INTRODUCTION

INTRODUCTION
Reading and Reading Comprehension
 Reading Comprehension
What is Reading Comprehension?

Comprehension Understanding

Understanding A written text means Extracting

the required information from it as efficiently as
possible.
 Types of Texts
What do we usually read:

 FICTION

 NON-FICTION
Page # 3
 Why do we read????
Two Main Reasons:

 For Pleasure

 For Information
 How do we read?
Skimming

Scanning

Extensive Reading

Intensive Reading
Reading Involves a Variety of Skills

John Munby’s

“Communicative Syllabus Design”

Page # 4&5
 How to develop These skills?
Through different
activities ,
exercises and
Questions
 Functions of Reading activities
There are TWO different functions of
comprehension exercises

 To Clarify the organization of the passage

 To Clarify the content of the passage

Page # 5
 Some Considerations
(1)

A text can be Efficient Reading can

understood by only be done by
concentrating on understanding the
meaning of longer
the sentences or texts e.g. paragraph
units smaller than or the whole text.
sentences.
 Some Considerations Cont. …….
(2)
Start with global understanding and move
towards detailed understanding
 Confidence building

 Understanding of organization of the passage

 Development of Inference, anticipation and

deduction
Cont. ….
 Process of Reading
Reading is a constant process of GUESSING
 i.e. what one brings to text is more important
than what one finds in it.
 Previous knowledge must be used to
understand unknown texts
This skill can be achieved through a

Global Approach
What is meant by Global Approach
1)Study of the layout: title, length, pictures, typeface etc. of the text

2) Making hypotheses about the Anticipation of where to look for

contents and function confirmation of these hypotheses
according to what one knows of such
text types

3) Skimming through the passage

4) Confirmation or revision of one’s guesses

5) Further prediction

6) Second reading for more detail

 Some Considerations Cont. …….
(3)
Authentic Texts should be used in text books.
Reasons:
 Simplifying

 Reading exercise is judged by the activity .

 Authenticity means that original text, its

presentation and layout are retained.
 Non-linguistic clues
 Some Considerations Cont. …….
(4)
Reading should not be separated from other skills. All skills should be
linked.
Reading and Writing:

• Summerizing, memorizing, note making

Reading and Listening

• Comparing an article and news bulletin, using recorded

information to solve a written problem, matching opinions and
texts
Reading and Speaking

• Discussions, debates, appreciation etc.

 Some Considerations Cont. …….
(5)
Reading is an Active Skill. Therefore,

 Must continuously involve the processes of

guessing, predicting, checking and asking
questions.

 Communicative Function
 Some Considerations Cont. …….
(6)
Activities should be flexible and varied. i.e.
Reading Comprehension exercises or activities
should be suited to:
 The texts and

 One’s reason for reading them

 Some Considerations Cont. …….
(7)
The aim of the exercises must be clearly defined.
Aim of Teaching: To enable the students to
become independent and efficient readers.

Aim of Testing: To develop a variety of reading

skills
 Reading Comprehension in the
classroom
1) CONSTRUCTING EXERCISES

Variety in the range of exercises.

Text itself should suggest the appropriate
exercises
Too many exercises might spoil the pleasure
 Reading Comprehension in the
classroom

2) READING IS A SILENT ACTIVITY.

 Consider the text as a whole

 Skim through the text.
 Read the text again.
 Time the reading
Reading as a collective activity
Silent reading followed by individual activity.
Group activities. One group should agree on
one interpretation.
Exchange of partners in groups and further
discussion.
A General discussion involving the whole class.
THANK YOU