While-Reading Learning Experiences are activities that help learners concentrate on facets of the content and to understand it better. The objective of these activities is to help learners to read as they would read if the content were written in their first language.
During this stage, learners should be able to:
- confirm predictions
- gather info
- organize info
What are Examples of While-Reading Learning Experiences?
The number of while-reading learning experiences that you can do in the class depends on the innovativeness of the educator.
You can use while-reading learning experiences that are based on traditional forms of assessment or you can use tech if you are good at integrating it in classes.
The following are examples of while-reading activities that you can use in the class.
1. Identify Topic Sentences
Identify topic sentences and the central idea of paragraphs.
The central idea of a paragraph is the author’s message about the topic.
Please note that every paragraph includes a topic sentence that identifies the central idea of the paragraph.
2 General and Specific Ideas
Differentiate between general and specific ideas.
General ideas convey the central point or central idea of a piece of writing. Specific ideas provide evidence to define the general or central idea and verify that it is correct.
3. Identify the Connectors
Find the connectors to understand how they link ideas within the content.
There are various kinds of connectors.
4. Confirm Prediction
Check if predictions and guesses were verified.
This can be facilitated when a reading class starts with one of these pre-reading activities.
5. Skim a Text for Information
Skimming is the capacity to locate the central idea within a text. Using this reading tactic should help learners to become proficient readers.
Skimming reading should also help learners to be flexible readers.
6. Answer Literal and Inferential questions
Literal refers to what the content says and inferential is using the content as a starting point to find a deeper meaning.
7. Inferring
An additional while-reading activity consists of inferring the meaning of new words or phrases using the context.
Language learners rely on context to identify the meaning of a word, a reading tactic used a lot when you do a lot of reading.
8. Coding Text
Coding text involves teaching learners a method of margin marking so they can put a question mark next to a statement they don’t comprehend or an exclamation mark next to a part of the book that shocked them.
9. Student-to-learner conversation
This kind of activity is one that promotes the integration of two additional skills since you read the paragraph and then talk to a peer and listen to what they have to say.
You can ask learners to have a conversation after they have completed a sentence, a paragraph, or a stanza of a poem so they can discuss any questions they may have.
10. Scan the content for specific info
Scanning is reading the content rapidly to find specific info.
You scan or skim when you look for your favorite show in the TV guide or when you view your cousin’s phone number in your contact list.
11. Answer a Short Quiz
This a traditional way to assess what students have learned from the reading.
Concluding Thoughts If you want to use these reading tactics successfully, you need to comprehend how the reading content is structured as well as have a clear idea about what specific info you have to locate.
