Vision of English Education

Question: What hope is there for English education in the English-speaking countries?

Answer: I offer my personal vision: The use of the directed reading assignment in every subject, every day, to produce what Olive Niles predicts will occur—no reading problems.

> The directed reading assignment begins as teacher directed and ends up as student directed.

> It begins with assessing what student already know about the topic to be read.

> It is enhanced by a survey or sampling of the text that narrows the focus of the ideas to be read. Both of these steps are important in building up the background information on the topic to be read. The more people know about the topic to be read, the better they will comprehend it.

> It includes pre-teaching of unfamiliar vocabulary, usually in context and if a dictionary is called for reducing the meaning of each unfamiliar word to two, or at most, three words for easy recall. That way, students will see and recognize the unfamiliar words. They do not see or recognize unfamiliar words if they are not called attention to beforehand.

> After sampling or surveying the text, students summarize what they have learned and raise questions about what they want to know.

> They read to answer their questions. They discuss their answers.

> They apply this information or deepen it by consulting other resources, most notably the Internet.

Here’s how each type of material uses the directed reading assignment:

Textbook Chapters (Expository)

Assess student knowledge of the topic to be read. Survey the chapter by reading the title, sub—titles, first paragraph, the first sentence of each paragraph and the last paragraph. Note unfamiliar vocabulary and read the words in context, or, if a dictionary is necessary, reduce the meaning of the words to two, or, at most three words for better remembering. Summarize what has been learned about the contents and raise questions to read to answer. Discuss what has been learned. Apply the information or deepen it by using other resources, most notably the Internet.

Books of Exposition or Information

Assess student knowledge of the topic. Read the title, first and last paragraphs of each chapter. Summarize what has been learned. Raise questions about what students want to know. Discuss their answers to these questions after reading. Apply this information or deepen it by consulting other resources, most notably the Internet.

Novels

Read for ten minutes near the beginning of the novel. Summarize what has been learned. Raise questions about what students want to know. Read for ten minutes in the middle, three-fourths through the novel and near the end, but not the end. After each sampling, students summarize what they have learned and raise questions about what they want to know. Order the questions according to questions of fact, interpretation or criticism. Read and discuss the answers to their questions.

Short Stories

Read a paragraph a page or column. Summarize what has been learned. Students raise questions about what they want to know. Organize the questions according to questions of fact, interpretation an criticism. Read and discuss the answers to their questions.

 Comment: That’s my vision. And it is achievable, but it will take a lot of work—and teaching. RayS.