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2978 6496 1 PB
2978 6496 1 PB
Reading is one of the most important and learning reading are not difficult,
skills in language learning. It is a either. Reading requires specific
crucial skill for students of English as a instruction and conscious effort
Foreign Language (Debat, 2006:8). (Fromkin, Rodman, and Hyams, 2007,
Being able to read, as well as to write, p.522).
enables the students to speak more The problem is how to find and
communicatively, which is the main decide the good, effective, and useful
goal of language learning. One of the approach for teaching reading,
milestones in childrens education is especially for teaching reading to
how and when they learn how to read. children or young learners. Teaching
Millions of EFL children are children or young learners is not easy
learning reading as part of learning because they have their unique
English, and thousands of EFL teachers characteristics in learning.
are searching for an approach to The concern of this paper is
teaching reading that will work most finding the effective way of teaching
effectively. Teaching and learning reading to young learners in EFL
reading are not easy. However, teaching context. The writer will discuss some
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there is a close match between their encode words and ideas, and how words
knowledge or experience and the texts and sentences are set out on a page.
they read. Affectively, reading aloud can motivate
There is an approach called Whole children to want to read themselves.
Language approach which has almost
the same characteristics as the The Whole Word / Key Words
Language Experience Approach. Approach
Advocates of the Whole Language It starts from word level, with
approach believe that reading is part of children looking at single words on
general language development, not an cards to encourage rapid whole word
isolated skill students learn apart from recognition (Cameron, 2001, p.148). In
listening, speaking, and writing. the Whole-word approach, the children
Teachers in whole-language classroom learn words such as cat, dog, or ship as
seldom use textbooks; instead, young whole, independent words.
students write stories and learn to read Other experts call this approach as
from their writing, and older students sight word or look-say method, which
read literature that is closely related to teaches children to recognize whole
their everyday experiences (Parkay and words or sentences rather than
Stanford, 1998, p.364). individual sounds. Flash cards with
In addition, the Whole Language individual words written on them
approach is a philosophy of learning. (which are often accompanied with
This approach stresses that language related pictures) are used for this
should be learned in a natural and method.
meaningful context. Words should be Many children actually memorize
learned as complete words, and the spelling. Whether or not the
sentences and whole stories should be children picture the word as a whole or
learned with as little analysis as memorizing the spelling, the important
possible. Wherever possible, the point is that they are learning
children are expected to guess the independent words and are not focusing
meaning of unfamiliar words from the on the connections between one word
context or from hints. and another. The children may practice
Therefore, the children need a lot reading by drawing pictures next to
of exposure to words orally before they words, by coloring the pictures, and
read or write them. They can guess how even putting the words in puzzles, and
to read words from context without these methods certainly do a lot to
breaking the words down phonically. increase the childrens retention of the
That is why getting the children to words. But the children are still
listen to and say many words is focusing on independent items of
important. Reading aloud for children knowledge rather than underlying
can be one of the best ways to give patterns (Paul, 2003, p.85).
exposure of words for children. The term key words was used
In addition, Cameron (2001, because the sight words taught were
p.141) suggests teacher (or other adult) taken from the most frequently used
to read aloud to young children because words in English. This can help
it has an enormous range of benefits. children quickly identify such common
She says that from listening or watching function words as of, and, for, and the.
an adult read aloud, children can see These words do not have clear lexical
how books are handled, how texts meanings but create meanings when
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they are used with content words. In dry, boring, and demotivating, if done
learning to read, these words are in isolation, so it is probably preferable
probably better, and more easily, learnt to incorporate five or ten minutes of
through multiple encounters in contexts concentrated phonics work inside other
of use, rather than separated from other activities, such as story reading, class
words on a card. joint writing, song and rhymes, and
others (Cameron, 2001, p.149).
The Phonics Approach Moreover, when phonics is
The phonics approach is probably introduced in a more child-centered
the best known and widely used method way, it can be a wonderful tool for
to teach reading and writing in the giving the children a confident,
English language. This approach positive, and adventurous approach to
generally emphasizes teaching children reading. Paul (2003, p.88) introduces
to match individual letters of the active phonics, which involves a lot
alphabet with their specific English of games, as follows.
pronunciations, with the idea that if
children can sound out or decode new The children play and play, moving
words, they will be able to read through a phonic sequence which
independently. They then will be able to fits together and makes sense,
blend two letters together to make discovering and linking each stage
simple words then three letters, then of the sequence as they go along.
This can give children the
four and so forth. Decoding is the confidence to take risks and learn
process of identifying the written words from mistakes. It can make words
using the alphabetic code to determine in the Roman alphabet much more
pronunciation ad meaning (Riley, 1999, approachable, encourage the
p.45). children to notice patterns they can
Phonics generally involves use to read and write new words,
teaching children the sound-letter and most important of all, active
relationships used in reading and phonics can help the children smile
writing. A related type of knowledge, and have a lot of fun.
phonemic awareness, involves children
understanding that speech is made up of According to Gagen (2005), direct
individual sounds, including such things systematic phonics programs are the
as the ability to tell if two words begin most effective way to teach children to
or end with the same sound, and the read. The programs effectively build the
ability to focus on the form of speech essential foundation for higher level
apart from focusing on its meaning or proficient reading skills. Paul (2003,
content (Strickland, 1998; cited in p87) claims that learning phonics can
Ediger, 2001, pp.157-158). Phonemic give EFL learners the confidence to try
awareness is also important for literacy and read words that would otherwise
development and frequently taught with feel alien and distant, and it can give
phonics. them the motivation to approach a book
Phonics is often taught in a with a positive attitude.
rather mechanical way with the children
memorizing a lot of rules, doing a lot of What is the Best Approach?
repetition, and reading and writing Which kind of approach works
sentences that have little personal best for teaching reading has been a
meaning for the children. It can be very topic of considerable debate for many
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decades. It is natural to feel that all scales. Cameron (2001, p.134) claims
approaches to teaching have strong and that no right way of learning to read
weak points, and that standard has been found, and when we consider
approaches may not fit teachers the complexity of what has to be learnt,
particular teaching situation, so they this should not be surprising. What is
need to draw on ideas from a number of clear, is that children need to progress
different approaches and add ideas that within each scale or level. Good,
come from their own experience. effective, and suitable approaches are
However, the approaches teachers for helping the students in their
choose need to fit together coherently development.
(Paul, 2003, p.2).
Specifically, according to Paul CHILDRENS LITERATURE
(2003, p.85), learning to read can be The content of childrens
wonderful adventure for children, if literature can motivate the interest of
only teachers use appropriate students to learn a new language.
approaches. However, the teaching Bringing in childrens literature into
techniques used in one kind of situation English language class can also create
may be very different from those used opportunities for language learners to
in another situation. practice language in purposeful ways,
It is a mistake to rely on one and the experiences of reading
approach to teaching reading, because childrens literature encourages
one that works for one child may not language learners to construct meaning
work at all for another. Good teachers and to engage in active reading (Rigg &
have always recognized that children Allen, 1989; cited in Liu, 2000, p.189).
learn in different ways and require Among types of childrens
different strategies. In his 2001 article literature, the picture book is the one
for Southwest Educational that has been suggested and used often
Development Laboratory, What Does by teachers because both the pictures
a Balanced Literacy Approach Mean? and the text work interdependently to
Sebastian Wren suggests that teachers tell a story, and the language-rich
should focus not on approaches or even illustrations create a rich
a balance between approaches, but on contextualization (Spangenberg-
what the teacher has learned about Urbschat & Prtichard, 1994; Hadaway,
individual students. The best way to Vardell, & Young, 2002; cited in Liu,
teach kids to learn is to find out what 2000, p.191)
each child knows and how that child It is important to select books to
learns best. support student learning from every
Gordon Wells cited in Ashworth genre of childrens literature (Popps,
and Wakefield (2005, p.3) says that 2005, p.85). A literary genre is a
knowledge cannot be transmitted in specific kind of literature, such as
isolation, but must be reinvented as the biography, poetry, or historical fiction,
learner brings to each new situation his and each genre has certain
own previous experience and characteristics that distinguish it from
background and interprets new the others. Moreover, there are certain
information from that perspective. characters that can be learn from each
In addition, children learning to of the story.
read English need to develop
knowledge and skills at the different
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word, and (d) conforming the prediction children. That is one of the proofs that
through the use of the available cues, the role of the parent or teacher in
and correcting miscues. supporting reading progress is crucial.
Furthermore, in relation to In addition, research shows that reading
teaching young learners, the teacher to children has many other positive
should be at least as energetic as the outcomes.
students. Sosiowati (2003) says that the In conclusion, there are three
young learners teacher should be important points for children reading
enthusiastic, patient, creative, positive, success, namely: (1) innovative and
relax, and innovative because she is suitable approach, (2) effective
dealing with curious young people who material, and (3) parent or teacher. All
are very eager to learn something new. these three elements are critical in order
In addition, teacher of young learners to teach all kids to read.
should not damage the students
motivation because it can affect their
future performance.
According to Coopers, parents
lay a foundation for success in reading REFERENCES
by reading books to him. They say The Ashworth, Mary and H. Patricia
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Good teachers have to recognize that Applying current approaches to
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