Wednesday, June 16, 2004
Reading the right way
So I am a reading clinician for the next four weeks. It's a nice way to interact with kids and help them to read. Especially the struggling readers.How I wish we had something of this kind in India. Well, yes may be very soon I can start something:). However, I often feel that the way we read or the way we are taught to read is faulty. In fact a person who is a good reader( not quantitatively but qualitatively)is more successful in his academic pursuits than otherwise. In fact good reading strategies should be taught right from the kindergarten which enrich the child's brain with all the right literature and the thinking process. Reading surely helps build analyzing skills, problem solving skills and of course comprehension. All these factors are very much needed in every activity we are involved in.
So when we are reading, there should be a method to be followed.In fact most of the fluent readers do follow all these rules or the structure of reading. Well,for the adults or the fluent readers the SQ3R method ( Survey, Question, Read,Recite and Review method) really helps. http://www.ucc.vt.edu/stdysk/sq3r.html gives you an idea of this method.
Ok and now coming to the emergent readers, well the kids in their formative years have to be motivated in a better way to enjoy and love reading. This can be done by choosing the material appropriate to their interest level, their ability and also the level they need to achieve. Discussing the title and trying to predict what the story is will initiate more interest and motivate them to read. Picture walk, wherein they are made to look through the various pictures and try to frame the story based on the pictures will help them to draw some more information about the story. And then while reading there should be pauses or stops wherein the child has to stop reading and then reflect back to what they read. And then questions such as what might happen next, and questions which are inferential can elicit the information and improve their comprehension.
In a similar way the texts or the books chosen for begginning readers, transition readers and fluent readers cover similar aspects based on their level.Thus the same rules applies based on the level of the reader.
So when we are reading, there should be a method to be followed.In fact most of the fluent readers do follow all these rules or the structure of reading. Well,for the adults or the fluent readers the SQ3R method ( Survey, Question, Read,Recite and Review method) really helps. http://www.ucc.vt.edu/stdysk/sq3r.html gives you an idea of this method.
Ok and now coming to the emergent readers, well the kids in their formative years have to be motivated in a better way to enjoy and love reading. This can be done by choosing the material appropriate to their interest level, their ability and also the level they need to achieve. Discussing the title and trying to predict what the story is will initiate more interest and motivate them to read. Picture walk, wherein they are made to look through the various pictures and try to frame the story based on the pictures will help them to draw some more information about the story. And then while reading there should be pauses or stops wherein the child has to stop reading and then reflect back to what they read. And then questions such as what might happen next, and questions which are inferential can elicit the information and improve their comprehension.
In a similar way the texts or the books chosen for begginning readers, transition readers and fluent readers cover similar aspects based on their level.Thus the same rules applies based on the level of the reader.
