REFLECTIVE READING JOURNAL of Thanathon Phosricha

Summer B 2012: TESOL 428 Teaching Reading

Section 1: Introduction to Teaching Reading

1. Create a Reflective Reading Journal using the section headers provided by your instructor. 2. On the first day of class you were asked to write a response to the question, What is reading? Insert your response to this question as you wrote it then. 3. Respond to the following questions. 1. Define reading in a second language.
Reading is transferring meaning from written text by comprehending the meaning via reading based on the readers background knowledge and reading skills. Reading can be useless if the reader does not motivate himself to read to get meaning from text or by comprehending. Reading in a second language is decoding meaning from text in the second language into the meaning in either the first language mental or internal translation in non-advanced level readers, or decoding meaning from the second language into a concept or meaning in mind, but still process the meaning of the text in the second language in advanced level of readers.

2. Do you enjoy reading in your native language?

Reading in my native language is the easiest reading task because I have background knowledge of most of hard vocabulary words. Reading in my native language can be fast, meaningful and relevant to me because I am proficient in a few dimensions of the language compare to the second language or other languages. However, reading in second language can be entertaining because I have learned many dimensions of words meaning so I can understand it fairly.

3. How long to you read daily (on average) in your native language?
Since I have been in Hawaii or in the second language environment I usually read English text because it is available source and I can find it in any source. So reading in my native language is hard to access accept on the Internet. However, I read at least 30 minutes a day in my native language. The reading mostly comes

from the Internet source and it is news about politics, education, and entertainment.

4. What types of materials do you read in your native language?

I usually read news, political articles, educational journals, and critique about biography. I am interested in education and politics the most because I can inform myself to those issues and my future career. I read these sources of information because I can know how I can plan my future career, and further education opportunities. I believe that reading can help me be appreciative and see the world precisely in many aspects of life.

5. Do you enjoy reading in your second language? Why? Why not?

I enjoy reading in my second language the most. Reading text in English is absolutely educational because I know from research that many academic and scholar articles, books, and most of technology in the world are written in English. So I believe that phenomenon is true. Another reason that I love reading in the second language or English is because academic writing style in English is systematic and well organized more than any other languages. I can understand the text in English easier then my native language.

6. How long do you read daily (on average) in your second language?
I read in my second language at least two hours a day. Learning materials, and textbooks can be one to two hours, and extensive reading or for entertainment is about thirty minutes a day. Most of the reading is done at the nighttime because I have scheduled time and my mind is clear at night. I do not read in morning because I cannot concentrate anything early in morning.

7. What types of materials do you read in your second language?

I read academic journals, textbooks, bibliography, and news about politics and sports. I enjoy reading these types of text it is relevant to my interests and what I am going to do with my career in the future. I can be actively engaged to reading materials when I read them in the second language. However, I cannot reject that my reading comprehension is best in many native language because my native knowledge of vocabulary is much more than the second language.

8. What is the title of your favorite book?

My favorite book is Nothing but the Truth. A documentary novel is a 1992 written by Avi. Philip Malloy is a track-obsessed ninth-grader at Harrison High School in Harrison, New Hampshire. He has an English teacher, Margaret Narwin, and is doing very poorly in her class, he is given a D for his grade and is not allowed to try out for the track team. He does not tell this to his parents, and instead pretends that he no longer has an interest in trying out for the track team. Philip causes distractions in Narwin's class such as singing the national anthem. Eventually, he is suspended from school by Dr. Joseph Palleni, the school's vice principal. This book is the first book that finishing reading in the second language so it is interesting because some parts of the story relate to my life in general.

9. What is your favorite movie?

My favorite movie is Forrest Gump. It is an American epic comedy-drama romance film in 1994, narrated by Tom Hanks. This movie is one of favorite movies because there are hidden reasons for life in specific ways; striving honestly to fulfill promises, no regret for death, love, family relationship, kindness, and hardship in life. Most of time when I watch this movie I can feel that my life could be better than it seems so I can try my best to accomplish everything that I have dreamed about.

10. What is your favorite type of music?

My favorite type of music is traditional Thai music, soft rock, pop, romance, country, and hymns both native language and English. Soft and meaningful music is my favorite of all because any song that I listen to it should uplift my heart and soul besides being entertained.

11. What are some of your hobbies?

I enjoy cooking, babysitting, playing volleyball, and gardening. Cooking is one of the most favorite activities that I love to do because I can try to develop my cooking skill as well as eating at the same time. I like to eat what I cook. Second, babysitting is interesting to me because I love babies! I love them because they are so precious and innocence. Third, I love playing volleyball. I play volleyball three days a week. It is the only sport that Im good at. It makes me feel a sense

of success. Fourth, gardening, I enjoy trees and herbs. So gardening is the solution. I grew with rice field and agriculture so I like to live my life close to nature and consume organic vegetable and herbs that I grow. Of course, I enjoy reading as well because I can be educated while I read.

12. Do you find yourself influenced to read material related to these favorites and hobbies? Why? Why not?
I will definitely books and materials that relate to these hobbies because they are meaningful and relevant to my daily life. I often read reviews, books, articles, and any source that relate to those favorite hobbies. I often read once in a few days. It depends on my scheduled time. I enjoy reading those materials because they can enhance my knowledge and perhaps sharpen deepen my skills of those hobbies.

13. Do you know someone you would say is a good reader?

I can see brother James, and brother Wyman. Both are interesting individuals because I can relate what I have been learning in major. Brother James is the reflection of general knowledge because his habit of reading is shown through his personality and the classes. Whenever there is a question from a student who has asked him. He always has a very insightful reaction or answer to that particular question. Somehow I cannot wait to go back to my personal research at home or in the library about the answer that he has mentioned. I believe that all the answers that he has. They all come from a great source and insightful reading habit. Now, my beloved professor, brother Wyman, I know that he is a guru of intensive reading. I experience from his insightful and innate thoughts of intensive reading skills. Whatever I others might think in a thought or idea in the majority. The Wymans thoughts are always astonishing and insightful to me. I somehow think that maybe because of his intelligence in analysis of texts which drive much of insightful ideas and reactions to reality.

14. What makes this person a good reader?

I would state that education (degree) could partly determine what has influenced these two men who have become such influent people in this profession (ELT). Another factor is personal habitual characteristics. These factors play such a huge role of internal drive of motivation of whom they are. In fact, whatever as a human being wants to become. The next factor is opportunities. Most of people might say what if there is no hope for educational opportunity. I would say build a window for opportunities. So I believe that these two good readers have built their own opportunities to make their ways to influence others in society.

15. Do you know someone you would say is a poor reader?

An immature reader, somehow I cannot see this person clearly except when I look in a mirror I will see that person! I sometimes, conduct myself as a poor reader because I might have been in a stage of lacking motivation to read, or somehow materials that I read are not interesting or relevant to my interests. So I stop reading. There are quite a few factors that lead me to be a poor reader.

16. What makes this person a poor reader?

Factors that make me be a poor reader are unrelated materials, lack of motivation, insufficient reading strategies, and laziness. Unrelated materials can lead me into a slumped hole. I stop reading and participating in reading materials which are not related to my own interests (except school materials). Which lead me to feel unmotivated to continue reading or studying. Moreover, insufficient reading strategies can influence my practical reading habit to laziness because I cannot figure out how to read effectively.

Section 2: The Wyman Matrix on Age, Proficiency, and Processing

1. What are the four age groupings into which students are generally classified? Give a general description of students in each of these groups.
1. Pre-school This group of student is under age 5 years old. They are primary stay with caregivers and family so they focus on group learning rather than individual learning. They need scaffolding of how to be apart of society and be acceptable to a group. 2. Elementary This group of student in elementary level, they start to go to a formal school either public schools or private schools, and few are in home school. They attach to family members and close friends. They still try to be a part of society or a certain group. They select their peers who can play with them. They also focus on the neighborhood. They play with the same age group. 3. Secondary This group of student needs closed friends to the exclusion of family and need personal space. They are in socialization age. They start to be independent in some extend because they prepare to be an adult, but some parts of cognitive and emotional development are not fully developed so family members and closed relatives need to direct them in appropriate directions. 4. Adult This group of student is independent and self-reliant. They are responsible for their own sake. They are full-time workers and many of them are mother or father. So they are in ESL for many purposes; work related, education, citizenship, immigration, higher education, and many other reasons.

2. What are the four proficiency groupings of language students? Describe the general abilities of students in each of these classifications.

1. Basic Literacy: Students who are in this level of proficiency focus on letters, sounds, numbers; chunks. They pay attention to separate words and letters rather than sentences. They pay attention to format of language; capitalization, sounds, and word chunks. 2. Beginning: Students who are in this level of proficiency focus on vocabulary: concrete, and familiar words. They can recognize and read very short and simple texts. They can find meaningful and relevant materials through predictable

information in simple everyday materials such as advertisements, menus, and timetables on familiar topics. 3. Intermediate: Students who are in this level of proficiency focus on sentences of increasing difficulty, paragraphs and short passages. They understand texts that consist mainly of high frequency everyday and job related language. They can read and write independently, but particular viewpoints and attitudes. Their vocabulary development is on the way forward of development so they need to be instructed through explicit reading strategies in order to get rid out of intermediate level slump (Anderson). 4. Advanced: Students who are in this level of proficiency focus on paragraphs and long passages. They are in a level of reading to learn in Andersons learning/reading continuum. They can understand any correspondence, given the occasional use of dictionary. They can understand in details of lengthy and complex texts whether or not relate to their area of specialty. They can also comprehend a wide range of long and complex texts as well as explicit meaning of complicated texts.

3. What are the three general approaches to classroom activities based on what is referred to as the method of processing?
1. Bottom-up approach This approach consists of low-level reading processes. Students start with the fundamental basics of letter and sound recognition, which in turn allows them to move up to morphemes and then recognition, and building up to identification of grammar structures, longer texts. They understand letters, letter clusters, words, phrases, and longer texts. So the method of processing moves from teaching specific and smaller units of language such as phonics, morphemes, words, and sentences. So that can accomplish reading paragraphs with comprehension and understanding. 2. Top-down approach It is another method of processing in teaching and learning reading. Its concentration is to create general ideas which base on background knowledge. So they can make predictions. Grabe and Stoller (2002) mention that in a top-down approach of reading, comprehension is directed by the readers goals of expectations. This model, the readers are taught to focus on meaning-generating.

3. Interactive approach The last approach is the combination of both approaches. Teachers should be aware of teaching one approach at a time because the learners might be words caller, or people who can read the words on a passage, but they do not understand what they have read. So the approach that is acceptable as the most comprehensive process of reading approach is interactive approach. The readers use background knowledge to comprehend texts, and once they do not understand the texts they are slow down and then use bottom-up approach by recognizing of individual letters and sounds.

Section 3: Activating Prior Knowledge

In another textbook by Neil Anderson, he expresses the belief that success in reading in dependent on what he calls activating background knowledge. 1. What do you think is meant by background knowledge? Do you know any other terms that are used to refer to this?
Prior knowledge has been used interchangeably. Another word is schema. The learners are actively engaged in the reading process when they are taught with a bridge of target information and their prior knowledge or schema. However, if they do not have background knowledge, the teachers are responsible to provide them scaffolding to build up necessary foundation of the target information. There are few factors of unrelated background knowledge; cultures, and level of proficiency. Some students have zero knowledge of the US format of academic writing or academic honesty because they might just migrated to the US a few months ago or they never received formal education at all, or unfortunately the culture or the country that they belong to never mention about academic writing with academic honesty. So the teacher needs to activate or even build new formation on those topics. Another factor is levels of proficiency. They learners might not ready to the class that they are right now. The reason might relate to school programs such as there is no other lower level, or there is no classification of such proficiency levels. So the teacher is responsible to teach and build up those students basic knowledge in order to accomplish the course objectives.

2. How do you believe that prior knowledge influences the reading process of second language learners? What have you observed or experienced that has led you to this belief?

Definitely, prior knowledge influences are on of the reasons whether or not or how much the readers can understand the texts in terms of reading comprehension skills. The more prior knowledge of the readers have, which directly relates to the give topic, the more reading comprehension that the readers can get. I observed in an EIL 393 Extensive Reading class. I talked about education in the foreign counties with a classmate who was very interested in the topic. When we had an extensive reading exam about education. He was only one in the class who commented, and gave responses to the class. When there was the exam he got the highest score compare to other students in the class. So I have observed that prior knowledge influences play a positive role in reading comprehension. So this is one of the experiences that led me to believe that prior knowledge can influence the reading comprehension skills dramatically.

3. What role does background knowledge play in our understanding of text?

Background knowledge plays a big role of the students understanding of texts. Students who have prior knowledge are able to activate this knowledge so they can access, participate, and progress throughout the general curriculum, where reading to learn is a prerequisite for success. The learners can access to the texts easier and faster than students those who have limited background knowledge in particular topics or text. They can actively engaged in participating in class or activities according to the given text. And last, the learners can progress throughout the course because they have the foundation of prior knowledge of text. So these students pay close attention to specific details; formatting, paragraphs, capitalization, headings, sentence structures, topic sentences, headings and subheadings, and meaning of the text itself.

4. Think of a reading passage that you might use that would be very new to the readers. What could you do to build some background knowledge prior to asking the students to read that particular passage?
Previewing is an approach to build background knowledge, where students are presented with introductory material before they read specific texts. The introductory material may include important materials which build background knowledge such as definitions of difficult vocabulary, transitions of foreign or unknown phrases, and explanations of difficult concepts. So this approach might fit to most students, but some of them may need extra time or scaffolding such as alternative passage which relate to the target passage, but has less difficult or unknown vocabulary so they can understand in order to comprehend the target passage.

5. How do textbook authors activate readers knowledge?

Most of authors who write textbooks activate background knowledge or build interests of the target readers by addressing, previewing the textbooks. So most of the authors include: introduction parts, foreword, overview parts, contents, covers, inner covers, about the authors parts, specific purpose of writing the books, acknowledgement parts, preface, features, pictures and visual clues, etc. These are book-previewing parts that the authors expect the readers to understand what they can expect to know about. In some textbooks, the authors might include introduction or background sections at the beginning of each chapter in the textbooks. So the learners or the readers can build fundamental knowledge before reading the actual texts.

6. As you think about your experience as a reader, what activities or exercises have been effective in activating your background knowledge and enabled you to better comprehend the passage?
I think of pictures and visual clues because I can have a picture in my mind then while I am reading I can draw mental pictures relate to the pictures or visual clues which have been built before I read the actual texts. Another one is previewing, skimming, and questioning the passage. So I look for the general ideas and what is going to be about then I get main ideas of the passage. I create questions such as what is going to teach me?, what is the topic?, what are the subtopics?, who is involve with the story?, why this happen?, or who, what, when, or how. These are some of the questions that will ask myself to prepare before reading the actual passage. While I read the passage, I constantly relate the thoughts to those questions that I have questioned before the reading.

Section 4: Cultivating Vocabulary 1. Refer back to Section 1 and look at question 3. You were asked about someone you consider to be a good reader and someone who is a poor reader. Does the poor reader you know have weak vocabulary skills? What about the good reader discussed in the previous questions?
Definitely, the poor reader has weak vocabulary skills. First, I am sometimes a poor reader. I have limit vocabulary skills in spite of the second language ability as English. I hardly guess meaning of unknown vocabulary words. I rarely compare myself to the good readers in question 3 because there is no hierarchical relation to education, level of proficiency, and other factors. I just know that being a poor reader can shift to an effective reader because learning effective reading strategies can be developed through my life.

2. What personal behaviors have you pursued to help you cultivate vocabulary?

My personal behaviors are finding definitions in a dictionary, asking friends, writing new vocabulary words into my personal vocabulary folder, acquiring from reading through extensive reading. These are the ways that expand my knowledge of vocabulary words. I have a program on my computer which I can click on any unknown word then I will get the definition with sentences samples. I seldom ask friends because of the limitation of their presents and Im not sure whether or not they actually know that words that I ask them. Another behavior is keeping adding new words into my personal folder of vocabulary learning on my computer. I usually record new words with the definitions, sample sentences, and types of words. So I can easily access to my personal folder later when I need to know, or review those words. The last practice is reading through extensive reading. I choose the extensive reading materials by my interests which are cooking, babysitting, playing volleyball, and gardening, and other sources such as academic texts, science and technology. I keep reading without looking up in a dictionary because I try to guess the meaning of the unknown words through the contexts. I often look up in a dictionary for pronouns, specific and technical terms to make my reading enjoyable. I also choose texts which Krashens input hypothesis i+1 so I can gain new knowledge and practice my reading comprehension at the same time.

4. Find three web sites which focus on building vocabulary. Record the addresses and what you find valuable from these sites. How can the activities on these sites help improve the way you help students cultivate vocabulary skills?
The first website is www.lextutor.ca on many subtopics that introduce new ways to help me a teacher know how to analyze levels of difficulty for particular groups of students. And the learners can also use this website to sharpen and deepen their vocabulary skills. Another website is www.vocabulary.co.il this website is designed to help the learners who are interested in learning new vocabulary words in every level of proficiency and the features of this website are very attractive and colorful because it is designed for level of the second language learners; from preschoolers to post graduate level. This website you can practice and increase your capacity or size of your vocabulary knowledge as well as having fun and enjoyable times with all of these games and activities. Most of the skills are created to help the learners in particular areas such as TOEFL Vocabulary, GRE Vocabulary, Business Vocabulary, GRE Verbal Tips, etc. PSAT Vocabulary, Vocabulary by Grades, GMAT Test Prep, GMAT Tutors, SAT Tutors, English Tutors and many more Another website is introduced by Tatyana in TESOL 425 Teaching Vocabulary www.wordengine.jp then Lexxica Word Engine (lexxica.com) The site is free for teachers and students, and there are four sections on the site - which are helpful to students: 1. V-Check is a vocabulary size test. All a student needs to do is answer questions (most of them Yes/No), if they know the word written on the screen, or some matching definitions. (a caution - after 2 wrong answers the test is discontinued, so don't say you know a word, unless you are absolutely sure of it! There are many "non-words" given among the real words!). After completion of the V-Check, you are given an approximation of your English vocabulary size, which the creators claim to be very accurate. 2.Another feature on this website is the V-Flash, which creates electronic flashcards which learners can use to practice vocabulary words. Here there are also some vocabulary games (and who doesn't like games?)... 3.The third feature found on this site is the V-Lexx. It provides graded stories, books, and DVDs which can help students practice and acquire vocabulary by reading and listening (incorporating more strands of the language). Here learners can find reading material that is appropriate for their level of proficiency.

4. The fourth feature, the V-Admin, allows learners to organize their scores and monitor their personal progress towards desired English language goals. The site can be very useful for students who would like to know their approximate vocabulary size. The electronic flashcards are another opportunity to practice new vocabulary in more engaging and fun way (than just the paper word cards students carry around). The graded reading texts can also be helpful in providing reading practice at the learners' level. Teachers can probably use the site for learning more about their students' vocabulary size, to give homework- using some of the readings, or the V-Flash vocabulary. A researcher can probably find the vocabulary size of the visitors on that site, and compare that over a period of time - can see if the visitors have bigger or smaller vocabulary sizes... (the scores are listed on the right side of the page on the V-Check feature).

Section 5: Teaching for Comprehension 1. Observe a reading class. Watch for things the teacher does to teach students how to comprehend the text. From Life Skills: Reading video by Christine Bunn on reading clothing labels, the
teacher asks numerous questions to activate background knowledge of the learners. Then the teacher writes down the answers for the class in sequence by words, and categorizing. She teaches new vocabulary words from real life experience of the students. Then she gives out the work sheets on sample labels of clothes. So the labels are on the left side and one the right side of the worksheet there are blanks which students have to fill in the blanks with appropriate answers. So they can comprehend the labels through reading the labels. Later, the class is divided into nine groups to find the details from the labels by reading of finding details. On the other hand, the students, as a group, try to find the correct answers from their friends by comparing their answers with their friends. After all, the teacher shows the answers and the reasons of activity. So reading of adults materials focuses on directions, daily life activities, and life related works or professions. So they have learned that reading narrative skills, directions, and instruction reading these are created by sequent outlining, chronological details.

2. Use our own words to describe what is meant by intensive reading in contrast to extensive reading.

Intensive reading mostly appears in formal assessment in the ESL/EFL classrooms. Whereas passages are set which followed by reading comprehension questions in multiple formats. This type of reading approach is designed to help students learn specific details of texts, passages, and academic articles. On the other hand, the topics of text are not necessary to the readers interests or background knowledge. In contrast, extensive reading approach focuses on the learners or the readers of the text. It helps to develop the readers fluency, reading comprehension as well as for the readers interests and enjoyment. Due to the level of difficulty, it is equal to or less difficult to the level of the readers proficiency so they can enjoy reading with out much unknown words.

3. Most Reading teachers follow the integrative approach in their teaching. How can you use both approaches to strengthen reading comprehension skills of students?

Both extensive and intensive reading approaches are blended into integrative or interactive approach where both approaches have shared similarities and differences in teaching reading. A reading teacher should be aware of using one textbook might not cover both approaches so the teacher should find alternative materials outside of the classroom. The learners should be provided shorter passages in order to read with specific reading skills. Comprehension comes after appropriate rate and level of difficulty of the reading materials. Then encourage them to read a longer passage without pay attention to testing their skills. The reading strategies from both approaches should be used interchangeably while reading the passages.

4. Write a paragraph describing whole language instruction. Does it fit into your philosophy of teaching ESL/EFL reading? Why or why not?

The whole language instruction or whole language approach is a theory of teaching that emphasizes on comprehension and fluency over skill instruction. Most of the whole language instruction may include first, lessons should proceed from the whole to parts; second, lessons should be learner-centered; third lessons should have meaning and purpose for learners; fourth, lessons should engage groups of students in social interaction; fifth, receptive and generative linguistic competence should be developed simultaneously; sixth, students' native languages should be used for instruction; and last, teachers should help second language learners decrease their affective filters. In ESL/EFL instruction, the learners should get the most benefit according to the instruction. The whole language approach is best fit into my philosophy because in teaching reading besides the explicit reading strategies which have been taught in the classroom. Later, these explicit strategies should be used outside of the classroom by the learners in terms of extensive reading approach so that this should be learner-centered. The learners are encouraged to use the authentic language in real life situation outside of the classroom. In some extend, the native language might be used to give complex instruction, but the use of native language in instruction is not interrupting the target language in the classroom. Last, the age group and level of the students need to be considered according to the level proficiency of the learners and the teachers instruction need to be cooperated.

5. Pre-reading is considered an important and effective part of increasing reading comprehension. List and describe five activities that will help students to pre-read effectively.
Skimming can help can be a great pre-reading activity. The learners or readers can skim through the given passages or stories by looking for headings, sub-headings or pictures and visual aids to help them flash ideas what the passage would be about. The they will write what they have skimmed from the passages or books. Guessing the story from chapter headings, or random word within the story, or predicting what will happen from the pictures. This activity will help the learners or the readers excited what they about to read. Ordering sentences from the story. Choose random sentences which may or should contain new vocabulary. This will give an opportunity to pre-teach the vocabulary, and give the students an immediate opportunity to receive follow-up practice and reinforcement. The sentences should not be written in the order they appear in the story/reader. The students must place the sentences in what they think is the correct order. When they actually come to read the story or passage of text, they can check to see if they had chosen the correct order. If not the students can put the sentences in order after reading. Playing with words choose either new or difficult vocabulary from the story or passage. Pre-teach it, or review it in questions with the students. Then play with the new words. ESL reading activities provide an excellent opportunity for teaching English vocabulary. Games such as tic-tac-toe might work well. The teacher can ask questions with the words chosen, or the students can make sentences with the chosen words. Be careful with this if the vocabulary is really new, as making sentences is quite hard without exposure to the word. So the teacher might need to give some hints or meanings to the students.

6. Comprehension is affected by familiarity with transition words. Give examples of words/phrases that are used as follows: 1) to add information and reasons
moreover, in other word, in addition, furthermore, not onlybut also, and, also, then, equally, like, too, similarly, likewise, together with, correspondingly, of course, as well as, again, as a matter of fact, in the first place, comparatively , and in the same way

2) to show cause and effect

if, then, unless, when, whenever, since, while, as, lest, in case, only/even if, inasmuch as, inn order to, in view of, so that, as/so long as, as so to

3) to explain, give reasons

in other words, like, namely, truly, in fact, in general, in particular, for example, to explain, such as, including, indeed, for instance, in detail, to demonstrate, to clarify, in this case, certainly, for this reason, especially, frequently, with this in mind, significantly, specifically, important to realize expressively, surprisingly

4) to compare
in comparison, similar to, similarly, likewise, also, in the same way, equally, alike, correspondingly, at the same time, the same, as well, comparable, identically,

5) to contrast
on the other hand, in contrast, however, but, unlike, yet, while, besides, although, instead, or, whereas, rather, nevertheless, regardless, notwithstanding, otherwise, different from, however, even so/ though, above all, in reality, after all, then again

6) to summarize
in short, in conclusion, as can be seen, generally speaking, as shown above, after all, in fact, to summarize, on balance, overall, usually, all in all, altogether, from the most part, to sum up, on the whole, in either case, in the long run

7) to show order
henceforth, whenever, eventually, meanwhile, further, during, first, second, in time, prior to, forthwith, straightaway, instantly, presently, occasionally after, later, last, until, since, then, before, hence, since, when, once, about, next, now

8) to show chronological order

Section 6: Increasing Reading Rate 1. Do you believe that reading rate is an important skill for second language readers? Why or why not? What is the general belief of Reading professionals?
I believe that the reading rate in second language is important because it involves with level of reading comprehension of how much the readers can understand the text that they read. So the ratio of reading rate not reading speed because reading rate is an appropriate rate with adequate comprehension of text. I believe that the fast they can read with a certain level of comprehension, the more understanding text they can get as a fluent reading even in the second language context. In general belief of Reading professionals, the reading rate should 200-250 words per minute with 70-80 percent of comprehension level in i+1 level of difficulty. In terms of reading for fluency, it has been suggested that the ratio should be about 350 words per minute with 80 percent of comprehension, but the level of difficulty is i-1 because the readers need to practice the rate of fluency.

2. What is an adequate reading rate in the opinion of these specialists?

The adequate reading rate is where the balance of reading rate and reading comprehension is reasonable to accomplish at a certain level of the reading rate. The reading rate for these specialists is 200 words per minute with at least 70 percent of comprehension in i+1 level of text difficulty of fluency developing. However, i-1 also suggested in this case, the readers can practice reading fluency as well.

3. Describe the characteristics of the Timed Reading books introduced in class that make these books useful and popular.

The Timed Reading books introduced to help the students increase their reading rate with appropriate reading comprehension skills. The characteristics of book are: Reading rate exercises are created to improve reading speed using uniform 400word, and easily timed selections. Plentiful practice, there are 50 selections per book assist students in mastering the skills to be effective readers. Comprehension activities can promote reading comprehension with each exercise. Progress graph can help the students visualize their progress and reinforce their incentives for further advancement.

4. Outline the basic steps that are recommended for making use of these books.

First and foremost, read the introduction of the book, and to be sure to read carefully. A mature learner or reader carefully read the instruction of the purpose of the book. There are the basic steps that are recommended for the best of using this book. First, look over of what page is the progress graph, and how formatting is organized. Then preview the paragraph by skim over each paragraph (not to read), look over ever first sentence of each paragraph. Try not to read individual word, but read as word chunk pattern. On each page of the given paragraphs, there are black dots for teach to remind the reader or notify which line the readers should stay on in order to maintain reading rate according to time limit. After finishing reading the paragraph, the readers can record the time of what minute and second that the reading has been done (sample; 03:10) then write the time in the provided progress graph. Then the readers may turn to the next page which is the reading comprehension questions, there are 10 questions; the first 5 questions are focused on main idea of the reading, and the last 5 questions are supporting details. The readers should maintain the score at least 7-8 correct answers which means 8o percent of reading comprehension. The answer keys are found in the back of the book. The mature learners will find those answers helpful. So as a teacher I have find a good way of control the immature learners.

5. You will be doing a timed reading in class and will learn something about your own reading rate. After you have done this activity, record your reaction to learning your own reading rate? What is your reaction to this measurement instrument?

I have found this reading activity beneficial to my own reading comprehension skills because I can measure my reading skills and how I can improve it later. I had an opportunity to do multiple times in this book 4 years ago. I found that experience helpful. This time, reading activity has changed my attitude because I follow each step carefully such as previewing before the actual reading, and how I can analyze my score then make it better next time. My reading rate is 300-350 words per minute with 70-80 percent of reading comprehension. However, the percentage of comprehension can be vary according to my background knowledge of familiar topics in the reading. My reaction to this measurement instrument is positive and I found this helpful for myself and future students because it is quite accurate in scoring and rate of comprehension.

Section 7: Building Motivation 1. Pause for a moment and consider what factors motivate you to read. Make a list. Share your list with a classmate. What similarities and differences do you see?
Moments or factors that motivate me to read Topics, pictures and visual aids, personal interests, language use, fonts, formats and forms of organization, colors of background paper or materials, authors, and length. All of these factors are mainly taken to my consideration before reading any materials. As I compare my list with other classmates. They have similar list, but some are not. I have some certain extend of visual aids such as the colors or the text background, formats and forms of how text is organized. I read best with electronic devices because I can adjust the brightness of background, size and sometimes the fonts, and the sharpness of the text as well. So I also have reading difficulty such as I have color blindness. So I have such hard time of reading in low light or dimming screen. However, my students in the future might be sensitive to what I have experienced according to this list.

2. How could you increase the motivation of readers in your classes?

First, materials need to be carefully selected. If the teachers could not select what they could teach according to the principal or the administrative. They can adapt the reading materials according to that needs and the levels of the readers in the classes. Second, as a teacher, relevant and meaningful materials are main theme of teaching reading. So the materials need to be attractive to the learners. Third, the levels of the learners proficiency need to be in consideration. The materials might need to be a little bit challenging to help them move to next level. So i+1 by Krashen can be helpful in this case. Last, the teacher need to find what is the interest of the learners so that the teacher can carefully choose what they actually need.

3. Reading teachers generally agree that it is important to know your students in order to select activities and topics that will motivate them to read. Write at least 10 questions you would include in a reading interest survey for a group of second language readers? 1. How often do you read for fun?
2. What is your favorite type of thing to read? 3. If you were a writer, what kind of books would you like to write? 4. How many of your family would you consider a reader?

6. Which of the following Special Interest Magazines, which could you enjoy reading the most? 7. If you were offered any job at a newspaper, which job would you like to try first? 8. As you read, the first things you tend to notice are 9. Have you ever used the Internet at your house for school projects? 10. When you read the newspaper, what is the first section you would look at? 11. What is the best movie youve ever seen? 12. What is the best book you ever read? 13. What is the best book you ever read? 14. Do you enjoy hearing other people read aloud to you? 15. What is your best school subject?

4. Ask your instructor for a copy of Irwins model for motivation and discuss it with a group of your classmates. Comment on the ideas listed in table on that handout.

According to the handout, many of us agree that there is none to be best of all because the list of possible activities is definitely necessary for the learners. Increasing Expected Rewards can be the most interesting activity for the students because the want to see or at least see their effort through rewarding systems or physical items such as candies or even extra credit. This idea of classroom involvement and participation might need to be considered in what extend, how much and how often that the students can get the rewards and in what forms. Another Providing interesting activities can be a part of teaching for success because this can increase their learning motivation to participate in the activities, the more they can participate, the more they can learn the language through the activities. So the teacher can gain trust from the students as well. Fair tests can motivate them learn what have been taught, then what they can expect to be in the tests so as a teacher, tests should be created by the materials that have been taught in the course only. Give them choice can be a good point because psychologically what they have chosen is one that they have work on due to their own choice. So any material or assignments that the students have chosen in class as a whole then the responsibility to accomplish is up to them because it is based on their interests. Other factors, previewing background knowledge, give specific purpose, discuss about reading strategies, and others can help influence their motivation in reading to learn.

5. Identify what motivates you to read. Record your reflections.

The best factor that will help me as a learner to read is giving me specific purpose of the learning. I like to know what are the objectives or goals of the learning. Then I can draw my attention and my motivation is maximized because of the systematic instruction of the learning itself. Other factors may convey my motivation to learn when I see an evidence of my effort of how the work of success has done. So I can have that structured plan and motivation which can drive me to learn then be successful in the given course.

6. Ask your instructor for a copy of Paul Hardins insights on the role that motivation plays in second language reading. What elements of his experience with the role of will you want to consider in your own teaching?

According to the Paul Hardins Motivation insights. I noticed that external factors of the ESL/EFL learners do affect the learning performance of students. I have experienced that lack of opportunities to learn the language is more fortunate than the shortage of financial support in life. Another factor that matters and affects the learners is psychological and social factors such as use to live in a country where many appropriate education or facilities do not available, safety in life, family, whether in school or at home. Later, being comfortable is none of the concerns in ESL/EFL classroom environment because the learners might have hard times to pay attention to any lesson whether they feel awkward or not being independent to share their thoughts in the classroom. So all of the factors matter to the process of the learners learning. I will plan to help them to feel comfortable in the classroom by activities, then establish trust in the classroom maybe outside of the classroom activities. Then make sure that the lessons are fun to learning in class, and of course the materials are meaningful and relevant to their interests.

Section 8: Planning for Instruction and Selecting Appropriate Materials 1. In another Anderson text on teaching Reading, he lists the following criteria that could be used in selecting appropriate reading material. Which five of these criteria do you think are most important in selecting appropriate reading material? the goals and objectives of the course the specific needs and interests of the students the level recommended by the publisher/author of a textbook the reading levels of the students whether the texts are fiction or nonfiction whether the material is based on a skills approach to reading whether the material is based on a strategies approach to reading whether the material is authentic whether the material has been modified for ESL/EFL learners whether the material teaches language structures whether the material teaches vocabulary in a natural context whether the material is based on academic textbooks
The most important to my selecting and appropriate reading materials are; The goals and objectives of the course are one of the most important to my personal philosophy of selecting reading materials because both teacher and the learners need to know goals and learning objects are for the course. So both sides need to cooperate to accomplish the class objectives together. The reading levels of the students, as a reading teacher, I need to know what are the levels of the learners reading rate, or proficiency so that I can select and adapt reading materials that suit them the most. Whether they need to improve their fluency in reading, or comprehension skills in reading. The specific needs and interests of the students play a big role of teaching reading because the students who read are the one that learning the language not the teacher. Even though learning objectives or course objectives may be followed, but does not mean that the teacher cannot adapt the reading materials which can follow the students specific interests. So specific needs and interests of the students are the motivation that drive them to learn and more forward in the learning process. The material has been modified for ESL/EFL learners. I think this is one of most important point to be considered because choosing appropriate materials for

ESL/EFL learners play the significant in learning outcomes or learning accomplishments. For example, literatures and poetry might not fit to a lesson of ESL learners because they have or have not exposure to such a deep language use or it does not relate to the learners at all. However, modified materials for ESL/EFL learners may be in the classroom. The material teaches vocabulary in a natural context. I think the students can learners best when there are appropriate learning opportunities to use the language that they have learned. In consideration, the learners who read from a natural context in books or short stories can guess meaning then they might use the language which has been taught with a careful selected material that they have learned.

2. What other criteria would you add to your list?

Learning is fun, if it is not fun then its not learning. I will definitely add this criterion to my personal philosophy of teaching reading because learning can be distinguished as fun ways to learn, especially, learning a new language. Whereas materials which are boring and totally unrelated to the learners, the learners motivation is absolutely diminished. So learning has to be fun and enjoyable time and motivate the learners. If the subjects or topics that are taught, but they are not fun. Then the teacher has to be fun and make the students feel comfortable and relaxing mood. Another criterion is that teaching the learners not teaching the materials. I have seen some teachers who just teach the materials. They have tried to cover every chapter, but never examine the learners of what level or what necessary points that they really need. So I would try to find a way to teach the learners not the materials. I suggest that the extra materials or any materials that less important or less related to the learners. I assign them as extensive readings or outside class assignments. Then maybe score them less points than other main assignments or not at all.

3. Explain the difference between authentic and adapted materials?

Authentic materials are daily use of language by native speakers which are not created to teach EFL/ESL specifically. National Geography for teens, news, articles, movies, videos, Shakespeares writings, and any material that created to involve with the use of the language in real life of native speakers. Whereas, adapted materials care created or have been adapted to help the ESL/EFL learners learn the language.

So both types of material are necessary to help the ESL/EFL learners accomplish their learning goals. However, but can be helpful in teaching and learning situations if the teacher carefully use these materials in an effective way of teaching.

4. What are the pros and cons of using each type of material? Which will you use?

Using authentic materials in EFL/ESL classroom, the pros of this type of material are helping them learn raw materials which they can relate to real life in reality. For example, they learn certain set of new vocabulary words from a movie that they have watched in the class. Later, they can recall those words and use them in daily conversational use. Another advantage is to familiar with the real usage of native language users. The cons or disadvantages of this type of material are unrelated use in daily life for some extend. For example, Shakespeares poems and writing, they may learn the beauty of the language, but outside of the classroom they will not use or even think of the language that have learned in the classroom. The learners may struggle with inappropriate text of the level of proficiency, and many unknown words. These factors might diminish their learning motivation. Using adapted materials in teaching of ESL/EFL learners, the pros of this material type are appropriate to the levels of proficiency, measureable assessments, and meaningful and relevant to the learners. First, adapted materials can help the learners improve their reading comprehension skills according to the level of proficiency. Second, the assessments which can be simply analyzed what are the weaknesses and strengths of the learners. For example, Timed Reading books play a big part in reading to learn and reading rate development, and measurable reading comprehension skills. Last, meaningful and relevant to the learners expectation and background knowledge, these can increase the learners motivation to maximize and sharpen their skills to acquire the language. However, there are cons or disadvantages of using adapted materials such as unreal language usage, and lacking of real or authentic language. Using adapted materials in ESL/EFL teaching environments can be insufficient of real language use in real life so the learners hardly relate what they have learned to conversational discourses. In terms of reading, they might find reading in general as challenging or frustrated level of reading comprehension.

Section 9: Developing Your Personal Philosophy of Teaching Reading 1. What is reading? is the question asked on the first day of class. Answer this question again as you are completing this class.
After I have learned many approaches of teaching reading, reading is a power decoding information through written language which require many sub-skills or strategies consciously of the reader in order to comprehend texts or reading materials. Later, those sub-skills or strategies become skills unconsciously or the word automaticity is used in this meaning. So because of that, reading is a powerful skill in teaching and learning a language. Then these skills will facilitate the learner of a language learning other skills through reading. Reading is systematic in many meanings. First reading is multitasking and automatically comprehends text through skills of mental and physical coordination. Second, reading is hierarchal skills of strategies or sub-skills input from the reader through reading comprehension, fluency reading practices, and cooperative learning process. And last, reading is a well-developed decoding text process by using strategies or sub-skills through automatic mental system of the human brain which relates to background knowledge, personal interests, social factors, psychological factors, motivation, and level of proficiency of the readers themselves. I strongly believe that reading can be taught through a process of selfdiscipline and articulation without this process there is none of motivation, interests, and others. So reading is foundation of learning process. Without reading, learning does not take place. Without understanding or reading comprehension of reading materials or texts, is not Reading but word callers so reading need to come with comprehension of understanding meaning of the reading materials.

2. Compare your current response with your original which was written in the first section of this reflective reading journal
My first answer of the reading definition is added and expanded into many specific subcategories such as reading is systematic, reading is multitasking and automatically comprehends text through skills of mental and physical coordination, reading is hierarchal skills of strategies or sub-skills input from the reader through reading comprehension, reading is a well-developed decoding text process by using strategies or sub-skills through automatic mental system of the human brain, and reading is reading is a well-developed decoding text process by using strategies or sub-skills through automatic mental system of the human brain. I have discovered that this reflective reading journal is insightful in terms of questions, aspects of future philosophy, samples, interests, realias, sources, and

practical articulation as a student teacher. I have been expounded through this journal. These factors influence me intelligently and dramatically in finding Reading really is. It is a clever scholarly tool of learning to find my own philosophy of teaching reading. So the previous answer of reading has been expanded and analyzed in depth definition of reading really is essential to a learning process. Moreover, reading in the previous answer is deeper in details and particular aspects such as multitasking, automaticity, and well-developed decoding process.

3. Take time now to write a short position paper and describe your philosophy of teaching second language reading.
My philosophy of teaching second language reading is divided to three main parts; meaning, use, and assessment. Meaning includes what is reading, objectives and outcomes, why teaching reading, and Use includes how reading is acquired, and how to use reading as learning tool Assessment includes reading is an achievable skill, how reading can be assessed, and reading can be developed. Meaning What is reading in the second language? Reading is simplified as a necessary skill for learning many materials in every learning process. So without reading skills, no one can acquire anything. I have realized that reading is an active skill, and it is productive skill because effective reading involves sub-skills and motivation or desire to read. Decoding meaning text is a fundamental principle of reading. However, reading involves supportive factors such as texts or reading materials, the reader, strategies or sub-skills, culture, and fluency. So reading is fundamental skills to accomplish other language skills. Objectives and outcomes of reading involve in this manner. Learn how to read is essential to the true beginners and intermediate levels of proficiency. However, this learning of reading skills requires types of reading materials, proficiency level of the learners, skills set to be accomplished, and the learners interests. The outcomes of learning must be categorized and analyzed in order to help the learners develop reading skills. Why teaching reading, teaching reading is essential to the learners. Every learner, learning to read is the first skill of formal education development. From the first step that is learning to read then transforms to reading to learn.

Use Reading is acquired by using many sub-skills or strategies to decode texts through mental comprehension of getting meaning of reading materials. The learners use reading skills as automaticity to learn grammar rules, classroom instructions, direction, reading materials, and many more. Reading is learned by explicit reading instructions. Bottom-up approach is involved because learning about specific sounds, smallest sounds of the language, phonics, words, and rules of alphabetic writing. So the learners learn from small units of language to bigger units in order to gain ability to read words, sentences, paragraphs, and passages. Reading is considered as a tool of learning because knowledge is acquired by intake reading materials. So students can use reading skills to learn new information by making sense of meaning through texts. Using effective strategies or sub-skills is required for reading comprehension. However, this learning tool comes through motivation of learning so establishing a culture of reading is definitely the most necessary factor of literacy development. Assessment Reading is achievable skills. My purpose of teaching reading in the second language is to help the learners develop their learning skills. Through the process of learning by using intensive and extensive reading approaches, and interactive approach, can help the learners find strength of using strategies or sub-skills consciously to become an expert of using skills unconsciously. So reading via automaticity means using skills of reading automatically through interrelated approaches of intensive, extensive, and interaction simultaneously. Reading can be assessed. Assessing reading can be categorized to two forms; formal assessment, and informal assessment. The assessment of reading is created to help learners see their progress of learning by reading. My assessing of reading can be both formal and informal because the learners have varieties of preferred type of testing. Through formal assessment, I will assess them by giving comprehension tests which can be graded on the percentage of correct answers. Another assessing is informal tests. I use this type of assessment to help the learners learn while they are being assessed. So using worksheets, personal portfolio, reading logs, interviews, journal responses, reports, and articulating orally.

Reading can be developed through many ways. I will establish the culture of reading so that my students can read to learn knowledge independently according to their interests. Through this approach they will have a good sense of learning by reading. So USSR or Uninterrupted Simultaneous Silent Reading will be used in my teaching program to encourage the love of extensive reading through their life. Then both intensive and extensive reading approaches, and interactive approach will be taught explicitly through the concept of bottom-up and top-down, integrative reading, and reading strategies. Building reading fluency, explicit vocabulary learning, and finding reading interests are principles of my teaching philosophy in teaching reading.