of skimming
Divide students into four groups. Give each group a
different passage with which to complete a skimming
activity. Each activity should take about 5 minutes.
Rotate activities through each group.