Aim Of A Reading Program



To enable students to enjoy (or at least be comfortable with) reading the foreign language, and read without help, unfamiliar authentic text at appropriate speed, silently and with adequate understanding. (Nuttal 1982)

To enable students
As teachers, we cannot force or make the students to memorize the language. Language cannot be transferred. Therefore, it is important for the teacher to develop language environment for the language skills to develop. Teachers have to prepare a condusive environment where extensive reading can take place not only in school but also at home, reading on their own.

to enjoy (or at least be comfortable with) reading the foreign language
It is important for teachers to prepare them with interesting materials to read. Students should be allowed to have the freedom to choose any book that they like (besides the non-halal material). This is to instil the habit of reading and make them feel that reading is a necessity. Once they get into the reading habit, then teacher can slowly make them read other materials like newspaper for instance which promote language across the curriculum.

and read without help
Teachers also must make sure that students can be an independent learner, autonomous reader. This is important for them so as to acquire the problem solving skills.

unfamiliar
Encourage students to read wide range of text. Varieties are important. Materials should always be new in terms of discourse structure. In coursebooks, there are two kinds of discourse structure; descriptive and non descriptive. It is also important for teachers to provide them with balance kind of text.

authentic text
Teachers encourage students to read something new, something which interest them. Encourage them to read newspaper. Besides having general knowledge, reading newspaper will help to improve the language skills. Brochures, leaflets and other authentic materials would be interesting.

at appropriate speed
Certain reader reads at a different speed. Even the same reader can read at a different speed too. The speed depends on:
1) The purpose of your reading - whether you read all or just to skim through.
2) The text factor - whether or not you are familiar with the text.

silently
This can corelate for a better understanding of the text.

and with adequate understanding
Not all the things you need to know or comprehend. It all depends on the purpose of your reading. For example, reading newspaper. You don't read from page to page all sections. Teachers need to train students to be a flexible reader or a strategic reader that fits in the real life situation.

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