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Date Posted: 12:14:40 11/14/04 Sun
Author: Amanda
Subject: Re: Task 5
In reply to: Angela Vitorino 's message, "Re: Task 5" on 03:20:42 11/13/04 Sat

TASK 5
TEACHING READING SKILLS
Many teachers, while teaching reading in a foreign language at schools, prefer to translate the text for students or ask them to do that in order they can understand the text (1). Then, the readers especially the beginners use the translation word by word (2). Although it is considered a natural process (Stanovich, l980), they will not understand a text accurately just because they have translated every single word (Mickuleck). Using some reading skills, such as skipping the unknown words or guessing the meaning of these words inside a context, instead of relying heavily on the words, learners will be able to comprehend the text and increase their vocabulary. They will not simply translate the words but they will think about their meaning.

Some teachers think that the students feel more secure when they translate word by word because they may believe if they know every one, they will understand the text. Although they can consider a risk not knowing all the words, if they skip unknown words and, even doing that, they can understand the text, they will develop confidence in using the skipping as a reading skill. Furthermore, translating in that way “can slow learners down” because they “have to go back and forth between the languages” (Oxford, l990).

Teachers using translation word by word think the students will keep in mind what each word means. It is an illusion, because if they have all the vocabulary ready for them, they will not remember the meaning of an unknown word, even if/when (3) it appears in the next paragraph, in the same text(4). On the contrary, if learners try to guess the meaning of unknown words from the context, although they can make a mistake, they will have the opportunity to think, to check and they will be able to make a relationship between the idea and the written symbol, keeping this in mind. Teachers should encourage learners to make associations, “using imagery and putting the new words into the context of the sentence” to memorize the words (Oxford, l990)



“Word-by-word translation, though a frequent occurrence among beginners can become a crutch or provide the wrong interpretation of target language material” (Oxford, l990).
Then teachers, while teaching reading, should work with some skills, such as skipping unknown words or guessing these words inside a context, in order the students can have a better comprehension of the text(5). Besides that, guessing intelligently is essential for reading (Nunan) and can lead the learners to increase their vocabulary.

REFERENCES:

ANDERSON, Neil – Active – Skills for Reading – Book l – Thomson, Heinle , 2003
MICKULECK, B.S. – A Short Course in teaching reading skills –
NUNAN – Second Language Teaching & Learning – Heinle & Heinle
OXFORD, Rebecca – Language Learning Strategies – Heinle & Heinle – l990

Ângela these are some suggestions that might improve your text. In general I could say that when you quote somebody you should explain the quotation afterwards, I believe that the quotation can’t be considered as a conclusion to your ideas. On the last paragraph you quote Oxford and then join it with you own ideas, that is what I believe you should do on the whole text.
(1) I suggest: so they can understand the text or in order to make the text understandable.
(2) translate word by word
(4 ) If you said that it is in the next paragraph it becomes redundant to say that it is in the same text.
(5) so the students ca have … or in order to provide a better comprehension …

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Replies:

  • Re: Task 5 -- Aparecida's comments, 02:50:53 11/16/04 Tue
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