Reading and Writing

READING AND WRITING

In order to cover this topic, you need to follow the steps below.

There are currently two approaches to teaching reading:

a. Skills approach: reading aloud (“Phonics”)

b.   Reading strategies: guessing meaning from context,predicting, inferencing, scanning, skimming


I. Do the readings in the following links. Then, watch the videos below.


http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PF0313/files/How%20to%20teach%20R%20%26%20W/

II. Look at the following videos and analyze the materials used in the activities suggested. 

Video 1: Skills approach: Reading aloud ("Phonics")

Teacher Helen Jones is teaching the reception and Year 1 class, using two techniques involving sound buttons and robot arms to help with reading. But is synthetic phonics just another fashion, and is there any evidence that it works? Helen believes that it does work, but it can be complicated and she shares some useful tips for other teachers starting a synthetics phonics programme.

Video 2:  Reading and Writing games

A primary teacher puts fun and interactive lesson ideas into practice during a Year 5 French modern language class on reading and writing.

After watching both videos, analyze the following aspects (POST YOUR COMMENT IN THE YAHOO GROUP: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PF0313/) YOU NEED TO CHECK THE MENU ON THE RIGHT IN THE YAHOO GROUPS, CLICK POST AND WRITE YOUR COMMENT THERE) 

NOTE: YOUR COMMENTS MUST BE BASED ON THE READINGS, THE VIDEOS AND THE QUESTIONS BELOW.

1. Are the activities constructed around a purpose that has significance for the student?

2. Is there a clear activity's instructional goal? How do the students respond to the activities?

3. Is the level of difficulty ok?

4. Can you adapt any of these activies and use them for the pre-reading or pre-writing stage? If so, how?

5. Are the materials used effective, useful, appropriate? How can you adapt them so that they work in your classes and with your students?