Teaching Reading

Some thoughts on teaching reading from my own experience.

Give a variety of activities to make sure the students are engaged. Basic structure could be:

1. Pre-reading activities:

Including A discussion for engagement, Vocabulary that may be encountered, prediction activity, questions to look for

2. Reading activities:

Main idea, discussing the prediction, reading it and highlighting any hard words, exercises to practice skimming and scanning (google reading skills) such as sequencing, reordering, information race etc. Read for details and discuss/practice particular phrases.

3. Post reading activities:

Questions both 1. to confirm comprehension and 2. to promote discussion and HOT (High Order Thinking).

Fill in the blanks to demonstrate vocabulary comprehension.

Speaking activities with specific grammar points from the article i.e. POP Grammar.

There is a sequence that you could use.

Previously I used to mix suggestopedia techniques with conventional "skills based" techniques for my reading focus lessons. 

An example of what I used to do is:

1. Engagement and vocabulary introduction

2. Short discussion

3. Relaxation and a comfortable reading from me in a natural pace with good expression.

4. Second reading together with the students looking at the page.

5. Questioning to develop skimming and scanning skills

6. Highlighting hard words

7. Answering questions both Comprehension and opinion based

8. Group discussions

9. Moving into speaking activities or writing activities depending on the focus

Hope that can give you some ideas of what to do in your class!