Reading

Objectives
In secondary school education, three vital objectives for students in teaching

reading are comprehension, critical thinking, and language proficiency.

Understanding what you read is like building a strong base for a big building. When

they comprehend what they are reading, it is like understanding the main points, the

smaller details, and the little hints hidden in the text. This skill is super important in

every subject because it helps you learn and remember things better.

The next objective is critical thinking. When students practice critical thinking,

they are like detectives solving a mystery in a book. They carefully examine the

author's arguments, looking for any gaps or weaknesses. Then, they decide what

they think about the ideas presented. This process not only helps them form their

own opinions but also strengthens their ability to make informed decisions about

what they read and encounter in their lives.

Lastly, language proficiency. Being good with language is super important for

doing well in school and talking with others. When students are skilled with words,

they can read smoothly, understand what they read, and learn new words easily.

This helps you say what you mean clearly and confidently, whether you are writing

essays or having conversations. And these skills are not just for school but they will

help you in whatever students do in the future too.

Materials
Novels and short stories will be suitable for teaching reading to secondary

students because many secondary school students enjoy reading novels and short

stories because they often feature compelling plots, relatable characters, and

interesting themes. Engaging narratives capture students' attention and motivate

them to read, making the learning process more enjoyable and rewarding. Novels

and short stories also cover a wide range of genres, topics, and themes, allowing

teachers to select texts that cater to students' diverse interests and backgrounds.

Whether students prefer mysteries, fantasies, realistic fiction, or historical dramas,

there are literary works to suit every taste.

Other than that, digital resources. Using digital stuff like e-books, audiobooks,

and online articles can help students practice reading and learn how to use

technology better. There are lots of websites and apps with reading stuff that are

good for high school students. For instance, tiny text, CommonLit.org, and Project

Gutenberg Using online platforms to access reading materials helps students

develop digital literacy skills, including navigating websites, using search engines

effectively, evaluating online sources for credibility, and utilizing digital tools for

annotation and collaboration.

Pre-Learning phase
In this pre-learning phase, teachers will activate prior knowledge. This means that

before diving into a text, teachers will try to activate students’ prior knowledge related to

the topic, genre, or theme of the reading. This activity can be done through

brainstorming, class discussions, or pre-reading activities that help students connect

their existing knowledge to the upcoming reading material.

Next, teachers will set a purpose for reading. This means that before starting to read,

it is important for students to know why they are reading. They are trying to learn

something new, understand a story better, see things from different angles, or maybe
 something else. Knowing the reason will help students stay focused while reading and

understand the text better.

Whilst-reading phase
In the whilst-reading phase, teachers can demonstrate effective reading strategies

such as making predictions, visualizing, asking questions, and summarizing. Modelling

these strategies helps students understand how to actively engage with the text and

monitor their comprehension while reading. This is called model reading strategies.

Besides showing how to use reading strategies, it is useful for teachers to explain why

they are helpful and how they make understanding the text easier. For example, when

we talk about making predictions, we can say it is like guessing what might happen next

in the story. Doing this keeps us interested in the reading and helps us figure out what

might come next by paying attention to clues in the text.

Teachers also can monitor students’ understanding. This means that teachers can

encourage students to monitor their understanding as they read by asking themselves

questions such as "Does this make sense?" or "What do I already know about this

topic?" A teacher also can remind students to pause and clarify any confusion they

encounter by rereading, looking up unfamiliar words, or seeking clarification from friends

or the teacher.

Post-learning phase
In this final phase, the teacher can do a discussion and reflection session with the

students. Teachers can facilitate class discussions to allow students to share their

thoughts, interpretations, and reactions to the text. Encourage students to reflect on what

they have learned, what surprised them, and how their understanding of the text has

evolved through discussion. Discussions and reflection are crucial because they can

deepen students’ comprehension, and critical thinking and can activate their

communication skills.
 Teachers also can give students assessments where teachers assess students'

comprehension and critical thinking skills through quizzes, tests, or other forms of

assessment. This allows teachers to gauge students' understanding of the text and

identify areas for further instruction or support. For instance, comprehension quizzes,

reading

response journals, and reading fluency assessments.

Sources
- https://tinytexts.wordpress.com/
- https://www.commonlit.org/
- https://www.gutenberg.org/

Appendix