50 reading activities for English class

Summary

Eric from Etiquette shares 50 engaging reading activities for classrooms to enhance students' language skills. Starting with pre-reading strategies like eliciting vocabulary and author analysis, the script progresses to interactive reading techniques such as reading aloud and whisper races. Post-reading activities include discussions, summarizing, and creative tasks like rewriting stories or composing eulogies for characters. The aim is to develop comprehensive skills, inspire lifelong reading, and foster critical thinking in students.

Takeaways

• 📚 Reading is an essential skill that should be integrated with other skills like comprehension, speaking, and creative language use to develop well-rounded individuals.
• 🔍 There are two main types of reading activities: reading for fluency, which should be done out loud, and reading for comprehension, which can be done individually or in small groups.
• 📖 The reading process involves three phases: pre-reading preparation, while-reading engagement, and post-reading reflection and understanding.
• 🎨 Pre-reading activities can include discussing a story's picture, eliciting vocabulary, predicting the story's content from the author and title, and using 'Tarantino,' 'Preview,' and 'Spoiler' techniques to stimulate interest.
• 👥 While-reading activities might involve reading aloud in teams, reading races, whisper races, role play, and other interactive and competitive tasks to enhance engagement.
• 🔄 Post-reading activities are numerous and include discussions, summarizing, real-life connections, keyword analysis, creative rewriting, debates, role plays, and creating alternate endings.
• 🤔 Activities like 'Blank Out Words' and 'Fake Definitions' encourage students to think critically and engage with the text to fill gaps or decipher meanings.
• 🎭 Role-playing and character interviews help students delve deeper into the narrative, understand different perspectives, and improve their comprehension and empathy.
• 🎨 Creative activities such as making a timeline, collage, or rewriting the story for children stimulate students' imagination and allow them to express the story in new ways.
• 📝 Writing activities like composing a eulogy for a character, creating a story map, or drafting new dialogues enhance students' writing skills and deepen their connection to the text.
• 🎉 Interactive and fun post-reading activities like 'Mime Words or Opposites,' 'Secret Word,' and 'Re-tell the Story' in a circle foster a love for reading and encourage active participation.

Q & A

What is the main purpose of the video by Eric from Etiquette?

The main purpose of the video is to share 50 reading activities that teachers can use in the classroom to enhance students' reading skills and integrate them with other language skills such as comprehension, speaking, and creative language use.

Why should reading not be done in isolation according to the video?

Reading should not be done in isolation because it should be integrated with other skills like comprehension, speaking, and creative language use to form a more complete individual with a wider set of skills.

What are the two types of reading mentioned in the video?

The two types of reading mentioned are reading for fluency and reading for comprehension.

What is the significance of pre-reading activities in the video?

Pre-reading activities are significant because they prepare students for the story, help elicit vocabulary, and allow students to make predictions about the story based on the title, author, and pictures.

How does the 'Tarantino' activity work in the video script?

The 'Tarantino' activity involves reading the last part of the text first and then asking students to predict what will happen in the beginning and middle of the story.

What is the 'reading race' activity and how does it engage students?

The 'reading race' activity pairs students up and involves them running back and forth to answer questions based on the text. It engages students by making reading a competitive and interactive game.

What is the purpose of the 'role play' activity during reading?

The purpose of the 'role play' activity is to improve students' comprehension of the story and ensure that everyone in the group understands what happens by acting out the characters and the narrative.

How does the 'blank out words' activity help students during reading?

The 'blank out words' activity helps students by requiring them to guess the missing words in the text, which enhances their understanding and engagement with the story.

What is the 'stop before the end' activity and its benefit?

The 'stop before the end' activity involves stopping the reading before the ending and asking students to predict the conclusion. It benefits students by encouraging them to think critically about the story's outcome.

What is the importance of post-reading activities according to the video?

Post-reading activities are important as they help check students' comprehension, encourage reflection on the story, and provide opportunities for creative and analytical thinking about the text.

Why should teachers inspire students to become dedicated readers as mentioned in the video?

Teachers should inspire students to become dedicated readers because successful language learners are dedicated readers, and reading daily can lead to the development of open-minded critical thinkers who can contribute to the betterment of humanity and the world.