Reading I-Learner
Level 1: Overview
Level 1: Overview
For the past two decades, opinion on how to teach children to read and to write has been shifting between two main approaches: one is the phonics approach; the other is the whole-language approach.
The phonics approach begins with reading lessons that focus on sounding out first single letters and then combinations of letters, tightly controlled vocabulary, and short "basal" (or basic) reading passages, followed by numerous skills exercises, each with just one correct answer. Proponents of skill-based or phonics instruction maintain that children are better able to decode words on their own after learning how to decode letters, sounds, and letter groupings (Arbruster, Lehr, & Osborn, 2001).
The whole-language, or meaning-based approach, emphasises reading comprehension. Students focus on whole words and draw meaning from the context of those words within sentences and paragraphs. Supporters of whole-language instruction assert that the manner in which children learn to read is similar to the way they learn to speak, and that the whole-language approach complements this learning process. Just as their desire to communicate orally prompted them to master vocabulary and learn to piece together whole sentences, children will be similarly motivated to learn to communicate in written form (Coles, 2000). The whole-language approach incorporates oral and silent reading, and the reading of authentic literature, as opposed to the basal readers used in most phonics programmes.
Reading I-Learner integrates the phonics approach and the whole-language approach. We consider phonics the basic method for our I-Learners to acquire basic skills in pronunciation and spelling, especially when English is the second language. Therefore, in addition to teaching phonics skills in Level 1 of our Reading I-Learner, we have designed a Phonics I-Learner for this particular training. However, since English is not the first language, we then shift our reading training to the whole-language approach, aiming to help our readers to absorb the meaning of words, though we will continue to touch on phonics skills as well. In our whole-language approach, we follow Krashen's principle: the aim is to help our students to understand the meaning of words, rather than their mere exposure to words.
The prominent features of Reading I-Learner are:
- using the phonics approach to help students to decode words
- authentic reading materials with plenty of variety (see details below)
- fun and interest while learning
- building vocabulary and reading skills
- sustainable reading - students are guided towards exploring the world of books and words by themselves
- clear improvement/progression route through promotion progressing from a lower level to a higher level and through completion of increasingly challenging exercises
Authentic reading materials with plenty of variety
1. Pictures and Words
-- signs
-- comic strips
-- advertisements
-- leaflets
-- users' guides
-- instructions
-- form filling
-- poems
-- descriptions
2. Songs and Nursery Rhymes
3. Stories
4. Dramas
5. Language Fun
-- jokes
-- riddles
-- tongue twisters
-- games
-- psychology tests
-- horoscopes
6. Reading Skills
-- grammar clues
-- inferring or guessing meaning from context
-- importance of titles and topic sentences
-- referral
-- top-down and bottom-up
-- reading map/mental picture
-- reading speed
7. Excerpts from Books
8. Film Reviews
Reading I-Learner (Level I)
Learning Plan and Progression Route
| Grade VI. A Master Reader (completed 12 themes) Skills in focus: comprehension, reading skills, reading speed and fun, rhymes and patterns, language art |
||||
| Theme 12: Adventures with Words | ||||
| Theme 11: Language Arts | ||||
| Grade V. An Outstanding Reader (completed 10 themes) Skills in focus: comprehension, reading skills, reading interest, reading horizon |
||||
| Theme 10: School Life | ||||
| Theme 9: Natural Science | ||||
| Grade IV. A Skillful Reader (completed 8 themes) Skills in focus: Comprehension, problem solving and reading skills |
||||
| Theme 8: Bedtime Stories | ||||
| Theme 7: Health and Fitness | ||||
| Grade III. A Competent Reader (completed 6 themes) Skills in focus: comprehension, reading skills, reading interest, vocabulary and sentence patterns |
||||
| Theme 6: Reading Skills | ||||
| Theme 5: Holidays and Seasons | ||||
| Theme 4: Animals and Plants | ||||
| Grade II. A Promising Reader (completed 3 themes) Skills in focus: mental pictures, reading aloud, comprehension (including instructions - more guides in Chinese), basic vocabulary and grammar, interest in reading |
||||
| Theme 3: People and Things They Do | ||||
| Theme 2: Knowing Myself | ||||
| Grade I. A Novice Reader (completed 1theme) Skills in focus: mental pictures, reading aloud, comprehension (including instructions - more guides in Chinese), basic vocabulary and grammar, interest in reading. |
||||
| Theme 1: Places to Go | Sample 1.6 The Wizard of Oz |
Type of Questions
|
||
| 1.5 On Little Prince's Tiny Planet | ||||
| 1.4 Ocean Park | ||||
| 1.3 My Bonnie lies over the Ocean | ||||
| 1.2 An Old Tale | ||||
| 1.1 MTR |
Reading I-Learner
Level 2
Level 2
A. Teaching Reading Strategies
The best way to learn the ways in which good readers go about getting meaning from a passage is perhaps to have the experience of becoming caught up in a text. But for beginning readers, some assistance is often helpful. We prepare for every text a "Before Reading" section:
| "My Vocabulary Builder" is an individual vocabulary databank for users of I-Learner. "My Vocabulary Builder" allows students to add any word or expression they encounter in I-Learner texts to their personal vocabulary notebook. Students can review these words and expressions, memorise them, and do revision exercises to improve their understanding of them. |
- "Thinking About.....," which uses a short Chinese text to introduce the theme of the text to be read.
- "Looking For.....," which asks the student to look for the main ideas of the author regarding the theme of the text.
This part will be in Chinese for the first 10 texts, then in both English and Chinese for another 15 texts, and in English only for the remaining texts.
B. Text and Illustration
- Texts are divided into levels, and the main training focuses are stated
- Beginner: vocabulary, basic comprehension, listening
- Lower Intermediate: vocabulary, basic and inference comprehension + listening
- Intermediate: vocabulary, basic + inference comprehension + listening + basic reading skills
- Post-intermediate: inference comprehension + listening + story line graph (higher order thinking)
- vocabulary (Chinese, English explanations in a textbox when the mouse pointer is moved close to those words, and a function allowing a right click to add a word to a personal vocabulary-building notebook)
- voice (by vocabulary, every long sentence, or couple of short sentences)
C. Using Authentic Text and Voice-over
We use texts from the "Student Standard," English classics, and other authentic sources. We divide these texts into levels by topic, length and vocabulary requirement to suit users at different levels:
- beginners (bilingual instructions; simplified or children's texts; slower reading speed)
- intermediate (English-only instructions; medium reading speed)
- senior (English-only instructions; normal reading speed).
Reading unedited, authentic texts is effective in advancing the reading skills of students. However, it is usually problematic for students who lack a solid foundation in English. The main problem lies in the demanding vocabulary requirements. This problem, however, can be overcome by adding a vocabulary explanation function so that new vocabulary does not hinder reading. In fact, we believe that with "My Vocabulary Builder" this potential problem can be converted into the additional advantage of picking up authentic knowledge of vocabulary.
The use of authentic texts is very helpful in building up student confidence. Enthusiasm for learning English grows when students find that they can read an unedited authentic text which has appeared in an English newspaper they are familiar with.
Our standard British accent voice-over immerses students in good pronunciation and intonation and allows students to follow at their own pace.
D. Thematic Organisation of Texts
The selections for reading are organised thematically. This means that students are able to build up their background knowledge about particular topics. They can benefit from "reading-in-depth" in a fairly short time. This feature puts into practice an important aspect of the theoretical understanding of the reading process: the more one knows about a topic, the easier and more enjoyable becomes further reading about it.
We have chosen topics that students are most likely to feel an interest in and that will benefit them personally and academically, from personal growth to interesting stories about foreign cultures.
E. Exercise Areas
- comprehension
- facts and direct answers: who, when, where, what
- relationship (inference): how, why
- finding sequence of events (numbering events 1, 2, 3......)
- finding context clues (deducing meanings of new words and expressions)
- discovering implication: (yes/no answers, guiding questions)
- topic sentences
- listening (simple and definite answers)
- oral tasks (follow-me type of reciting after native accent voices; pronunciation and intonation tips)
- writing tasks (no correction, but the student's best three will be recognised)
- discussion tasks - guidelines given for students to discuss topics among themselves
- exploration tasks - guidelines on relevant topics and links to relevant sites and books
F. Types of Exercise
- true or false
- multiple choice (comprehension, vocabulary, comment)
- fill in the blanks (cloze passages, complete graphs, write down vocabulary)
- matching (drag and drop)
- open competition for best rewrite/commentary exercise
- personal vocabulary builder
G. Learning Plan and Progression Route
Learners can see their own improvement/progress through progressing from a lower to a higher level and through completion of increasingly challenging exercises.
| A Master Reader (completed 100 articles in 12 themes) Skills in focus: Comprehension (reading tools), vocabulary drills, intermediate to advanced grammar, listening for gist |
||||
| Knowledge Theme 12: Social Issues | ||||
| Knowledge Theme 11: Our Global Village | ||||
| Knowledge Theme 10: Business World | ||||
| An Outstanding Reader (completed 70 articles in 9 themes) Skills in focus: Comprehension (more reading skills), intermediate grammar, listening for gist |
||||
| Knowledge Theme 9: Science and Technology | ||||
| Knowledge Theme 8: Environment | ||||
| Knowledge Theme 7: Relationship | ||||
| A Skilful Reader (completed 42 articles in 6 themes) Skills in focus: Comprehension (reading skills), communicative grammar, paragraph listening exercise |
||||
| Knowledge Theme 6: English Language | ||||
| Knowledge Theme 5: Health and Fitness | ||||
| A Competent Reader (completed 26 articles in 4 themes) Skills in focus: Comprehension (all guides in English), communicative grammar, sentence level listening exercise |
||||
| Knowledge Theme 4: Education | ||||
| Knowledge Theme 3: Travelling | ||||
| A Promising Reader (completed 12 articles in 2 themes) Skills in focus: Comprehension (Bilingual instructions), basic grammar, word and phase/clause level listening exercise |
||||
| Knowledge Theme 2: People Around Us | ||||
| A Novice Reader (completed 6 articles in 1 theme) Skills in focus: Comprehension (Bilingual instructions), basic grammar, word and phase/clause level listening exercise |
||||
| Knowledge Theme 1: Personal growth Skills in focus: Comprehension (including instructions - more guides in Chinese), basic grammar, sentence level diction exercise |
Sample 1.6 Putting off happiness |
Type and Number of Questions
|
||
| 1.5 Control how you feel | ||||
| 1.4 You possess the power | ||||
| 1.3 Ways to feel relaxed | ||||
| 1.2 Getting out of the Net | ||||
| 1.1 Auntie Rose |