PRACTICAL IDEAS

Getting to grips with texts

Introduction more likely to know. Ask students first students to find the originals in the
to find the paragraph they are from. It text and underline them. Then ask
For advanced/EAP students, texts of over should be easier to identify a block of students to look at the originals and
600 words are common. Although the related words in one paragraph than a paraphrases, identify pairs of synonyms,
principal reading skills remain the same single word. When they have found the and to notice how similar meanings
whatever the text length, longer texts paragraph, ask students to match each are expressed through different
invite different treatment for a number synonym with the original. Once they grammatical structures, but also how
of reasons. There may be a need to have identified one or two words, the the meaning of the original can be
revisit the text after a first reading, for others should fall into place. implied through very different strategies
language study or to move from general other than straightforward paraphrasing
understanding to a focus on details. The text as answer key at word or phrase level. For example,
Also, length means that it is impossible the sentence It is apparent that video
The text can be used as an answer
to read the whole of the text with the games today share no resemblance to the
key for any kind of grammar activity.
same level of detail, so both intensive games of the past, can be paraphrased
Take a stretch of text and create a
and extensive reading activities are as Clearly, current video games are very
cloze test before students see the text
needed. Furthermore, a course which unlike the older games, which has clear
itself. When finished, they scan the
includes a series of longer texts parallels with the original. Video games
text for the original version to check
demands a greater range of activities have obviously been transformed over
their answers. This approach can be
to ensure interest is maintained. There a period of 20 years is rather different
used with a variety of exercise types,
follows a number of suggestions for structurally, but conveys the same
e.g. mixed up sentences, putting the
reading activities using a variety of meaning.
verb in the correct tense, putting in the
techniques, including reading aloud,
punctuation. Such exercises can be used
timed reading, summarizing, scanning,
as a pre-reading prediction activity, or Reading aloud with
paraphrasing and grammar exercises.
as a post- reading activity, focusing on emphasis
Synonyms particular language items.
Read one paragraph aloud to students,
Choose a number of difficult words from Find the paraphrased using intonation, stress and volume
a single paragraph. Write synonyms for to emphasize the important points.
each word on the board in the order
sentence Ask students to underline these
that they appear in the text. Note that Rewrite a number of key sentences while listening. The more strongly
if the words in the text are academic in the text, making the paraphrases you emphasize words or phrases, the
or low frequency words, the synonyms easier to understand than the originals, more they should highlight them (e.g.
should be words that students are and put these on the board. Ask by making a thicker mark, double
underlining, or using a brighter
color). Then ask students to reproduce
your reading in groups, using their
underlinings as a guide. As well as
giving students a model for reading

“ ... longer texts invite different treatment for aloud, this activity could lead on to a
discussion of the important points of
the paragraph and perhaps, the writer’s
a number of reasons. There may be a need to point of view and your attitude to what
the writer is saying.
revisit the text after a first reading, for language Synonym dictation
study or to move from general understanding Choose a difficult paragraph. Tell the
students you are going to read the text,

”
but you are going to replace some of
to a focus on details. the more difficult words with simpler
synonyms. Students follow the written

14 Modern English Teacher Volume 21 No. 3

“
text as you read, but do not write
anything. When you have finished,
When dealing with longer texts, one
ask them to write any synonyms they
remember above the original words in approach that seems appropriate is a focus
the text. After working individually, let
them compare answers to complete
the exercise. Ask one student to read
from general to specific, and then back to

”
the new version aloud to check all
synonyms have been noted. general.
Timed reading
Choose a paragraph and ask students
to predict the amount of time it will
take to read aloud. Then, ask the the random and ask students to identify the the elderly to live independently. The
class to read it aloud together, note paragraph it comes from. After several words represent themes in the reading
the time taken, and compare it with examples, ask the students to continue texts, and the numbered arrows show
their prediction. Ask them to read it in groups. the relationship between them. Ask
again, silently, again timing themselves. students to identify the relationships
Finally, explain any words that might Blocking sentences between the words, in this case: 1
block comprehension before asking Elderly people want independence, 2 The
Write a particularly long, complex
students to read silently again, again high tech flats allow independence, 3
sentence from the reading on the
noting their time. They should notice Sensors activate the devices, 4 The flats
board and ask students to break it into
an improvement in speed over the are equipped with devices, 5 The devices
blocks of words, according to meaning.
three readings. This illustrates three include video conferencing, 6 Video
Try to get consensus from the class.
aspects of being an effective reader, i.e.
Students can then be asked to identify conferencing allows contact with their
not vocalising or subvocalising, being
which blocks are more important for family. Ask students to suggest more
familiar with the topic, and having a
the meaning of the sentence. Here is words/connections. Note that the words
wide vocabularly knowledge. When they
an example, with three less important in the diagram are all nouns, and the
have finished, ask students to count
blocks eliminated. Note that there are arrows represent verbs.
the words in the paragraph and work
different possible interpretations of how
out their reading speed per minute. As
a guide, according to the Cambridge
sentences should be blocked. Key words
University Students Union website, The other end / ducks / under a six-lane Give students a number of key words
college students read non-academic steel suspension bridge, / one of Bilbao’s from the text. Ask them to scan the
texts at 250-350 words per minute on main cross-town arteries, / and comes text quickly before they guess which is
average, and a good speed is considered up / the other side, / finishing / in a high the most frequent, but do not let them
to be 500-700 words. limestone-clad tower / that serves / no count the words at this stage. They
other function but / to wrap / the bridge rank the words according to predicted
Which paragraph? / and its constantly humming traffic / frequency, and then check their answers
As a post-reading activity, give each into the structure / of the museum itself.  by counting. The answers should
paragraph a title and list these on the (Came & Branswell, 1997) reveal what the text is really ‘about’.
board in order, e.g. 1introduction, 2 Discuss the reasons for any surprises,
background to the problem, 3 details
Text summary for example, the word that seems to be
of the problem,4 first solution, 5 This diagram, which can be drawn the major topic in the title may not be
second solution, 6 future possibilities, on the board, represents a summary the most frequent key word because it
7 conclusion. Ask students to close of a reading text on the topic of flats may be referred to in other ways, e.g.
their books. Now read a sentence at with high-tech devices that enable synonyms, pronouns, ellipsis.

elderly people 1 independence sensors family

2 3 6

the high- tech video

Volume 21 No. 3 www.onlineMET.com 15

One paragraph, one word back into the context of the whole text. Simon Mumford
The final activity is a fun way to end a Authentic formal texts can be daunting.
reading lesson. Put the students in pairs This means that the teacher may
and tell them to make sentences by need to find quick ways to promote
saying one word in turn from successive comprehension to motivate students.
paragraphs, so student A says any word Also, more substantial texts represent
from paragraph 1, student B a word a considerable investment of students’
from paragraph 2, student A, a word time and effort in reading and
from paragraph 3, and so on. The understanding. Therefore, in order to
sentences should be grammatically capitalise on this investment, there is
correct, but of course they may be a a need for a greater variety of activities Simon Mumford enjoys designing
little illogical! Hold a feedback session that consolidate and extend students’ classroom activities and has published
in which students choose the best comprehension. many articles. His other interests
sentence. include academic writing, and he
works in the Academic Writing Centre,
Conclusion REFERENCES Izmir University of Economics, Turkey,
When dealing with longer texts, one Academic Speed Reading, Cambridge where he works with faculty staff on
approach that seems appropriate is a University Student Union website http:// their papers for publication. He holds
focus from general to specific, and then www.cusu.cam.ac.uk/academic/exams/ the Aston University MSc. TESOL.
back to general. Start with activities that speedreading.html Email: [email protected]
involve scanning the whole text (e.g.
Came, B. and B. Branswell, Gehry’s
Key words, above), before moving on
Bilbao Museum Sensation (Nov97
to a detailed focus on certain sections
Updates)
or paragraphs (e.g. Synonym dictation,
above). Finally, by switching back to a http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.
more general focus (e.g. Text summary, com/articles/macleans/gehrys-bilbao-
above) we can put the detailed work museum-sensation-nov97-updates

16 Modern English Teacher Volume 21 No. 3