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Monday, 14 September 2009
Guiding students into academic reading and writing
Second Language acquisition (L2) is a long process involving trial and error periods during which L2 students may encounter problems to express their thoughts and ideas. This considerable difficulty might be gradually overcome if students experienced the habit of reading more extensively. Reading is closely connected with writing since reading practice will provide apprentice writers with new ideas, vocabulary and structures; it will arouse a strong feeling of membership of a particular discourse community. But how can a teacher urge students to read?
According to Bloor (1985), reading in academic contexts can be approached in at least four different manners:
1. Psychological approach: it is highly involved in what happens in the mind of the reader during the process of reading. Extensive reading causes students to build a solid foundation in the basics of writing. Since acquiring and enlarging academic vocabulary is regarded as a slow and hard process, the psychological approach will allow students and teachers to be aware of this protracted development. Writing, as a result of reading extensively, requires a long process and teachers will notice their students’ development progressively in their students’ papers.
2. Linguistic approach: the focus lies on drawing students’ attention to the words and sentences of a given text. It is assumed that if readers handle the linguistic features of the text, proficiency will be acquired. Not only should educators urge students to read widely but also help them identify academic terminology. Educators are expected to encourage students to file any new academic vocabulary or group it according to disciplines so that it can be fully exploited when necessary.
3. Content-oriented approach: the main goal is to give students a specific purpose for reading. Students are believed to improve their performance when they feel fully motivated. Teachers should acknowledge students as individuals who do not all have the same interests. Balancing the topics suggested implies grasping the essentials of academic reading and writing.
4. Pedagogically-oriented approach: this approach is exemplified by “those courses where learning theories are the main motivation for the design of the total course rather than the design of individual exercises” (Bloor, 1985). Learning theories play an important role to motivate students. Self-access materials from which students can make their own choice and the reading at their own pace are essential objectives. Students can feel fully motivated to read much more widely if the materials provided are at hand and ready to be used in due time. Students’ eagerness and willingness to read extensively and build academic vocabulary are the grounds for successful achievement.
During the past decades reading was only restricted to books. Nevertheless, the era of technological revolution has settled among us and is promptly expanding and reaching every corner in the world. A great number of websites which provide readers with authentic and precise information covering important topical issues can be easily found. It is worth mentioning that some strategies may be devised to accomplish effective reading techniques such as stopping at relevant vocabulary or structures. The “stop and think” technique will make students reflect upon the major theme and incorporate the specific vocabulary or jargon used in academic reading. Reading is like soaring to a vantage point which gives the reader a wider view on many fields.
REFERENCES
Jordan, R. (8th printing 2006) English for Academic Purposes: a Guide and Resource Book for Teachers (p. 145) Cambridge University Press (1997) Retrieved from (http://books.google.com.ar/books?id=vxfGRCi45pkC&pg=PA144&lpg=PA144&dq=bloor+psychological+linguistic+content-oriented+approach&source=bl&ots=I0clhyKJln&sig=vG8KmeEY7R2qB4VzmA0DyI582do&hl=es&ei=yxyuSqa8IMfBtwebu8mmCA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1#v=onepage&q=&f=false)
Pintos, V. (2009) Building up a Community of Teachers and Prospective Researchers – (p. 33)
According to Bloor (1985), reading in academic contexts can be approached in at least four different manners:
1. Psychological approach: it is highly involved in what happens in the mind of the reader during the process of reading. Extensive reading causes students to build a solid foundation in the basics of writing. Since acquiring and enlarging academic vocabulary is regarded as a slow and hard process, the psychological approach will allow students and teachers to be aware of this protracted development. Writing, as a result of reading extensively, requires a long process and teachers will notice their students’ development progressively in their students’ papers.
2. Linguistic approach: the focus lies on drawing students’ attention to the words and sentences of a given text. It is assumed that if readers handle the linguistic features of the text, proficiency will be acquired. Not only should educators urge students to read widely but also help them identify academic terminology. Educators are expected to encourage students to file any new academic vocabulary or group it according to disciplines so that it can be fully exploited when necessary.
3. Content-oriented approach: the main goal is to give students a specific purpose for reading. Students are believed to improve their performance when they feel fully motivated. Teachers should acknowledge students as individuals who do not all have the same interests. Balancing the topics suggested implies grasping the essentials of academic reading and writing.
4. Pedagogically-oriented approach: this approach is exemplified by “those courses where learning theories are the main motivation for the design of the total course rather than the design of individual exercises” (Bloor, 1985). Learning theories play an important role to motivate students. Self-access materials from which students can make their own choice and the reading at their own pace are essential objectives. Students can feel fully motivated to read much more widely if the materials provided are at hand and ready to be used in due time. Students’ eagerness and willingness to read extensively and build academic vocabulary are the grounds for successful achievement.
During the past decades reading was only restricted to books. Nevertheless, the era of technological revolution has settled among us and is promptly expanding and reaching every corner in the world. A great number of websites which provide readers with authentic and precise information covering important topical issues can be easily found. It is worth mentioning that some strategies may be devised to accomplish effective reading techniques such as stopping at relevant vocabulary or structures. The “stop and think” technique will make students reflect upon the major theme and incorporate the specific vocabulary or jargon used in academic reading. Reading is like soaring to a vantage point which gives the reader a wider view on many fields.
REFERENCES
Jordan, R. (8th printing 2006) English for Academic Purposes: a Guide and Resource Book for Teachers (p. 145) Cambridge University Press (1997) Retrieved from (http://books.google.com.ar/books?id=vxfGRCi45pkC&pg=PA144&lpg=PA144&dq=bloor+psychological+linguistic+content-oriented+approach&source=bl&ots=I0clhyKJln&sig=vG8KmeEY7R2qB4VzmA0DyI582do&hl=es&ei=yxyuSqa8IMfBtwebu8mmCA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1#v=onepage&q=&f=false)
Pintos, V. (2009) Building up a Community of Teachers and Prospective Researchers – (p. 33)
Sunday, 6 September 2009
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