Principle 1: Increase Comprehensibility

A simple strategy for making textbook reading more comprehensible for second language learners is "Teach the Text Backwards."  Recall the following sequence of activities involved in this strategy.

Teach the Text Backwards:

• Do the applications or expansions
  
• Discuss the material in class
  
• Answer the questions at the end of the chapter
  
• Read the text

Doing an application or expansion activity first can be used to motivate students, draw on prior knowledge, and establish a purpose and relevance for learning.  It can also build the background knowledge students need in order to comprehend the text.

Conducting and discussing the application activity introduces new language and concepts in context.  It uses oral language (which is easier for most, but not all, ESOL students), visuals and hands-on activities.

Examining the study questions and summary at the end of the chapter previews the reading and identifies key concepts.

All of these activities prepare ESOL students for their most difficult task - reading the text.  Reading can be made more manageable for ESOL students by reducing the quantity they have to read through group assignments or other techniques.

 

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