How do you teach reading?
What things do you focus on while teaching?
Comprehension
List of Reading Strategies
Reading Strategies Description
• Helps activate prior knowledge•
Predicting Based on clues in text (pictures,
subtitles, etc.)
• Connecting prior knowledge to new
Connecting
information
• Thinking more specifically about
Comparing connections they are making, e.g. How
is this different to….?
• Taking information from a text and
Inferring creating their own interpretations
beyond the literal level.
• Piecing information together as students read
Synthesising
a text, to keep track of what is happening
• Creating sensory images to assist with overall
Creating Images
comprehension of a text
• Providing a framework for active learning as
Self-questioning
students engage with the text to find answers
• Glancing quickly through material to gain an
Skimming
overall view of text
• Glancing through a text to locate specific
Scanning
details , e.g. names, dates etc.
• Prioritizing most important information from
Determining Importance phrase, sentence, paragraph, chapter or whole
text
• Reducing larger texts to focus on important elements• Re-
Summarising and
stating/re-writing text in own words using key words to capture
Paraphrasing
main focus
• Creating opportunities for deeper understanding, word
Re-Reading
identification and developing fluency
• Skipping unfamiliar word(s) and reading on to provide sufficient
Reading On
context to determine unknown word/phrase
• Adjusting rate where appropriate, e.g. slowing down to
Adjusting Reading
comprehend new information, or speeding up to scan for key
Rate
words
• Using knowledge of letter-sound relationship to decode
Sounding Out
unknown words
• Breaking multi-syllabic words into units larger that individual
Chunking
phonemes
• Transferring what they know about familiar words to help them
Using Analogy
identify unfamiliar words
Consulting a • Using a dictionary, thesaurus, reference chart or glossary to
Reference help find word meanings/pronunciations
Reading Fluency
• accurate word recognition
• automaticity
• appropriate rhythm and intonation of speech.
You can:
• exposure to modelled fluent reading patterns at school and at home
• provision of opportunities to practice the fluent reading behaviors in meaningful
context as opposed to in isolation
• opportunities to focus on and practice reading developmentally-appropriate
texts with expression through guided and repeated reading activities aimed at
expressive reading
• opportunities to engage in fluent reading in a variety of texts at both their
independent and instructional levels.
Activity Method
Choral Reading Children chorally read a portion of text altogether.
In this activity, the teacher tapes the children reading
individually. This can be done with the microphone on your
Taped Reading interactive whiteboard or a tape recorder. The children may
listen back to what they have read. They self-assess their own
reading.
The teacher may work with a small group/whole
class/individual. The teacher models fluent reading and the
Echo Reading
children repeat the reading back to the teacher. They echo the
teachers’ expression and intonation etc.
Older children are paired with younger children. If children are
too close in age, some readers might feel uncomfortable when
Buddy Reading
reading aloud. There are benefits for the older and younger
child here.
Approach Focus Best For Classroom Activities
Beginners, young Sound drills, word
Bottom-Up Decoding, phonics
learners reading
Meaning through Intermediate and
Top-Down Prediction, skimming
context advanced learners
Interactive Integration of skills All levels Pre-while-post reading
Teens, adults,
Communicative Real-world text use practical language Task-based reading
users
Structured reading Comprehension,
Three-Stage Model All levels
lesson summary
Reading with a Active, project-based Problem-solving, info
Task-Based
purpose learners gap
Fluency and
Extensive Reading Independent learners Book clubs, SSR
enjoyment
1. Bottom-Up Approach
Definition:
This approach sees reading as a process that begins with decoding individual letters,
then words, and finally sentences to extract meaning.
Focus:
• Decoding skills
• Phonics
• Word recognition
• Grammar structures
Stages:
1. Letter Recognition
o Identifying shapes and sounds of letters.
2. Phonemic Awareness and Phonics
o Associating sounds with letters and blending them to form words.
3. Word Recognition
o Recognizing common sight words and vocabulary.
4. Syntactic and Grammatical Processing
o Understanding sentence structure and grammar.
5. Comprehension
o Understanding meaning after decoding.
Strengths:
• Builds strong foundation for beginners.
• Emphasizes accuracy.
Limitations:
• Slow comprehension development.
Learners may focus on decoding without understanding.
2. Top-Down Approach
Definition:
This approach views reading as a psycholinguistic guessing game.
Readers use their background knowledge, experiences, and predictions to
understand texts.
Focus:
• Prior knowledge
• Predictions
• Reading for meaning
• Skimming and scanning
Stages:
1. Prediction and Preview
o Readers predict content based on the title, pictures, or headings.
2. Reading for Gist (Skimming)
o Getting the general idea without focusing on every word.
3. Confirming Predictions
o Matching expectations with actual content.
4. Inferring Meaning
o Using context clues and prior knowledge.
5. Responding to Text
o Giving opinions, connecting with personal experiences.
Strengths:
• Encourages active reading.
• Suitable for intermediate and advanced learners.
Limitations:
• Beginners may struggle without sufficient
vocabulary.
• Comprehension may become inaccurate.
3. Interactive Approach
Definition:
This approach combines bottom-up and top-down processes. Readers decode text
while simultaneously using prior knowledge to interpret meaning.
Focus:
• Balance of decoding and comprehension
• Reader-text interaction
Stages:
1. Pre-Reading
o Activating prior knowledge, vocabulary preview, setting purpose.
2. While-Reading
o Skimming, scanning, detailed reading, making inferences.
3. Post-Reading
o Summarizing, discussing, applying ideas, answering questions.
Strengths:
• Flexible and balanced.
• Effective for a wide range of learners.
Limitations:
• Requires skilled instruction to manage both processes.
4. Schema Theory-Based Approach
Definition:
Based on schema theory, this approach emphasizes the role of
the reader’s existing knowledge (schemata) in understanding
texts.
Types of Schema:
• Linguistic schema – Knowledge of vocabulary and grammar.
• Content schema – Knowledge of the world.
• Formal schema – Knowledge of text structures.
Stages:
1. Pre-Activation of Schema
o Brainstorming, discussions, KWL charts.
2. Integrating New Information
o Making connections between known and new knowledge.
3. Restructuring Schema
o Adjusting understanding based on the new information.
Strengths:
• Deepens comprehension.
• Promotes critical thinking.
Limitations:
• Limited use for learners without relevant schema.
• Complex for low-level learners.
5. Language Experience Approach (LEA)
Definition:
This method connects reading with students’ own spoken
language. It is often used with young learners or early literacy
development.
Focus:
• Personal experiences
• Oral to written connection
• Whole language development
Stages:
1. Shared Experience
o Class activity, storytelling, or discussion.
2. Dictation/Transcription
o Teacher writes down students’ spoken words.
3. Reading the Text
o Students read their dictated story.
4. Rereading and Extension
o Vocabulary practice, grammar focus, and writing extension.
Strengths:
• Personalized and motivating.
• Builds confidence and fluency.
Limitations:
• Less structured.
• Not ideal for advanced academic skills.
Communicative Approach to Reading
Definition:
Emphasizes reading as a means of communication. The goal is
meaningful interaction with the text, not just comprehension.
Focus:
• Purposeful reading
• Real-life texts (e.g., emails, menus, articles)
• Functional reading skills
Stages:
1. Authentic Input Selection
o Use of real-world reading materials.
2. Purpose Setting
o Why are learners reading? (e.g., to get directions, to learn something)
3. Task-Based Reading
o Performing tasks like finding information, solving problems.
4. Interactive Follow-up
o Discussion, group work, debates, or responses.
Strengths:
• Engages learners.
• Builds real-world skills.
Limitations:
• Can lack explicit language instruction.
• Difficult for beginners.
7. Cognitive and Metacognitive Approach
Definition:
Emphasizes thinking processes during reading. Readers learn to monitor and
control their understanding.
Focus:
• Cognitive strategies (e.g., summarizing, visualizing)
• Metacognitive strategies (e.g., self-questioning, monitoring)
Stages:
1. Strategy Instruction
o Teaching how to preview, predict, infer, summarize.
2. Application
o Using strategies during reading.
3. Reflection and Evaluation
o Learners assess how well they understood and what worked.
Strengths:
• Builds independent readers.
• Enhances critical thinking.
Limitations:
• Time-consuming.
• Requires strong learner autonomy.
Stages of a Reading Lesson (Across Approaches)
Regardless of the approach, most effective reading lessons follow three key stages:
1. Pre-Reading Stage
• Activate prior knowledge.
• Build interest and purpose.
• Teach key vocabulary and concepts.
Activities:
KWL charts, prediction tasks, title discussions, vocabulary mapping.
2. While-Reading Stage
• Focus on comprehension and engagement.
• Apply reading strategies.
• Develop detailed and critical understanding.
Activities:
Skimming, scanning, note-taking, answering comprehension questions,
identifying main ideas.
3. Post-Reading Stage
• Reflect, analyze, and extend.
• Personalize and discuss ideas.
• Assess comprehension.
