The following article will explore reading comprehension strategies for ESL teachers to use in the classroom or for teach from home jobs like Cambly or Preply.
Online teaching is one of many side hustles from home, but it is also a great opportunity to make a difference to students' education. So let's start this article off with an example to help you get to grips with reading comprehension strategies:
Why Reading Comprehension Strategies are Important
You’re a native English speaker.
Imagine you’re in China. You look at a street sign and it’s only in Mandarin. You can’t read it. Uh-oh!
Next, imagine you’re in Morocco. You sit down at a restaurant and the menu is only in Arabic. You can’t read it. Ahhh!
Then, imagine you’re in Japan. You need to use the toilet but the doors don’t have a picture. You can’t read the signs and walk into the wrong toilet. How embarrassing!
Now, imagine how it feels for your students who are learning English as a second language when they struggle with reading!
Reading in another language is one of the most daunting aspects of learning. It is also one of the most important. We read so much more than we realise and it is something we shouldn’t take for granted!
The good news is that being able to read is so much more than tricky grammar rules and complex vocabulary. The skill of reading is founded on understanding words and the context the words are written in. This is where reading comprehension strategies come into play!
The following reading comprehension strategies are useful for learners of all levels. They can be adapted and used by emerging learners on the Cambly Kids platform and more advanced students on the Amazing Talker platform.
Reading Comprehension Strategies
1. Sight Words
Sight words are super important for when learning to read at any level. These are high-frequency words that appear often. They can’t really be decoded by sound, so it is important for learners to be able to recognise and understand them at sight. Once students have sight words under their belt, reading becomes so much easier.
2. Organize Learning
Organize learning using concept maps or cluster webs. This helps a student to identify what the text is talking about. Choosing keywords helps to define the purpose of the text. With a visual aid to literally see what the text is about, it is easier for students to read with fluency and understanding.
3. Use Scanning Questions
Using scanning questions is a great way to pick out the most essential pieces of information. When we read, we often come across excess detail. This can throw students off. Guide them to find the most important information with a question. The question should include a specific keyword. Encourage your student to scan the text to find that keyword, and thus find the answer.
4. Use Context Clues
Use context clues and encourage students to look for words they do know rather than words they don’t know. Don’t let new and unfamiliar words become scary! With context clues, you can support your student to use the information surrounding an unknown word in order to decipher it. This is like being a detective!
5. Scaffold
Scaffold students with fill-in-the-blank type exercises. If a student can find the missing word of a paragraph, it means they are on the right track with comprehension. This is a great exercise to help students understand how they can use what they already know to find a missing word. Depending on the level, students will need different prompts to find the missing blank word.
6. Decode Words
Decoding words strategies are highly important when learning to read. Often, we read and come to a new word that we aren’t familiar with. It takes a moment to decode the sounds and figure out what the word it. Helping students to decode but not lose the context of the sentence is an important strategy.
These strategies are useful for all levels and can be adapted to a range of student learning goals. Just remember, it is vital to choose reading texts that are suitable for the student, their age, and their current learning level. Don’t forget, it should also be interesting and relevant to the student. After all, we don’t learn by reading boring things!
Check out the Online Teaching FAQ for guides on making your online classes more fun.
Final Thoughts on Reading Comprehension Strategies
With these reading comprehension strategies, students can read with more confidence. Words, sentences, and paragraphs are less intimidating once students know how to tackle them. Set your students up for success when reading English!
Of course if English teaching on a platform like PalFish isn't for you, there is also opportunity to teach subjects you are passionate about on Allschool, or coach business communication to management professionals on Excedo.
Or you can explore more opportunities at the link below:
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