VEDA’S

JOURNAL OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE (JOELL)

An International Peer Reviewed Journal
http://www.joell.in

Vol.3, Spl.Issue 2, 2016

NEWS PAPER READING – A RESOURCEFUL TEACHING TOOL IN ENGLISH

CLASS ROOM
Dr.Yamini Pendyala
(Asst.Prof.of English,R.V.R.& J.C.C.E,GUNTUR, A.P)

ABSTRACT
The rapid changes that have been happening in every aspect of
human life under the impact of globalization have paved the way for learned
centered approach with practical implications on teaching English language in
the classroom. In tune with this learning from the real world has magnetic
appeal for students. This is the reason why the newspaper is considered one
of the perfect teaching tools in the English classroom, in addition to the
regular course book. Using a newspaper in the classroom improves LSRW
skills, increases general knowledge and encourages a positive attitude toward
learning in the students. In addition to this there is a lot of information in
newspapers to make them an excellent springboard for lessons. In this paper
an attempt has been made how to use newspaper material for the teaching
of English. It further focuses on various types of newspaper material that can
be exploited to teach vocabulary, grammar, critical and innovative thinking,
and group dynamics. At the same time a thought has been given on the use
and abuse of newspapers material such that the classroom learning will not
create a pandemonium at the cost of social, cultural, religions, regional and
linguistic sentiments of people.
Keywords: Globalization, Implications, Newspapers, Vocabulary, Grammar,
Innovative Thinking, Pandemonium, Linguistic Sentiments.

© Copyright VEDA Publication

INTRODUCTION English as a common language for communication
English language teaching has been purpose in most of the nations. In schools and
witnessing phenomenal changes after 1980’s under colleges, whether English language is learned as first
the impact of the information technology revolution or second language, it has become imperative to get
and the subsequent globalization. Professionalism in the right word, expression and usage at the right
every walk of life has resulted in the acceptance of time. This has forced to develop innovative practices

14 Dr.Yamini Pendyala
 VEDA’S
JOURNAL OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE (JOELL)
An International Peer Reviewed Journal
http://www.joell.in

in the English language classroom. Obviously the newspaper in the classroom is that it is fresh each
interest has shifted from the teacher to the learner day. It is for this reason the newspaper offers a
for effective language learning. special attraction for both the teachers and learners.
Accordingly, in the English classroom, It can be used to enhance language skills in listening,
learner centered approach has replaced teacher speaking, reading and writing. Critical and creative
centered approach. In this approach, learners are thinking is the natural outgrowth of using a
more important than the teachers, curriculum, newspaper in the learning process. Further, it also
methods or evaluation. In fact, curriculum, materials, helps how to find the main idea, how to increase
teaching methods, and evaluation should all be vocabulary, how to form sentences, how to learn
designed by considering the needs of the learners. grammar, how to write letters and reviews.
So, it is the responsibility of the teacher to see 2. NEWSPAPERS AS A VEHICLE TO TEACH
whether all the elements of the learning process are WRITING
working well for learners or to innovate new a) Guided Wiring: Newspapers contain a variety of
methods if necessary. To follow this method, the information on many aspects. Most of the English
teacher may adapt, supplement, and elaborate new newspapers publish magazine sections and special
materials to monitor the progress and needs of the review sections usually on Sunday. One of the
students for better learning. As Little John and interesting features is Cinema Plus sections published
Windeatt(1989) points out, “Materials have a hidden by The Hindu every Sunday. It contains reviews on
curriculum that includes attitudes toward knowledge, movies released during the previous week. Two or
attitude toward teaching and learning, attitude three previous sections may be collected and
toward the role and relationship of the teacher and learners may be asked to observe the style of writing
student, and values and attitudes related to gender, and vocabulary used in these reviews. Based on this
society, etc”. (69) the learners may be asked to write a review on their
Though the textbook is still a major source favourite movie.
of learning in the English classroom, to generate b) Free Writing: A number of articles are published
interest in the learners, there is an increasing use of on current issues in the newspapers pertaining to
audio visual aids and even internet. However, the social, political, economical, sports, cultural issues
teachers of English of late have started using the etc. The learners can be asked to report on any issue
newspaper as a tool in the classroom for effective in which they have an interest. They should be
language teaching. The main reason why the encouraged to express their opinions freely, but with
newspaper is considered the perfect teaching tool is responsibility.
learning from the real world has magnetic appeal for Another variation that can be tried is asking
the students. In addition, using a newspaper in the the learners to read only the headlines. From the
classroom improves students’ vocabulary skills, headlines the learners are allowed to predict the
increases knowledge and encourages a positive content of an article and later they are asked to
attitude toward learning. According to Clandfield develop the article. At the end they are asked to
Lindsay and Duncan Foord (1990). “News paper is an compare the style of writing, vocabulary and
excellent springboard for lessons. There are lots of construction of sentences.
different kinds of texts in newspapers such as c) Picture Description: Every newspaper contains a
narratives, stories, letters, advertisements, reports number of photographs related to scenery, sports
and so on”. (123) action, celebrities, politicians etc. For developing
In the present research paper an attempt creative writing, the learners may be shown a
has been made how to utilize newspaper as a tool for photograph of an incident or event and they are
imparting language skills in the students. In reality, asked to write an article based on that photograph.
news papers expand the curriculum with an In a similar manner, describing people, monuments,
unlimited amount of information to use as events, scenery, and situation also may be tried with
background for learning activities. The beauty of the the photographs. In addition to this, describing

15 Dr.Yamini Pendyala
 VEDA’S
JOURNAL OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE (JOELL)
An International Peer Reviewed Journal
http://www.joell.in

cartoons generates great enthusiasm in the learners. proactive behavior. Newspapers contain issues that
The cartoons take a dig at the personality or situation can be discussed at length in detail and learners are
exposing the follies there by creating fun in the encouraged, in addition to the solutions provided in
readers. So, by analyzing the cartoons the learners the articles. As learners work on the current issues
not only describe the funny side of it but also the wit their strategic and critical thinking abilities are vastly
or irony underlying the cartoons. developed.
d) Information Transfer: The newspaper contains a c) Debate: It is known fact that debate as an activity
numerous data in the form of pie-diagrams, bar- truly tests the speaking skill of the participants.
charts, tables etc. The learners may be asked to write Newspapers provide wonderful topics for debate to
a paragraph on any pictorial piece of information. It is the learners in the classroom. Topics related to social
possible to draw inferences, comparisons and data issues, cultural contexts and political agendas can be
analysis by transferring pictures into paragraphs. picked from the newspapers and placed before the
e) Letters to the Editor: One of the most important learners for debating purposes. This can be done only
aspects in developing in developing writing skills at by providing headlines to the learners and they
schools and colleges is drafting official letters. should be asked to compare the information with the
Learners are directed to read some of the letters to published article. For a change, the teacher can open
the editors in the newspaper and they are asked to a debate on
write their own letter to the editor. The teacher can a topic that was published in a newspaper in the past
direct them to bring out the current problem or and can input on the same issue in the present
situation which demands a great public interest and, scenarios. But it largely depends on the teacher’s
in a sense can inculcate general awareness in the regularity in going through the newspaper.
leaders on a wide range of issues. The learners can d) Extempore presentation: (JAM) : The teacher may
automatically develop the skill of official letter read an article in a newspaper and learners asked to
writing. express their opinion on the topic in a limited time
3. NEWSPAPER FOR DEVELOPING SPEAKING for example in one minute. These are known as JAM
SKILLS (Just a Minute), sessions which help the learner to
Newspapers offer a great scope for developing speak without having much time to think. These
speaking skill in the learners. sessions not only improve the students’ ability to use
a) Role play: An interesting topic or story may be vocabulary, but also help them in developing
selected from the newspaper and distributed for creativity.
every pair of learners. Care should be taken such that 4. USING NEWSPAPER AS A GATEWAY FOR
the piece of writing can be modified into a role play. TEACHING READING AND GRAMMAR
The learners can add some more information suitable Newspapers contain a lot of writing that uses
to their needs and understanding. By improving an language to deliver information in a specific way. It is
article or story, one learner plays the role of a due to this they make for a fantastic real-world
journalist and another dons the role of a politician/ resource for learners the reading skills, connecting
celebrity/ scientist. The journalist does the interview with discourse analysis as well as analyzing grammar.
while the other person answers the questions. This The best way to use newspaper for this purpose is
particular activity also helps the learners about how the learners may be asked to present the main news
to frame questions. in the classroom everyday each in turn. Invariably the
b) Group Discussion: Newspapers can be used as learner will be forced to read the newspaper at home
wonderful resource material for conducting group and prepare notes from it to read out in the
discussion. In the recruitment process, most of the classroom. In that activity newspaper sheets are
MNC’s are using group discussions as a wonderful distributed to different group of learners each
tool to know the ability of a person to work as a consisting of three to five. They may be instructed to
member of team, leadership qualities, read and remember as much as possible in a time
communicative skills, strategic thinking, and limit by skimming the newspaper. When the time

16 Dr.Yamini Pendyala
 VEDA’S
JOURNAL OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE (JOELL)
An International Peer Reviewed Journal
http://www.joell.in

limit is up, all the groups may be asked to get it in their mother tongue or vice-versa. Another
together and report to each other they remember. effective listening skills development strategy is that
This is a group reading and speaking activity, and the the learners may be asked to read out an
time limit forces the learners to use the reading skills advertisement caption or description and others are
of skimming. In addition to this the teacher can instructed to identify the advertisement. In another
observe the pronunciation of the learners. strategy, the beginning or ending of a story is
Further newspaper also helps the teacher to revealed to the learners and they are encouraged to
make the learner learn grammar in an interesting and fill in the remaining part of the story. Information gap
practical manner. For example, the meaning or activities and opinion gap activities may be used to
definition of ‘noun’ may be explained in the class. improve listening skills. People with trained ears are
Then they should be asked to select an article from always successful at the highest level.
the newspaper and the task of finding nouns should Use and Abuse:In the present era, where politicians
be given to them. They may be instructed to are guided by populism, people are guided by
underline the names of the people in red, the places emotionalism and media guided by sensationalism it
in blue and the things in green. In the same way, they is necessary on the part of teachers and learners to
may be asked to analyze the use of tense in heading take a balanced view in using newspapers as source
describing stories, reporting an incident, sports to take a balanced view in using newspapers as
action and even preparing a recipe. Learning source materials. Global education aims to assist
punctuation may also be improved by using a students to recognize bias in written and visual texts,
newspaper. avoid controversial issues, and consider different
Reports from newspapers can be used for points of view and helps making judgements on
correct use of preposition, phrasal verbs and morality basis rather than value basis. Working on
idiomatic expressions. The teacher should identify a improving language skills through newspaper should
report and apply erasing fluid on prepositions to be used carefully to help the students in learning,
block them. Photostat copies should be given to a intercultural and cross cultural understanding,
group of learners and they may be asked to fill in the diversity, behaviours and attitudes and developing
blanks with missing prepositions. It is generally critical and creative thinking skills.
observed that sports columnists use a variety of REFERENCES
phrasal verbs and idiomatic expressions for creating [1]. Batchman, L.F. 1990. Fundamental Considerations in
special impact on the readers. The learners may be Language Testing. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
[2]. Brown, H.D. 1994, Principles of Language Learning and
asked to select their favourite sports column and
Teaching. 3rd ed. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.
identify phrasal verbs and idiomatic expressions by [3]. Clandfield, Lindsay and Foord, Duncan (1990). Teaching
using a highlighter. Later they are instructed to guess materials: Using News papers in the Class room, in R.
or identify the meaning of these expressions by the Rossner and R. Bolitho, (Eds), Curents in Language
Teaching. London: Oxford University Press.
topic that comes to their mind which finally results in
[4]. Littlejohn, A., & Windeatt, S. (1989). Beyond language
the development of sports glossary. learning: Perspective on materials design. In R.K.
5) MAKING LISTENING AS AN ACTIVE ACTIVITY Johnson (Ed), The Second language curriculum
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Of all the language skills, listening is the
most neglected skill, but it is of paramount
importance in developing good communication skills.
Newspapers can be considered a wonderful source
material for listening skills development. Usually
comprehension method is used by the teachers to
know whether the learners are listening. However,
the students feel flat for such routine activity. Instead
the teacher can read out a story or joke published in
a newspaper and the learners may be asked to retell

17 Dr.Yamini Pendyala