How to Teach Reading - Teacher Trainer reacts to a Reading Lesson

Summary

In this educational video, teacher Alan conducts a reading class focused on the impact of internet usage on the brain. He engages students by personalizing content, activating their prior knowledge, and encouraging discussions. The lesson includes pre-teaching key vocabulary, prediction tasks, skimming for gist, and reading for detail. Students analyze article comments, express opinions, and provide advice on reducing screen time, fostering critical thinking and media literacy.

Takeaways

• 📱 The teacher, Alan, personalizes the lesson content by starting with a discussion about screen time and phone usage, engaging the learners in a relatable topic.
• 🎯 Alan uses various teaching techniques to engage students, such as asking for their opinions and having them predict the article content based on the title.
• 📖 The lesson incorporates multiple reading skills: skimming for gist, reading for detail, and scanning, which helps students interact with the text in different ways.
• 🗣️ Alan pre-teaches challenging vocabulary (e.g., 'addicted,' 'attention span') before the students read the article, allowing them to focus on comprehension without being hung up on difficult words.
• 👥 Peer teaching is encouraged, as students often explain vocabulary or concepts to one another, enhancing collaborative learning.
• 💬 After reading, the students discuss their own opinions and whether they agree or disagree with the ideas presented in the article and comments section, promoting critical thinking.
• 🔍 The teacher uses prediction tasks, encouraging students to anticipate what the article will discuss, which makes the reading activity more interactive.
• ⏱️ Alan effectively manages the timing of activities, ensuring students practice skimming and scanning skills within limited timeframes.
• 🌐 The material, about how the internet is affecting our brains, is highly relevant to learners' lives, making it easier for them to engage with and reflect on the content.
• 🔄 The lesson concludes by bringing the discussion back to the students' personal experiences with screen time, helping to connect the lesson content with their daily lives.

Q & A

What was the primary objective of Alan's reading class?

The primary objective was to engage students with a reading lesson that incorporates multiple skills such as personalization, prediction, reading for gist, and reading for detail, while also addressing the topic of how internet use affects the brain.

How did Alan personalize the content for the learners?

Alan personalized the content by relating the topic of phone usage and screen time to the students' own lives. He asked them to share their screen time habits, making the lesson more relatable and engaging.

What is meant by 'activating the students' schemata'?

Activating the students' schemata refers to getting them to think about a topic before reading about it, thus using their prior knowledge to make connections and better understand the new content.

Why did Alan introduce vocabulary like 'addicted,' 'attention span,' 'distracted,' and 'memory' before the reading?

Alan pre-taught these key vocabulary words to ensure that students would not get stuck on difficult terms during the reading. This pre-teaching helped them better understand the article and focus on its content.

What was the purpose of the prediction task in Alan's lesson?

The prediction task was designed to engage students in thinking about the possible content of the article, based on its title, 'Is the Internet Killing Our Brains?' This helped them relate to the topic and make educated guesses before reading.

How did Alan encourage students to practice reading for gist?

Alan asked the students to skim the article in one minute to check whether the reasons they predicted were present in the text. This practice helped them quickly grasp the main ideas without focusing on details.

What was the role of peer teaching in this lesson?

Peer teaching was evident when students helped each other understand vocabulary and shared their answers. This collaborative approach supported comprehension and reinforced learning.

How did Alan use skimming and scanning techniques during the reading activity?

Alan timed the students to skim the article for one minute to identify general ideas, and then asked them to scan for specific details, such as opinions in the comments section, helping them practice both skimming and scanning skills.

What was the significance of the students discussing their opinions on the article after reading?

By discussing their opinions on the article and whether they agreed with the comments, students practiced critical thinking and media literacy, which deepened their engagement with the text and solidified their understanding.

How did Alan conclude the lesson in a communicative way?

Alan concluded the lesson by asking students to give him advice on how he could reduce his own screen time, turning the focus back to the learners' personal lives and encouraging a communicative task to end the lesson.