Reading Skill Development of the Students

It is called that reading is the learning guarantee. So, developing students reading skill is one of the prime responsibilities of a teacher. But how can a teacher develop their students reading skill?

 It is called that reading is the learning guarantee. So, developing students reading skill is one of the prime responsibilities of a teacher. But how can a teacher develop their students reading skill? Here, I want to share some effective methods/techniques to do so.

Teacher's Ideal Reading is the first and foremost condition to develop learners reading skills. Here, the teacher will first read out the particluar text with proper pronunciation, intonation and speed. He will instruct the learners to listen his reading attentively. Ideal reading help student know the exact pronunciation of the newer words. At the same time it develops students listening skills too.

Again, the teachers have to own the Chorus Reading technique. In this technique, the teacher will read out a particular text with slower pace and the students will also read aloud following their teacher. In simple, the teacher will read aloud two or three words from the text and the learners will read the same immediately after the teacher stopped to read. This process will be going on till the end of the particular text or paragraph. The chorus reading technique is very helpful in teaching a second language to the students. However, the taechers will have to concern about the school environment so that chorus reading does not hamper other classes.

Language teacher should organise text-reading skill competition among the students with regular interval. He should supply an unseen paragraph of text to the student to read fluently. After evaluation the teacher should give reward to the best student.

Like text-reading skill competition, poetry recitation competition is also a fruitful technique to develop studnts' reading skill. For that an age appropriate poem should be supplied to the learners to recite with proper stress and intonation . Poetry recitation competition should also be organized with regular intervals. After evaluation the best student should be rewarded.

Most of the teachers never ask their students to read questions or activities given in the textbooks. Rather, teachers themselves read the questions or activities and ask the students to answer, or even teachers write their answers to the students. By this method we cannot develop students reading skills as we wish. In spite of that, let the students read the questions or activities given in the textbooks as far as possible. How to do this ? Please follow the the following example -

Activity: a) Here are meanings of some new words you read in the lesson:

Martyr: one who dies or suffers greatly for a great cause

Rally: a large public meeting

Disperse: to move apart and go away in different direction

b) Fill in the blanks to check your understanding:

• A ___________ was organised in protest against anti-people policy of the Government.
• The police ________ the crowd.
• Mahatma Gandhi died a ________ death.                

   Now, ask the students that you identified earlier who are poor in reading to read one sentence each . Your duty is to listen their pronunciation and need to correct when they wrongly pronounced. Through this, students will get reinforcement to develop their reading skills. It is very fruitful method as I have been using in my classes.