READING & READING READING & READING COMPREHENSIONCOMPREHENSION

What is reading comprehension?What is reading comprehension?““Understanding a written text means extracting the Understanding a written text means extracting the required information from it as efficiently as possible”.required information from it as efficiently as possible”.

F Grellet.F Grellet.

Reading ComprehensionReading Comprehension

We apply different reading strategies We apply different reading strategies when looking at a notice board to see if when looking at a notice board to see if there is an advertisement for a there is an advertisement for a particular type of flat and when carefully particular type of flat and when carefully reading an article of special interest in reading an article of special interest in a scientific journal.a scientific journal.

1.1. Purpose- Locating relevant informationPurpose- Locating relevant information2.2. Purpose- Understanding new Purpose- Understanding new

information.information.

Reading Reading Comprehension ..condt.Comprehension ..condt.

1. A competent reader will quickly reject 1. A competent reader will quickly reject irrelevant information.irrelevant information.2. Besides the gist, more detailed 2. Besides the gist, more detailed

comprehension is necessary.comprehension is necessary. It is therefore essential to take the It is therefore essential to take the

following elements into consideration.following elements into consideration.What do we read?What do we read?Why do we read?Why do we read?How do we read?How do we read?

What do we read?What do we read?

Here are the main text types one usually Here are the main text types one usually comes across:comes across:Novels, short stories, tales; other literary Novels, short stories, tales; other literary Texts and passages (e.g. essays, diaries, Texts and passages (e.g. essays, diaries, anecdotes, biographies).anecdotes, biographies).PlaysPlaysPoems, Limericks, nursery rhymesPoems, Limericks, nursery rhymesLetters, postcards, telegrams, notes.Letters, postcards, telegrams, notes.

What do we read?What do we read?Newspapers and magazines (headlines, articles, Newspapers and magazines (headlines, articles,

Editorials, letters to the editor, stop press,classified Editorials, letters to the editor, stop press,classified

ads, weather forecast, radio/TV/ theatre ads, weather forecast, radio/TV/ theatre

programmes.programmes.Specialized articles, reports, reviews, essays, Specialized articles, reports, reviews, essays,

business letters, summaries, précis, accounts, business letters, summaries, précis, accounts, pamphlets (political and other).pamphlets (political and other).

Handbooks, textbooks, guidebooks.Handbooks, textbooks, guidebooks.RecipesRecipes

What do we read?What do we read?

Advertisements, travel brochures, Catalogues.Advertisements, travel brochures, Catalogues.Puzzles, problems, rules for games.Puzzles, problems, rules for games. Instructions (e.g. warnings), directions (e.g.Instructions (e.g. warnings), directions (e.g.

How to use…) notices, rules and How to use…) notices, rules and

regulations, posters, signs (e.g. road signs), regulations, posters, signs (e.g. road signs),

forms (e.g. application forms, landing cards)forms (e.g. application forms, landing cards)

Graffiti, menus, price lists, tickets.Graffiti, menus, price lists, tickets.

What do we read?What do we read?

Comic strips, cartoons and caricatures, Comic strips, cartoons and caricatures, legends( of maps, pictures)legends( of maps, pictures)Statistics, diagrams, flow/pie charts, Statistics, diagrams, flow/pie charts,

time-tables, maps.time-tables, maps.Telephone directories, dictionaries, Telephone directories, dictionaries, phrase books.phrase books.

Why do we read?Why do we read?

There are two main reasons for reading:There are two main reasons for reading:Reading for pleasure.Reading for pleasure.Reading for information (in order to find Reading for information (in order to find

out something or in order to do out something or in order to do something with the information you get).something with the information you get).

How do we read?How do we read?

The main ways of reading are as follows:-The main ways of reading are as follows:-Skimming; quickly running one’s eyes over a Skimming; quickly running one’s eyes over a

text to get the gist of it.text to get the gist of it.Scanning : quickly going through a text to find Scanning : quickly going through a text to find

a particular piece of information.a particular piece of information.Extensive reading: reading longer texts, usually Extensive reading: reading longer texts, usually

for one’s own pleasure. This is a fluency for one’s own pleasure. This is a fluency activity, mainly involving global understanding.activity, mainly involving global understanding.

Intensive Reading: reading shorter texts, to Intensive Reading: reading shorter texts, to extract specific information. This is more an extract specific information. This is more an accuracy activity involving reading for detail.accuracy activity involving reading for detail.

Reading – Involves a Reading – Involves a variety of skillsvariety of skills

In real life our reading purposes constantly vary and In real life our reading purposes constantly vary and therefore when devising exercises, we should vary the therefore when devising exercises, we should vary the questions and the activities according to the type of text questions and the activities according to the type of text studied and the purpose in reading it.studied and the purpose in reading it.

Reading involves a variety of skills.Reading involves a variety of skills.Communicative Syllabus Design.Communicative Syllabus Design.

(John Munby)(John Munby)

Sub-Skills of ReadingSub-Skills of Reading

Recognizing the script of a language.Recognizing the script of a language. Deducing the meaning and use of unfamiliar Deducing the meaning and use of unfamiliar lexical items.lexical items. Understanding explicitly stated information.Understanding explicitly stated information. Understanding information when not Understanding information when not explicitly stated.explicitly stated. Understanding conceptual meaning.Understanding conceptual meaning. Understanding communicative value (function Understanding communicative value (function

of sentences and utterances.of sentences and utterances.

Sub-skills of Reading… Sub-skills of Reading… Condt.Condt.

Understanding relations with the sentences.Understanding relations with the sentences. Understanding relations between the parts Understanding relations between the parts of a text through lexical cohesion devices.of a text through lexical cohesion devices. Understanding cohesion between parts of a Understanding cohesion between parts of a text through grammatical cohesion devices.text through grammatical cohesion devices. Interpreting text by going outside it.Interpreting text by going outside it. Recognizing indicators in discourse.Recognizing indicators in discourse. Identifying the main point or important Identifying the main point or important

information in a piece of discourse.information in a piece of discourse.

Sub-Skills of Reading… Sub-Skills of Reading… Contd.Contd.

Distinguishing the main idea from supporting Distinguishing the main idea from supporting details.details. Extracting salient points to summarize t\(the text, Extracting salient points to summarize t\(the text,

an idea etc.)an idea etc.) Selective extraction of relevant points from a text.Selective extraction of relevant points from a text. Basic reference skills.Basic reference skills. Skimming.Skimming. Scanning to locate specifically required Scanning to locate specifically required information.information. Transcoding information to diagrammatic displayTranscoding information to diagrammatic display

Reading – Types of Reading – Types of ExercisesExercises

In order to develop these skills, several types of exercises can be In order to develop these skills, several types of exercises can be used. These question types can have two different functions. used. These question types can have two different functions.

1. To clarify the organisation of the passage.1. To clarify the organisation of the passage. The questions can be about:The questions can be about:

- the function of the passagethe function of the passage- the general organisation (e.g. derivation, morphology, the general organisation (e.g. derivation, morphology,

hyponymy)hyponymy)- The rhetorical organization (e.g. contrast, comparison)The rhetorical organization (e.g. contrast, comparison)- The cohesive devices (e.g. link words)The cohesive devices (e.g. link words)- The intrasentential relations (e.g.derivation, morphology, The intrasentential relations (e.g.derivation, morphology,

hyponmy)hyponmy)

Reading – Types of Reading – Types of ExercisesExercises

2.2. To clarify the contents of the passage.To clarify the contents of the passage. The questions can be about:The questions can be about:-- plain fact (direct reference)plain fact (direct reference)- Implied fact (inference)Implied fact (inference)- deduced meaning (supposition)deduced meaning (supposition)- evaluationevaluationThe above skills, question types and question functions are The above skills, question types and question functions are

constantly related since the given exercise uses a constantly related since the given exercise uses a certain type of question, with the certain function to certain type of question, with the certain function to develop a particular reading skill.develop a particular reading skill.