The ability to read in a second language is considered to be an essential skill for academic learners, and it paves the way for independent language learning (Dolehanty, 2008). Reader`s responsibility is not just having oral proficiency, looking at graphic symbols from left to right and decoding the printed symbols on a page, but they are also expected to derive meaning from the written text (Novak & Gowin, 1984). The ability to comprehend the text is to create meaning (Pressley, 2000) which in turn requires readers to make connections between new and known information (Pearson, Roehler, Dole, & Duffy, 1992; Pressley, 2000). This perspective runs counter to rote learning where no effort is done for making this connection (Ausuble, 1968; Mintzes, Wandersee, & Novak, 2000). In addition, this points to the interactive nature of reading where the reader reconstructs the author`s intended meaning by activating previous knowledge (Grabe, 1991).
In line with its interactive nature, reading is believed to involve cognitive processes aimed at developing a plan (strategy) to help learners in comprehending when reading words does not provide meaning by itself (Pearson et al., 1992). Accordingly, instructing students explicitly in using strategies has been accorded prominence in second language programs. Any strategy instruction including concept map (CM) learning strategy, in fact, can move learning from being rote to meaningful (Novak & Gowin, 1984). CM helps learners organize information through visual aids (Liu, Chen, & Chang, 2010), and motivate them to find relationship between ideas (Novak & Gowin, 1984). In addition, it is not just a graphic organizer, but a way to connect the text to a student`s current knowledge and experience.
N...
... middle of paper ...
...Chinese students. Reading Research Quarterly, 39, 162-186.
Wells, G. (1999). Dialogic inquiry: Towards a socio-cultural practice and theory of education. Cambridge and New York: Cambridge University Press.
Willerman, M., & Mac Harg, R. A. (1991). The concept map as an advance organizer. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 28(8), 705-712.
Wu, Y. S., & Zeng, Y. T. (2003). The effects of cognitive mapping teaching strategies on fifth grades students of science articles’ comprehension as well as their effects. Education collected papers, 49(1), 135–169.
Zarei, G. R. & Alibabaee, A. (2013). Autonomy as determinant of prospective learning: A study of English language learners. The International Journal of Humanitie, 20, 61-82.
Zimmaro, D.M., & Cawley, J.M. (1998). Concept map module. Schreyer Institute for Innovation in Learning: The Pennsylvania State University.
In the essay, “On the Presumption of Knowing How to Read”, by John Guilliory, He emphasizes the lack of articulation on reading in college. Guillory states “Upward of forty percent of college freshmen are directed to remedial classes of some kind in their first year” (qtd by Guillory 8). He claims that freshmen in college are put in remedial class for writing because the lack of understanding of what they are reading. He also states that many students that are not in remedial classes may also lack the interpretive skill. He has seen many students just be able to paraphrase and give an unobjectionable comprehension of the reading. Guillory states that not being able to move beyond simple understanding seems as if there is a resistance to reading. Guillory suggests that we need to learn the conceptual break in reading.
...(Exhibit C, Figure 3) of Concept Definition (CD), (Vacca, Vacca & Mraz, 2011, p.256). Graphic organizers are effective tool in conjunction with sheltered instructional pedagogy to scaffold ELL students to access grade level content.
Donald M. Murray, in this article entitled “Reading as a Reader” is talking about how reading is an unique, an essential, and a necessary aptitude for human beings in their society. While illustrating his point of view, the author stresses on the idea that our attitudes towards reading is directly linked to the systematic approaches we have while facing a article or a book. In this article, he said that: “If we approach a text believing that we are not readers, or that we can’t read, that attitude may make it more difficult for us to understand the challenging text.”(Murray, 2). Throughout those words, Murray emphasizes that we should consider the process of reading as a learning process, and as a way of deepening the capacity we have as readers. We should have an open-mind while engaging with a reading, and understand that it may always not be our fault if it comes that the text we are reading is difficult. In clear, it is all part of the process of improving ourselves. Then, Murray, in his well structured writing, portrays differents types of reading and also gives us some tips on how to approach them.
Through these resources, activities, and strategies, students are able to make progress into distinguishing the main idea and supporting details in reading texts. Through this they are also able to organize thoughts to develop a topic sentence and moreover use supporting facts and details. Many of the resources and activities done in this lesson allowed the students to think for themselves and make educated guesses based on the information given. Moreover they were allowed multiple opportunities to share with one another about heir thought
(c) Learners’ cognitive strategies employed in learning, memorization and comprehension. Different cognitive strategies such as practicing, illustrating
Constructivism is a theory of learning that emphasizes the active construction of knowledge by individuals. Inquiry of learning is a theory developed by Dewey in which it emphasizes the development of student’s cognitive abilities such as reasoning and decision making. Inquiry theory, is reflected in reading instruction by having children choose their own vocabulary, asking their own thought provoking questions and giving them the opportunity to construct their own meaning. Schemata theory strives to explain how knowledge is created and used by the learners. In reading instruction schemata can be observe as a child tries to understand a story by using past personal experience to relate to concepts in the story. Transitional response theory is the notion that all readers have unique background schemata. In transitional theory all readers will have a different response to the text. Psycholinguistic theory is the study of the relationships between linguistic behavior and psychological processes including the process of language acquisition. In reading it helps the readers make predictions about what the text say based on their knowledge in these areas. Metacognition is the process of thinking about one’s own thinking. In reading metacognition helps reading comprehension. Engagement theory seeks to articulate the differences between engaged and disengaged readers. In reading, engagement theory is best seen when children are motivated to read and are constantly reading or
The visual learners prefer to use pictures, images, maps, colors, and spatial intelligence, which assist them to arrange their information, interact with others and give them a great sense of direction. They are great at accumulating information, curious and inquisitive due to the fact that without adequate information, the portrait of what they are learning will be imperfect. They are also enthusiastic about theory and facts; system diagram helps them to visualize the connection between parts of a system; story method assists them to learn by heart the content that cannot be seen easily. (Garner, 2012)
... for teachers to choose materials that will hook students and motivate them to engage in their own learning. Teachers should provide multiple learning opportunities in which stu¬dents can experience success and can begin to build confidence in their ability to read, write, and think at higher level. By connecting strategies for learning, such as searching, compre¬hending, interpreting, composing, and teaching content knowledge, students are given the opportunity to succeed in their education. These elements include: fundamental skills such as phonemic awareness, phonemic decoding, and other word analysis skills that support word reading accuracy; text reading fluency; strategies for building vocabulary; strategies for understanding and using the specific textual features that distinguish different genres; and self-regulated use of reading comprehension strategies.
Moore, Beverly. Situated Cognition Versus Traditional Cognitive Theories of Learning. Education, V119, N1, pgs 161-171, Fall 1998.
Murcia, K. (2008). Teaching for scientific literacy with an interactive whiteboard. Teaching Science - the Journal of the Australian Science Teachers Association, 54(4), 17-21. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier database.
Wiggins, G., & Mctighe, J. (2005). Understanding by design. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
It is important that when selecting complex text educators look for specific factors that would meet each reader’s needs. These factors include language proficiency, background knowledge and experiences, and level of motivation. Depending on the factors mentioned, the educators can differentiate the instruction to meet the needs of the students where they could read a text and apply strategies learned. It is important to understand the text complexity because we do want readers to read text which are not challenging enough or that are extremely challenge that would make their self-efficacy low. Therefore, when Fisher & Frey (2012) stated the factors to take into consideration when selecting a text are established, readers would interact with the text. Moreover, the use of comprehension strategies like question and answer relationships (Reutzel & Cooter, 2016) would help the readers comprehend the text as they read
comprehension instruction: A comparison of instruction for strategies and content approaches ―[Electronic version]. Reading Research Quarterly, 44(3), 218–253.
Good reading skills are very important in learning languages. Reading improves spelling because as students learn to sound out letters and words, spelling comes easier. It helps to expand the vocabulary, since the best way to acquire a large vocabulary is to read. Students learn new words as they read and put them in their mind for later use. . They also unconsciously absorb the information about things like how to structure the sentences, how words are used in different contexts, and it gives a better understanding of the word usage and definitions than the cold facts of a dictionary. It improves a person’s vocabulary and knowledge without the person even knowing it. Even if students do not understand every word, they will hear new sounds, words and phrases which they can then try out, copying what they have heard. They can comprehend ideas, follow arguments and detect implications. Reading texts also provide good models for English writing. Krashen (2004) found that reading is extremely important in learning English, since it is the only way to “become a good reader, develop a good writing style, an adequate vocabulary, advanced grammar” and the only way to “become a good speller”.
One of the widest used methods is learning through discovery. Discovery is finding out information using hands on experiments. The children can discover what happens in science and why. They answer the problems for themselves. They use their schema, prior knowledge of science, to search for information. The cycle of scientific discovery is first a question or series of questions are raised. Second, through a discussion a problem is identified and narrowed so that the kids can solve the problem. Third, with the assistance of the teacher, the children propose a way of looking at the problem and then collect the...