Reading is a vital life receptive skill that enables learners to gain knowledge and understanding about the world.

It is essential for personal and academic growth and helps students to communicate effectively, build their vocabulary and improve their writing skills.

Reading also provides entertainment and an escape from reality. Thus, it is a crucial skill that should be cultivated and honed in students’ personalities.

Reading: Why Some Learners Find it Difficult ?

There are several reasons why some learners find reading difficult, and these challenges can be grouped into several categories. Firstly, learners may find it difficult to understand the text due to a lack of background knowledge or vocabulary.

For example, if a learner is unfamiliar with the topic, they may struggle to understand the content of the text. In addition, if a learner has a limited vocabulary, they may find it challenging to comprehend what they are reading.

Another reason why some learners find reading difficult is due to their learning style. Some learners may prefer visual or hands-on learning, which can make reading seem like a chore. On the other hand, some learners may have difficulty focusing and retaining information while reading, making it challenging for them to comprehend the text.

Furthermore, poor reading habits can also make it difficult for learners to understand the text. For example, not paying attention to punctuation or not using active reading strategies can make it challenging for learners to comprehend the text.

Lastly, some learners may have learning difficulties such as dyslexia, which can make it challenging for them to learn to read effectively. To overcome these challenges, learners can engage in activities such as pre-reading vocabulary building, practicing active reading techniques, and reading regularly to build their skills.

Reading: Types of Reading

There are several types of reading, including:

Skimming: This is a quick reading method where the reader scans the text to get a general idea of the content. This type of reading is often used to get an overview or the gist of a text before reading it in more detail.
Scanning: Similar to skimming, but more focused. The reader looks for specific information in the text, such as dates, numbers, or keywords. This type of reading is often used to find specific information quickly.
Intensive reading: This is a close and detailed reading of a text, where the reader thoroughly analyzes and comprehends the content. Intensive reading is often used for academic or professional purposes, such as studying for an exam or preparing a report.
Extensive reading: This is a less focused and more relaxed type of reading, where the reader reads for pleasure or to improve their reading skills. Extensive reading is often used for personal or leisure purposes.
Critical reading: This is where the reader evaluates the text and considers its content, accuracy, and bias. Critical reading is often used to analyze or evaluate a text in a more in-depth manner.

Reading Sub-skills

Reading sub-skills refer to specific components of the reading process that can be taught and practiced to improve overall reading ability. Some of the common reading sub-skills include:

Word recognition: The ability to recognize individual words and understand their meaning.
Fluency: The ability to read smoothly and accurately, with appropriate pace, phrasing, and expression.
Comprehension: The ability to understand and make meaning of the text.
Vocabulary: The ability to understand the meaning of words and the relationship between words. Inference: The ability to draw conclusions and make predictions based on the information in the text.
Summarization: The ability to condense the information in the text into a brief and concise summary.
Critical thinking: The ability to evaluate and analyze the text, and make judgments about its content. Text structure: The ability to understand the organization and structure of the text, including the introduction, body, and conclusion.
Text features: The ability to recognize and use text features, such as headings, subheadings, and illustrations, to help understand the text.
Background knowledge: The ability to use prior knowledge and experiences to help understand the text.

Teach Reading Stages

Teaching reading using the pre-reading, while reading, and post-reading stages can be done in the following ways:

Pre-Reading:

The pre-reading stage is an important preparation stage that helps students get ready to read the text. The goal of this stage is to activate students' schemata, build background knowledge, vocabulary, and set reading goals.

Previewing the title: The title can be used to trigger the learners’ predictive potential about the content of the text.
Semantic mapping: This technique can be applied to elicit from learners words, word families, concepts and notions, related to the theme under study.
Picture stimulus: Effective use of pictures, graphs and other available visual aids can kindle the learners’ interest and foster their predictive potential. This activity can also be followed by a short discussion of the topic.
Theme discussing: Prior to reading, the teacher can pair off the learners or get them together in small groups to discuss the theme of the text.
Learner generated questions: Here, the learners are invited to write a set of questions which they expect the text will respond to. The title, pictures, headings, first sentence of the text, first paragraph, first and last paragraph can be used as a platform to this end.
Vocabulary exploitation: This activity is based on a number of keywords in a text written on the board for the learners to guess the theme of the text. To further explore the theme through non-committal questions, the teacher can brainstorm ideas in connection with it. As a follow-up, learners can be encouraged to write sentences/ texts incorporating the given vocabulary.
Exploiting the text in chunks: To enable learners to become effective predictors, the teacher can either select the opening sentence(s) or a chunk anywhere in the text and have the learners then read and state what has happened before or guess what comes next.
Introduction to the topic: The teacher introduces the topic of the text to the students and provides context and background information about the subject. This helps students to connect what they already know to the new information they will be reading.
Building vocabulary: The teacher teaches new words or concepts related to the text. This helps students to understand the text better and makes it easier for them to comprehend the content.
Setting reading goals: The teacher discusses with students what they hope to learn from the text. This helps students to focus on the important information and understand the purpose of their reading.

While-Reading:

The while reading stage is when the students are actually reading the text. The goal of this stage is to help students understand the content and develop their reading skills.

Guided Reading: The teacher guides the students through the text by asking questions, providing clarification, or pointing out important details. This helps students to understand the content and stay engaged in the reading process.
Active Reading: The teacher encourages students to use active reading strategies, such as underlining, highlighting, or taking notes, to help them understand the text. Active reading helps students to focus on the important information and retain the content better.

Post-Reading:

To foster both ‘comprehension’ and ‘acquisition’ in a reading lesson, teachers need also to help learners revisit the text anew. The post-reading stage is when students reflect on their reading and evaluate the text. The goal of this stage is to help students understand the content in a deeper and more meaningful way.

Reflection: The teacher encourages students to reflect on their reading, such as by summarizing what they learned or discussing what they found interesting. This helps students to process the information and retain it better.
Evaluation: The teacher evaluates the text by asking questions, having a class discussion, or having students write a review. This helps students to think critically about the text and develop their evaluation skills.
Connecting to real-life: The teacher encourages students to connect the text to real-life situations or experiences to make the content more relevant. This helps students to understand the content in a deeper and more meaningful way.

References:

English Language Guidelines for Secondary Schools: Common Core, First Year, and Second Year Baccalaureate (November 2007).
Spratt M. Pulverness A. & Williams M. (2005). The tkt course : teaching knowledge test. Cambridge University Press.

Teaching Reading