READING is not only important for academic success, but also helps ESL students improve their grammar and vocabulary, and provides a model for writing. The following are some techniques I have used and recommend using to help ESL learners increase their reading speed and comprehension, as well as their enjoyment of reading.
1. Teach the students how to preview the material. Before they start reading the article, story or chapter, encourage the students to preview the material so they’ll have an overview of what they’re about to read and be able to focus better.
2. Encourage the students to guess the meaning of unfamiliar words from the context. I tell them only to look up a word if they can’t understand the meaning of the sentence. Otherwise, they can mark the word and look it up after they have finished reading the material.
3. Encourage the students to use thought groups. Some students, especially those at lower English proficiency levels, have a tendency to stop after every word they read. Instead, I urge my students to pause after every thought group. We practice the technique in class.
4. Teach the students how to reflect on the reading. After they have finished reading the material, the students can use different methods to review and remember the material better.
5. Teach the structure of the paragraph and the essay. In class, I mention the relationship between reading and writing, and explain how a well structured text is easier to read. Knowing what to look for helps the students read better and faster.
6. Teach the students how to read for different purposes. Depending on whether they are reading for pleasure, for a test, or to obtain specific information, the students might choose to read quickly for main ideas, skim for specific information, or read carefully and take note.
7. Encourage the students to read self selected materials. Self-selected reading gives students an opportunity to practice reading while they increase their reading fluency and enjoyment of reading comprehension, as well as their enjoyment of reading.
