What is pre-reading?

What the learner brings to the reading will affect how she or he understands what they read. Many people argue that it can
be very important in helping the learner understand what they read. In other words, pre-reading activities can help learners
prepare for the reading activity.

What are the benefits of pre-reading?

There are several benefits to doing pre-reading activities. Pre-reading activities can help the learner to be more prepared
for what they are about to read. It can help them anticipate the topic of the reading. In doing this, they can also prepare
themselves for the kind of language, vocabulary, and even grammar that might be used in the text. In addition, if done in
the right way, it can encourage the learners to want to read and maybe even increase their motivation to read.

Here are 10 pre-reading activities to use in class.

1. Speed chatting
Prepare one or two simple questions related to the topic of the reading. Ask the class to make two rows facing
each other. Then, encourage your learners to ask each other the questions, but warn them that they only have 60
seconds to do so. Once the 60 seconds are up, one of the rows rotates so each learner has a new partner. Repeat
the process several times.

2. Discussion
Encourage the learners to have a discussion about the topic of the reading. Prepare four or five sentences with
various opinions relating to the reading. Read them out to the class and then place them around the room.
Encourage the learners to go and stand near the opinion that they agree with the most. Then encourage that group
to prepare reasons for agreeing with that particular sentence. Once they have done this, the learners can then
interact with people from other groups to share their opinions and reasons.

3. Brainstorming
Give the class five minutes to brainstorm ideas relating to the topic of the reading. Then give them a further five
minutes to organize their ideas and to form sentences. Once they have completed this, encourage them to get up
and move around the room and share their ideas with other learners.

4. Pictures
Select three or four pictures that relate to the topic of the reading. Ask the students to make small groups and give
each group a copy of the pictures. The learners should work together to connect the pictures and to try to guess
what the reading will be about. Each group takes it in turns presenting their ideas.

5. The title
Ask the students to make small groups and tell the groups the title of the reading. The learners should work
together to pool their knowledge of this topic. Again, once the group has finished, each group can share their
ideas with the other groups.

6. Story telling
Prepare a short personalized narrative about something related to the topic of the reading. Be creative with the
story. It doesn’t have to be 100% accurate to something that actually happened to you, but it should be personal,
and be told enthusiastically. It will help if there is a little suspense and humour in the story too.

7. Short conversations
This time give the students a sentence from the reading. The students then have a conversation with a partner
about the sentence. However, tell them there is one rule. They cannot use more than three words each time it is
their turn to speak.

8. Pictionary
Select some of the key words from the text. Put the class into two or three groups. In turn, a learner from each
group (at the same time) comes to the whiteboard. They are told the word and they have to draw that word. They
are not allowed to use letters or numbers in their drawing. The other students try to guess the word and earn points
for their team. This can get very lively indeed!

9. Purpose
Give the students a purpose for completing the reading. This can be in the form of some discussion questions
about the content prepared by the teacher. Give the questions to the students before they read the text. Ask them
 to read them and then while they are reading the text, they should prepare answers to these discussion questions.
When they have read the text, they then discuss the questions with a partner.

10. Videos
There is so much good free content available these days. First, find a short video relating to the topic of the
reading. I would suggest something around three minutes long. After watching the video yourself, prepare some
simple discussion questions. Play the video and then ask the students to talk with a partner about what they saw.

 Post Reading Activities

1. Using pictures

Select seven or eight pictures. Some of these should relate to the topic of the text the students have read. Ask the students
to make small groups and give each group a copy of the pictures. The learners should work together to decide which
pictures best associate with the reading. Encourage them to provide reasons for a picture being associated or not. After
they have finished doing this, each group can take it in turns presenting their ideas.

0. Speed chatting

Prepare three or four simple questions related to the content of the reading. Ask the class to make two rows facing each
other. Then, encourage them to ask each other the questions, but warn them that they only have 60 seconds to do so. Once
the 60 seconds are up, one of the rows rotates so each learner has a new partner. Repeat the process several times. 

0. Making statements

After the students have finished reading the text, put them into small groups. Ask each group to make two or three
statements about the text. Give them examples of the kinds of statements they can make (this will depend on their level).
After each group has made their statements, pass them round to other groups. They then read each other’s statements

0. Summary writing

Ask the students to work together with a partner. First, ask them to work together to identify the main points of the
reading. Once they have successfully done this, the students can work individually to put these into sentences. Depending
on the level of the class, you might need to teach them how to paraphrase or how to write in their own words. 

0. Making videos

These days many students have access to video cameras on their phones. In this activity, students get together in a group
and make a plan for a video relating to the text. This can be done in the form of a news report, and interview, or a role-
play. They are only limited by their imagination. Once they have made their plan, the group decides what role each
member will take. For example, who will star in the video, who will record the video etc.? The students then record a
short video (I suggest just one or two minutes). The groups then mingle and share their videos with other groups.

0. Making collages

This would require access to a computer. Ask the students to go online and find any media that they think is relevant to
the text they have just read. They could find images, music, movies, poems, or other readings. The students should then
get together in a small group and make a collage using the materials they have found. Tell them they will give a short
presentation and they can do this any style they want.

0. Using teamwork
After the students have read the text, ask them to make groups of five or six people. Set a time limit of five minutes and
tell them they have to brainstorm as many facts about the text as they can in that time. The group that can recall the most
is the winner.

0. Using the vocabulary

Ask the students to choose 10 words from the text. Tell them that they should try to find a variety of different kinds of
words (nouns / verbs / adjectives etc.). If you want, you can give them extra guidelines. For example, find at least one new
word or the most difficult word. The students then use these words to produce their own text on a new topic. If you want,
you can specify what kind of text you want them to produce. For example, a narrative, a poem, a summary, a report.

0. Chain game

After the students have finished reading, tell them to go through the reading and try to remember some of the key points
and details. If you are teaching a large class, split the students up into small groups of about five or six students. Ask the
students to sit in a circle. Student 1 has to recall some information about the text. Student 2 then repeats that information
and adds something new. Then student three repeats both pieces of information and adds their own. This process
continues until the group runs out of ideas.

0. Making their own test

Give the students a text with no comprehension questions. Ask them to read the text. When they have finished, tell them
that you would like each student to prepare two comprehension quiz questions. Collect all these questions and compile
them and distribute them to the class. They can then take their own test.