Learning to read a new language
is very difficult. It takes time
and effort. English as a Second
Language (ESL) students can
improve reading comprehension by
utilizing these tips:
English-Foreign Language
Dictionaries
One of the easiest ways to learn
new vocabulary words is to use a
dictionary. However, new words are
best understood within the context
of sentences, and it takes a lot
of time to look up new words.
Create a list of new words and
look them up when you’re not
reading paragraphs.
Context Clues
New vocabulary can be learned by
identifying contextual clues. Look
for these clues while reading:
- Type of
Word: Verbs, nouns, adverbs,
and adjectives can be
identified through these
clues:-
1. Articles (the, an, or a)
are typically placed before
nouns
2. Adjectives (words that
describe nouns), such as
large, yellow, and angry,
are placed immediately
before nouns
3. Sentences usually begin
with nouns, and nouns follow
prepositions (at, to,
before, during, in, etc.)
4. Verbs typically end with
ing or ed suffixes
5. Adjectives frequently end
with est, er, ous, and able
suffixes
6. Adverbs describe verbs
and typically end with ly
suffixes - Surrounding
Words: Words surrounding
unfamiliar terms provide
indications about meaning.-
1. Nouns typically provide
insights into verbs. For
example: The coach used a
whiteboard to teach his
players.
2. Verbs typically offer
clues about a noun’s
meaning. For example: The
students ran around the
track.
3. Verbs and nouns also
provide insights into other
words within the sentence.
For example: John documented
the company’s meeting
minutes in his notebook. - Verb
Tense: Indicates whether an
event:-
1. Is currently taking place
- Singular
and Plural: Indicates
whether a noun refers to
single or multiple
entities
2. Occurred in the past
3. Will take place in the
futurePaired Storytelling
StrategyWord-for-word translation is
an ineffective way to learn
foreign languages. Many ESL
students have benefitted
greatly by using the paired
storytelling strategy, a
method where writing and
reading skills are developed
by working in groups.The Paired Storytelling
Strategy is comprised of these
5 learning strategies:- Cultural
background is incorporated
into reading comprehension
exercises - ESL
students are taught in
similar ways as native
English speakers - Reading
and writing skills are
learned simultaneously - Teachers
avoid using discouraging
teaching methods - ESL
students are encouraged to
communicate in English
This method offers numerous
advantages. ESL students enjoy
the opportunity to practice
English individually with
other students in
non-threatening settings, and
since students work in groups,
they encourage their peers.
Additionally, confidence
increases since students are
not placed in intimidating
situations. Likewise, since
students are required to
practice speaking, they
simultaneously improve writing
and readings skills. Students
learning through the Paired
Storytelling Strategy also
learn new vocabulary within
the context of paragraphs.
This is one of the best
advantages of using this
method.ESL teachers use the Paired
Storytelling Strategy as
follows:1. Organize Groups
- Separate
the class into groups
2. Introduce Concepts
- Introduce
reading assignments by
writing new concepts to
learn on the whiteboard
3. Brainstorm Ideas
- Assist
students while they
brainstorm ideas. Teachers
typically get students to
think about how personal
experiences related to
concepts - Teachers
help students feel at ease
during this phase by
making it clear that wrong
answers do not exist.
Rather, they encourage
students to apply what
they’ve already learned to
new concepts - Teachers
require students to
brainstorm to assess
whether they’re
sufficiently prepared to
learn new concepts. When
appropriate, teachers
provide additional
instruction.
4. Pass out the Assignment
- Teachers
separate assignments into
two sections. Students
work in pairs, and each
one is provided with a
section
5. Read and Summarize Main
Points- Students
are required to jot down
the main points from their
assigned sections.
Teachers typically provide
readings with just a few
points to avoid confusion
6. Switch Lists
- Teachers
require students to switch
sections and their lists
of key concepts with other
students. Students are
then instructed to review
the list compiled by their
partners. When students
are unfamiliar with
concepts on an exchanged
list, the teacher creates
a sentence with the
concept.
7. Write a Short Story
- Students
are required to write a
short story using concepts
from both lists. The
students who reviewed the
first list predicts what
occurs during the
beginning of the story,
while the second predicts
what occurs during the end
of the second story.
8. Read Both Stories
- Each
student is then required
to read aloud what they
predicted. Teachers also
call on students to read
their stories to the
class. Teachers remind
students not to ridicule
other students.
9. Compare Each Students’
Story- Students
now compare their stories
to the stories of their
classmates.
10. Discussion
- In
pairs and with the class,
students discuss what they
learned. This enables them
to familiarize new
concepts and learn from
the insights of other
class members. Teachers
typically take a few
minutes to observe the
conversations of both
students.
11. Assessment
- Teachers
typically test what their
students learned during
this phase. Each student
is evaluated separately.
- Singular
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