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Setting your Compass for Reading

Dr. Rob Waring

The goals of language teaching

Ensure they can read, write, speak and listen

Build pragmatic, cultural as well as linguistic knowledge

Develop learning strategies

Develop independence

Develop a sense of ownership of the language

Build confidence and a ‘can do’ attitude

What do learners need to know linguistically?

The grammatical systemsAbout 2000 everyday words occur in all types of English.

A word’s form-meaning relationship (its pronunciation, spelling and meaning)

The deeper knowledge of a wordits different meanings

its derivations (useful, useless, uselessness, etc.)if it’s typically spoken, or writtenif it’s useful or rare, polite or rudethe topic are we usually find it in (e.g. science,

music, biology)its collocations and colligations

Why can’t Korean students read, listen, speak and write well?

Their language knowledge is often abstract, separated, discrete and very fragile to forgetting

There’s too much work on “the pieces-of-language” and not enough comprehensible, meaningful discourse

They haven’t met the words and grammar enough times to feel comfortable using it

They CANNOT speak until they feel comfortable using their knowledgeNot enough exposure. To acquire a 7000 word vocabulary requires

them to meet about 10-15,000,000 words. A typical high 3-year course book series has 250,000 words.

They haven’t developed a ‘sense’ of language yet

A Typical Reading Text

Short texts

Many difficult words

Many exercises

Definitions given

How are students typically taught to read?

From textbooks with short difficult textsDoing lots of exercises to practice the grammar and vocab,

reading skills and strategiesAll students read the same teacher-selected materialAll students read at the same paceAll students read at the same difficulty levelThe text may or may not interest all learnersIt’s hard to develop fluent eye movements – fluency and

reading speed – too many ‘reading speed bumps’

Intensive Reading

Provides good for the teaching of discrete language pointsFew chances for the development of fluent eye movements Few chances to learn the patterns in the languageLittle allowance for student interest in what is readLittle allowance for reading at their own ability levelOften difficult for students to add new language to the

existing store of language because the material is too difficult

Typical Korean reading texts

In Middle School-teaches the first 1000 words quite well- readability seems adequate – short passages, easy

vocabulary, picture supportIn Senior High School

- radical change to low frequency vocabulary- hundreds of the most important 2,000 words aren’t

met

Why build reading speed?

Natives read at 250-300 words per minute

Many non-natives read at less than 100 words per minute

If they can read faster, they will -read more naturally-process the language more effectively and efficiently-understand more-remember more-read more text-be able to finish tests faster

How well does that course present the language students need?

Research suggests an average language course:

-does not systematically recycle the grammatical forms outside the presentation unit / lesson

-has an almost random vocabulary selection without much regard to frequency or usefulness (mostly based on topic)

-rarely, if ever, recycles taught words either later in the unit, the book, or the series

-provides minimal additional practice in review units or workbooks

has an overwhelming focus on new material in each lesson

A linear structure to our syllabuses

Little focus on the recycling of vocabulary, grammar and so on

The theory is “We’ve done that, they have learnt it, so we can move on.”

Unit 1

Be verb

Simple adjectives

Unit 2

Simple present

Daily routines

Unit 3

Present continuous

Sporting activities

Unit 4

can

Abilities

Unit 5

….

…..

What happens to things we learn?

We forget them over time unless they are recycled and memories of them strengthened.

Our brains are designed to forget most of what we meet - not to remember it.

Time

Knowledge

The Forgetting Curve

What will naturally happen to the learning?

Unit 1

Be verb

Simple adjectives

Unit 2

Simple present

Daily routines

Unit 3

Present continuous

Sporting activities

Unit 4

can

Abilities

Unit 5

….

…..

What is Extensive Reading?

Fast, fluent reading of story books with high levels of comprehension

Focus on comprehension and enjoyment, not language learning Aim is to deepen already met language through massive exposureTypically this is done with ‘graded readers’ or ‘leveled readers’Extensive reading (ER) and Intensive reading (IR) are two sides of

the same coin. Intensive Reading builds language, Extensive Reading practices it.

IR and ER work TOGETHER, they are NOT opposites

What are graded readers?

Graded readers are story books written for learners of English written at various difficulty levels

Level 1 books have very few words and only the simplest grammar

Level 2 books have slightly harder vocabulary and grammar

Level 3 increases the difficulty … and so on

The students progress through the levels reading books that mirror what they learnt in their course work

Graded readers

are GRADED

Phonics Easy vocabMore difficult vocab

Easy grammarMore difficult grammar

Nativebooks

Course work and Graded Readers work together

Consolidating and deepening language knowledge

Extensive Reading

Unit 1

Be verb

Unit 2

Simple present

Unit 3

Present continuous

Unit 4

can

Unit 5

….

Introducing language

Features of Extensive Reading

Emphasis on the skill of reading

All reading is in the second language – no Korean needed

New words are often met in later chapters

Emphasis on reading for comprehension / enjoyment

Provides input for speaking and writing

All the students read different books

Student selected materialWide variety of material

(genres) The reading will probably

interest the studentLonger textsVery few difficult wordsReading at the student's fluent

reading ability levelMostly out-of class reading

When reading extensively, students should READ

It is CRUCIAL that learners read at the RIGHT level

Read something quickly andEnjoyably with Adequate comprehension so theyDon’t need a dictionary

When reading extensively, students should READ

If they need a dictionary, it’s too hard and they will read slowly, get tired and stop

Their aim is fluency and speed, not learning new language

Typically students read at home or out of class- it doesn’t take much class time for HUGE benefits

We add the reading to our existing program, we don’t replace it.

How do Intensive and Extensive Reading fit together?

SlowReading speed

High

Low % of known vocabulary100%

LowComprehension

High

90% 98%

ReadingPain

(too hard, poor comprehension,

high effort,de-motivating)

Intensive reading

(Instructional level, can learn new words and grammar)

Speed reading practice

(very fast, fluent, high

comprehension, natural reading,

enjoyable)

Extensive reading

(fast, fluent, adequate

comprehension, enjoyable)

Reading at the right level

Fluency Reading class

READING PAIN does NOT equal READING GAINChoose reading materials where they can read quicklyHave a wide variety of books – something interesting for everyoneHave a wide variety of difficulty levels – easy to difficultMost of their time should be reading

-not translating-not answering questions-not doing reports

Reading should be pleasurableReading should be motivatingReading should be inspiringReading is more than language practice

Summary of Extensive Reading

Massive language exposure at the student's level of understanding

Excellent chances for the development of fluent eye movements (fluent reading) because the text is easy leading to faster reading

Excellent chances to learn the patterns in the language because the student is reading a lot

High probability the student is interested in what is read and that she will become a more confident reader

Young Learners Classic Readers

Enjoyable and easy reading practice of famous stories Develops their

vocabulary and reading fluency with the easy-to-read adaptations• 60 classics• A short introduction• A picture gallery of characters• A story including full-color illustrations and highlighted dialog• A short playlet• A picture dictionary• Audio recordings

Compass Classic Readers

Extensive Reading Practice• Fundamental reading fluency practice• Extension & consolidation of vocabulary• Repeated exposure to common grammar structure

Acknowledged Education Value• Accessible adaptations of the world’s greatest literary works• Cultural and historical contexts for broader understanding of the world

Compass Classic Readers

Why Compass Classic Readers?Grasp both Language Learning and Content Learning

Each Reader Includes:• Carefully graded retold-stories using appropriate vocabulary and sentence structure• Motivating full-color illustrations (excluding level 5 & 6)• Discussion questions before and after each chapter• A short playlet for fun classroom activities• A glossary of key vocabulary words• An MP3 CD

What is Reading Oceans

Online extensive reading program containing 3-D animated nursery rhymes and songs Complete phonics course with 70 decodable readers 600 stories from a wide range of genre at 30 levels

of difficulty Read, listen or watch Comprehension check follow-up Learner management system allows teachers to

track each student Placement Level Test and achievement tests

The menus

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Placement test

Flashcard testEnglish to Korean receptive testReading Comprehension test

-> Test results

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www.keera.or.kr

A new organization dedicated to developing Extensive Reading in Korea

September 14-15th, 2013. Second World Congress on Extensive Reading at Sookmyung university

www.ER-Central.com

Free not-for-profit website to promote Extensive Reading

Hundreds of articles and links to ER information

Blogs and comments

Online Graded Text Editor

Information for researchers

ER and EL Videos

Advice Center (coming soon)

ER/EL Calendar

Advice for publishers and authors

Help needed

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