Reading for Academic Purposes:

Guidelines for the ESL/EFL Teacher

-William Grabe and Fredricka L. Stoller

Reporters:
Claudine V. Auman
Kharla Khris Cacharo
INTRODUCTION
• Reading is the central means of learning not only for
improving language skills, but also for academic and non-
academic tasks.

• Reading is an easier way for new information to be acquired.

 PURPOSES FOR READING

• To search for information

• For general comprehension
• To learn new information
• To synthesize and evaluate information
DEFINITION OF READING

Reading [ree-ding]
Noun

• Speech the oral interpretation of written

language
• Readingrequires students to comprehend
written works and relate it back to their prior
knowledge
CHARACTERISTICS OF A FLUENT READER
• Read rapidly for comprehension
• Recognize words rapidly and automatically
• Draw on a very large vocabulary store
• Integrate text information with their own knowledge
• Recognize the purpose(s) for reading
• Comprehend the text as necessary
• Shift purpose to read strategically
• Use strategies to monitor comprehension
• Recognize and repair miscomprehension
• Read critically and evaluate information
 TEN KEY IMPLICATIONS FOR EAP READING INSTRUCTION
 Helping students build a large recognition vocabulary
 Providing explicit language instruction to help students build a reasonable foundation in the L2
 Addressing the range of skills needed for successful comprehension
 Introducing students to discourse – organizing principles through the use of graphic
representations and other practices
 Helping students become strategic readers by focusing on metacognitive awareness and strategy
learning
 Giving students many opportunities to read so that they develop reading fluency and automaticity
 Making extensive reading and broad exposure to L2 texts a routine practice, in and out of class
 Motivating students to read
 Integrating reading and writing instruction
 Developing effective content-based instruction for authentic integrated-skills tasks
 Sociocultural Factors in Learning to Read

• L2 readers have a more limited vocabulary, therefore they have weaker linguistic skills compared to L1
readers.

• Some texts fail to recognize that L2 readers lack cultural knowledge and that what they are reading may
be new information for them.

• There may be differences in the way text is organized compared to a student’s L1 and this can lead to
comprehension problems.

• L2 students can have many resources to support learning their L2 such as: word glossaries, bilingual
dictionaries, and their mental translation skills.

• Some L2 students may come from a culture where it is more culturally acceptable to communicate in a
speaking manner rather than participating in reading or writing.
 GOALS FOR AN EFFECTIVE READING CURRICULUM
• Conduct needs analyses to interpret institutional goals and expectations for
learning.
• Plan (or fine-tune) reading curricula in relation to specific goals, topics,
texts, and tasks.
• Select appropriate text materials and supporting resources.
• Diversity students’ reading experiences.
• Work with texts by means of a pre-, during-, and post-reading
framework.
• Recognize the complex nature or reading through meaningful instruction.
.
CONDUCTING NEEDS ANALYSES

Needs analyses is an important way to assess

students motivation and attitudes toward reading.

• Interviews
• Surveys/Questionnaires
• Observation
• Analysis of available information
PLANNING READING CURRICULA
• Institutional goals, number of instruction per week, available
resources and students’ needs, abilities, and interests should be the
main goals when constructing curriculum.

• Reading curriculum should focus on the comprehension of key texts.

• When goals and priorities of the students are determined, texts and
topics are picked so that tasks can be designed with a goal toward
creating a meaningful curriculum.
 SELECTING APPROPRIATE TEXT MATERIALS AND
SUPPORTING RESOURCES

• Reading curriculum is heavenly dependent on what reading

materials is used.
• The types of texts used in reading curriculum is very important
when it comes to students’ motivation.
• Text materials should be challenging, but not too challenging
when it exceeds the students’ intellectual levels.
• Text materials for EAP settings should be interesting to keep
students’ attention.
• Free-reading materials should be attractive to students and easily
accessible.
DIVERSIFYING STUDENTS’ READING EXPERIENCES

• It is important not to limit reading activities in the classroom, they

should also make them available in:

• LAB
• Library
• Home
 Working with Texts by
means of a Pre-, During-,
and Post reading Framework
 Prereading instruction can serve five
important purposes
• Previewing the text to determine the topic and the
possible challenges at hand
• Finding the main ideas of the text by skimming the
material
• Answering and asking questions about the text
• Explore key vocabulary
• Review information to texts previously read and
connect it to the new material being read
 During Reading Instruction
Commonly used during-reading activities

• Summarizing key ideas in an area that is hard to

comprehend
• Examining emotions of the characters in the text
• Seeking clarification in difficult areas
• Writing down predictions of what will come next
 Post reading Instruction
Some commonly exercised post reading activities
include:

• Completing a table, chart, or grid based on the text

information
• Expand or make changes to a semantic map
previously made
• Compare information gained from the reading to a
lecture presented
• Rank information read according to importance
• Answering questions that confirm comprehensive of
the text
THE COMPLEX NATURE OF READING

Meaning EAP reading instruction encompasses all of the

ff.
• Vocabulary Development
• Careful writing of texts
• Awareness of text structure and discourse
organization
• Use of graphic organizers to support comprehension
• Strategic reding student motivation
• Integrated skills tasks
VOCABULARY DEVELOPMENT

Reading does not provide complete support for vocabulary

development; students must have explicit instruction,

opportunity to learn words on their own, ‘collect’ new words,

and become comfortable with their individual word learning

processes in addition to reading extensively.

CAREFUL READING OF TEXTS

Ways to promote careful reading of texts in EAP instruction

are:
* Filling in blanks for an extended summary of the reading
* Determining the attitude, goal, and audience of the writer
* Listing and explaining examples from the text
* Matching information or answering true/false questions
 AWARENESS OF TEXT STRUCTURE AND DISCOURSE
ORGANIZATION

Guiding students to recognize the ways that texts are structured will
increase their comprehension skills. Suggestions are:
* Identify sentences that contain the main idea of the text
* Looking at headings and subheading and what follows
* Adding in information to an incomplete outline
* Underlining transition phrase
* Creating headings for a set of paragraphs and discussing the function
of each paragraph as a whole
USE OF GRAPHIC ORGANIZERS
Graphic organizers work well when students are trying to comprehend
difficult texts. They include:
• Outlines * Semantic
• Graphic representations * Timelines
• Rankings * Venn diagrams for similarities and differences
STRATEGIC READING

Teachers who use Transactional Strategies Instruction (TSI)

• Have a long term commitment to the method.
• Teach new strategies on a needed basis
• Verbally explain and model strategies, and require students to model
them as well.
• Discuss when and where to use strategies with the students.
• Implore students to discuss how they come to understand parts of a text
FLUENCY DEVELOPMENT

Fluency development is one of the most neglected aspects of L2 reading instruction

even though it’s one of the most crucial foundations for reading proficiency.
Fluency Activity Suggestions:
* Times or paced readings
* Word recognition or flashcard exercises
* Teacher read aloud sessions while students follow along silently
* Rereading practice
EXTENSIVE READING

Reading a large amount of text for a lengthy amount

of time.
In combination with other components in a reading
curriculum, sustained silent reading is the single best
way to improve reading abilities.
STUDENT MOTIVATION

When teachers talk about what interests them as

readers, plan various activities to promote the
importance of reading, and invite students to share
what they’re passionate about reading, motivation will
come along automatically.
INTEGRATED SKILL INSTRUCTION

In the academic setting, students will need to be able to

connect readings with any prior knowledge or experience, and

be able to convey thoughts, connections, summaries, and key

information.