To teach reading skills in integration with the other language skills

PART A: INTRODUCTION i Rationale Nowadays, as an effective means of international communication, English is widely used in all fields of activity throughout the world. Therefore, there has been a growing demand for the learning of this language of those who want to master English to serve their different purposes. This leads to the introduction of English for Specific Purposes (ESP) in many universities in Vietnam. Being aware of the importance of ESP, Department of Linguistics and Vietnamese Studies at University of Social Sciences and Humanities (USSH) – VNU have had its own collections of teaching material on Linguistics Studies. It is aimed at providing students with background knowledge and a system of terms related to Linguistics. In the process of acquiring English as a whole, students must learn not only language items but also four language skills among which reading plays an important part. This is also true to students of linguistics because they can broaden their professional knowledge in their major as well as get access to language inputs to develop the other language skills when reading a lot of materials on linguistics in English. Despite the significant role of reading skills, the teaching and learning of it at the Department have not been properly carried out. There are some exiting problems such as the lack of experience in teaching ESP, no training course for teachers of ESP, uneven English level of the students. Besides, Grammar-Translation method is still in use to exploit reading texts. Reading skill is often taught separately or, in other words, there is no integration with the other language skills. The text is, in fact, exploited as a source of materials for a language lesson. As a result, most of the students become bored and passive. This has given rise to the question, “How can ESP teachers improve the situation to bring life into the lessons and motivate the students to read in English?” And the following answer can often be heard, “To teach reading skills in integration with the other language skills.” But how can this be done? This study will try to answer this question. ii Objectives of the study The study is aimed at: identifying and analyzing strong points and weak points of ESP teaching and learning reading skills in Department of Linguistics and Vietnamese Studies at USSH - VNU; exploiting the advantages of skill-integration in the light of Communicative Language Teaching in teaching reading skills to students of linguistics; and suggesting techniques that are applicable and useful for the improvement in ESP teaching and learning reading skills in integration with the development of the other language skills to students of linguistics at USSH - VNU. iii Scope of the study It is impossible to cover every aspect of language theory and practice in this study. Due to lack of time, experience and reference materials, the study will focus only on studying teaching reading ESP to students of linguistics in the light of the Communicative Approach to language teaching. iv Methods of the study To carry out this study, the following methods will be employed: Collection and critical review of related literature; Survey questionnaires for both ESP teachers and students of linguistics at USSH - VNU. This will be carried out in combination with classroom observation; and Data analysis PART B: LITERATURE REVIEW CHAPTER 1: READING IN ESP TEACHING AND LEARNING Reading itself includes numerous issues. Therefore, it is difficult to complete the coverage of such a vast topic. In this chapter, some different definitions of reading, the role of reading, reasons for reading, kinds of reading, reading skills and reading in ESP teaching and learning will be discussed. 1.1 Reading redefined In the reading class, what the teacher understands about reading will have a great influence on what he or she teaches in the classroom. Therefore, for the teacher of reading, a careful look at definitions of reading is very important. However, defining reading is not easy although a lot of attempts have been made to define it. Different people define the term reading in different ways and each definition reflects a different viewpoint of reading. According to Robinson and Good (1987: 9), “reading is best described as an understanding between the author and the reader...Reading is much more than just pronouncing words correctly or simply knowing that the author intends; it is the process whereby the printed page stimulates ideas, experiences and responses that are unique to an individual. Reading can simply be thought of as a personal encounter with the printed page. Basically, an important aspect of reading is the process of constructing meaning from printed materials.” Petty and Salzer (1989: 323) held a similar point of view, that is, “reading involves the identification and recognition of printed or written symbols which serve as stimulus for the recall of meanings built up through past experience and further the construction of new meanings through the reader's manipulation of relevant concepts already in his or her possession. The resulting meanings are organized into thought processes according to the purposes that are operating in the reader.” Both of the above definitions indicate that reading is not only an interaction between the reader and the author but also between the reader and the text. Gould, DiYanni, Smith and Standford (1990), on the other hand, defined this term by looking at its scope. According to them, reading is a creative act, interaction, interpretation, a social act and responding. Although "no definition of reading can possibly include all viewpoints and features" (Robinson and Good - 1987: 9), for the sake of teaching and learning reading skills, the following definition should be emphasized: “Reading means "reading and understanding". A foreign language learner who says, "I can read the words but don't know what they mean" is not, therefore, reading, in this sense. He or she is merely decoding - translating written symbols into corresponding sounds.” (Ur - 1996: 138) This does not mean that the reader needs to understand every word in a text but actively work on the text and extract the required information efficiently. So far we have had some knowledge of the definition of reading. The following section will discuss the part reading plays in a language teaching programme. 1.2 Role of reading In reality, the ability to read is very important to personal development, academic studies, professional success, etc. Therefore, it is agreed that Where there is little reading, there will be little language learning. It will be true for a few years yet that the student who wants to learn English will have to read himself into knowledge of it unless he can move into an English environment. He must substitute imaginary for actual experience; Only by reading can the pupil acquire the speed and skills he will need for practical purposes when he leaves school. In our literate society, it is hard to imagine any skilled work that does not require the ability to read; Further education depends on quantity and quality of reading. All the important study skills require quick, efficient and imaginative reading; and General knowledge depends on reading. The "background" or cross - culture problem can only is tackled by wide reading. The more the student reads, the more background knowledge he acquires of other ways of life, behavior and thought and the more books he finds he can understand. (Bright & McGregor - 1977: 52) Thus, it can be said that reading is the core of the syllabus as it helps students broaden their general knowledge as well as professional one, improve other language skills and succeed in their future life. As a result, it is the teacher of reading that helps and motivates students to learn to read so that they can read to learn. To fulfill this task, he or she should give the student a reason for reading. The following section will, thus, discuss answers to the question, "Why do people read?" 1.3 Reasons for reading Most students of English expect to be able to read the language sooner or later. Their personal desires and expectations vary from wanting to be able to read Shakespeare, Mark Twain or a scientific journal to being able to read a tourist brochure or advertisement. Accordingly, the reasons for reading will influence the way they read. For example, the quick scanning of a page in the telephone directory to find a single name is very different from the careful attention one pays to a legal document. According to Rivers and Temperly (1978: 187), we read normally because we want information for some purpose or because we are curious about some topic; need instructions in order to perform some task for our work or for our daily life...; want to act in a play, play a new game, do a puzzle, or carry out some other activity which is pleasant and amusing; want to keep in touch with friends by corresponding or understand business letters; want to know when or where something will take place or what is available...; want to know what is happening or has happened...; seek enjoyment or excitement... Also concerning the reasons for reading, Nuttall (1989: 3) wrote: “You read because you wanted to get something from the writing: facts, ideas, enjoyment, even feelings of family community (from a letter).” Sharing the same opinion, White in "Communication in Classroom" (Johnson, Morrow - 1981: 87), stated that “we read in order to obtain information which is presented in written form. By "information" I mean content which is cognitive (or intellectual), referential (or factual) or affective (or emotional).” All of the above opinions agreed that reading is carried out for, at least, a reason other than reading the language itself. When reading, readers are not concerned with the language but with the message and its applications. In other words, they have authentic reasons for reading. Therefore, the teacher of English should combine the teaching and learning of the target language with the uses to which his or her students can put reading in their daily life outside the classroom. In addition, the teacher of reading should know how to exploit each text with each proper strategy by making students practise different types of reading. 1.4 Kinds of reading Although there are different ways to classify reading, the most popular one is to base on manners and purposes of reading (or reasons for reading). 1.4.1 Classification according to manners of reading Based on manners of reading, reading can be divided into reading aloud and silent reading. 1.4.1.1 Reading aloud According to Doff (1995: 67), “obviously, reading aloud involves looking at a text, understanding it and also saying it”. What he meant is that when we read aloud, our purpose is not just to understand a text but to convey the information to someone else. In his opinion, “reading aloud can be useful at the earliest stage of reading (recognising letters and words); it can help students to make the connection between sound and spelling”. However, Doff (1995: 58) also pointed out that "for reading a text, it is not a very useful technique" because it is not a natural activity – most people do not read aloud in real life. In addition, when reading aloud, only one student is active at a time while the others are either not listening at all or are listening to a bad model. And students only pay attention to pronunciation, not understanding the text. Besides, students usually read slowly because they find it hard to read aloud in their own language, let alone in a foreign language. Therefore, it takes up a lot of time in class. Hedge (1991: 14) took the same view about reading aloud. He gave out points both for and against this kind of reading: For · Students often read out loud as an aid to making sense of sentences and finding the boundaries of sense groups. · It gives extra practice in pronunciation, word stress and rhythm. · It brings variety to classroom activities. · It is appropriate to certain kinds of texts such as poetry and drama. · Many students enjoy oral reading and are motivated by it. · Traditionally it is the mode of reading in many educational systems. Against · Listening to inaccurate pronunciation from classmates confuses understanding of the sound - symbol relationship. · The reader is so intent on articulation that he loses track of the content. · It does not allow the reader to use natural strategies for reading quickly and forces him to revert to a slow reading of every word so that overall meaning may be lost through attention to detail. · It requires a considerable amount of classtime that might be better exploited. As a result, according to Doff (1995: 59), "if a teacher wants students to read aloud, it should be the final activity at the end of a reading lesson". It can be suggested that to make full use of this type of reading, a reading lesson must be carefully prepared and carried out in various ways to motivate and encourage the student to learn. 1.4.1.2 Silent reading Different from reading aloud, silent reading is the normal and natural activity that most students do in classroom as well as in real life. “Normally, reading is a silent and individual activity since the writer's expectation was that the text would be read, not heard” (Abbott and Wingard - 1985: 81). Doff (1995: 67) added that “it involves looking at sentences and understanding the message they convey, in other words, "making sense" of a written text.” This means that when we read, we do not merely sit as "passive receivers" of the text but we, based on our own knowledge of the world and of the language, extract the required information and relate it with real life. In addition, in silent reading, the student can read at his own speed and can go back and read whatever he wants to understand more. 1.4.2 Classification according to purposes of reading As mentioned above, people read because of various reasons or, in other words, different purposes. Accordingly, the ways they read also vary. Most methodologists have agreed that the main kinds of reading according to purposes of reading are skimming, scanning, extensive reading and intensive reading. 1.4.2.1 Skimming Skimming can be defined as follows: “By skimming... we mean glancing rapidly through a text to determine its gist, for example in order to decide whether a research paper is relevant to our own work..., or in order to keep ourselves superficially informed about matters that are not of great importance to us” (Nuttall - 1989: 34). Or simply speaking, when skimming, we go through the reading material quickly to get general sense or the gist of it without being concerned with the details. Therefore, skimming should be treated as a useful skill in teaching and learning reading and can be applied at the first stage of a reading lesson with the aim that the student can have an overview of what he is going to read. 1.4.2.2 Scanning Scanning is also a necessary technique in reading efficiently. Nuttall (1989: 34) stated that “by scanning we mean glancing rapidly through a text either to search for a specific piece of information... or to get an initial impression of whether the text is suitable for a given purpose...” Unlike skimming, scanning is a kind of reading carried out when we go through the text very fast in order to find a particular item of information, then concentrate on it. When scanning, we only try to find what we are looking for. Therefore, this kind of reading can be very useful in reading selectively. 1.4.2.3 Extensive reading Extensive reading is also called "reading for fluency". The student reads long texts to have general understanding, to practise his fluency in reading, or to relax. Therefore, this kind of reading is often carried out individually outside classroom. In general, the student should be encouraged to do extensive reading to improve his knowledge of the world as well as of the target language or simply to foster fluency and pleasure. 1.4.2.4 Intensive reading In contrast with extensive reading, intensive reading requires full understanding of the text. Nuttall (1989: 23) wrote “intensive reading involves approaching the text under the close guidance of the teacher..., or under the guidance of a task which forces the student to pay great attention to the text. The aim of intensive reading is to arrive at a profound and detailed understanding of the text: not only of what it means, but also of how the meaning is produced. The "how" is as important as the "what", for the intensive reading lesson is intended primarily to train students in reading strategies.” Accordingly, intensive reading should be a basic activity in a reading classroom. In conclusion, the above kinds of reading are closely related. They can be used either alternatively or in combination in reading one text. The teacher of reading should vary reading strategies and make full use of each kind of reading. Furthermore, to make the teaching and learning reading better, the teacher should select activities suitable for promoting reading as a major language skill as well as its sub-skills which will be discussed below. 1.5 Reading skills The reader employs a number of specialist skills when reading and his success in understanding the content of what he reads depends to a large extent on his expertise in these specialist skills. The following are some of the main reading skills required by a learner of English listed by Matthews, Spratt and Dangerfield (1991: 65): recognising the letters of the alphabet; reading groups of letters as words; understanding the meaning of punctuation; understanding the meaning of vocabulary items; understanding the grammar of a sentence; understanding the relationship between sentences and clauses in a text; recognizing the effects of style; recognizing the organization of a text; making inferences; reading longer texts (extensive reading); skimming for gist; scanning for specific information; and reading for detail This list concerns students of different levels of reading ability. For students of linguistics, the skills numbered (4), (5), (8), (9), (10), (11), (12) and (13) should be paid far more attention to than the rest since they are essential skills for them not only in their major but also in real life. Reading skills are also identified as follows: recognizing words and phrases in English script; using one's own knowledge of the outside world to make predictions about and interpret a text; retrieving information stated in the passage; distinguishing the main ideas from subsidiary information; deducing the meaning and use of unknown words; ignoring unknown words/phrases that are redundant; understanding the meaning and implications of grammatical structures; recognizing discourse markers; recognizing the function of sentences - even when not introduced by discourse markers; understanding relations within the sentence and the text; extracting specific information for summary or note taking; skimming to obtain the gist, and recognise the organisation of ideas within the text; understanding implied information and attitudes; and knowing how to use an index, a table of contents, etc. Understanding layout, use of headings, etc. (Willis - 1998: 142) Basically, Willis took the same view on reading sub-skills as Matthews, Spratt and Dangerfield. These methodologists all emphasized that the student of foreign languages should improve his reading ability by acquiring the ways to make prediction; how to skim and scan; understanding the text by getting the main idea, the specific information; recognizing the organization as well as the discourse patterns. Also being concerned about reading skills, Harmer (1992: 183) gave another list o