Teaching reading in English can be a fun educational experience.
Teaching reading in English can present quite a challenge. English is one of the most difficult languages to teach due to the number of exceptions to grammatical rules. Teaching reading successfully, whether to native English speakers at a young age or adults as a second language, requires patience and creativity. Lessons should be fun, utilizing hobbies or items liked by the class to further their skills. If your class is not understanding a lesson, break it down to simpler steps. An effective teacher takes complex concepts and finds multiple ways to explain them.
Instructions
1. Ask the class or have a written worksheet for music, hobbies, people, places and things members of the class are interested in and want to learn more about. Popular choices of movies, pop stars and cartoons among young children change constantly. An adult English class might be interested in finding work in America or understanding business contracts. Customize reading materials and lesson plans to these interests. If your class loves a particular pop star, get lyrics from a few of her songs. Since the class is listening to this song constantly and most likely watches a music video of the singer saying the words, they may quickly be able to read the entire song. Branch out from the song to using vocabulary from the song to have the class read more difficult passages. You can also set up games such as putting words from the song on flash cards and testing the class. Provide creative writing exercises and have the class write a short story based on the song subject, then read what they wrote in front of the class. Writing and speaking skills reinforce reading skills.
2. Bring in "real world" examples for the class to learn from. An adult class that is interested in living skills may take to you bringing in a recipe and having the class bake a food item in class. Have them read the recipe and go over vocabulary, then have them translate the words to their native language so they clearly understand word meaning. Conduct a spelling test or questionnaire on the recipe, for example, give them a copy of the recipe and ask questions such as, "How many eggs are used?" and "What happens after you take the cake out of the oven?" This will force them to read and understand the text. At the end of the lesson, celebrate by baking the item and eating it, if edible.
3. Set clear goals and use tests to verify progress. An effective teacher is flexible. You may plan to have your class reading at a third-grade reading level within six weeks, but if initial testing shows they are far behind this, extend the time or change your goals for the semester. Use spelling tests, grammar exams, reading in front of the class and homework to verify how students are progressing. If your students love football, give them a simple article to read about a famous player at home. When they come to class the next day, have a questionnaire that has diverse questions such as true-and-false, multiple-choice and essay questions about the article they read. Try to include at least one "fun" item so that they feel that they enjoy the assignment, such as asking them to draw a picture of their favorite part of the article. If students score high on their understanding of the article, you can assume they are reading at that level and that you can now give them a more complex short story or article to read.
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