Although recent discussions of second-language reading comprehension suggest that it is more effectively taught and learnt in content-based classes, there have been very few published investigations of comprehension difficulties that students in TESOL settings experience in the course of content-based reading, and relatively few accounts of pedagogic initiatives in this important area. The present exploratory study was motivated by concerns over difficulties that learners of physics in a secondary school setting appeared to encounter in reading, understanding and applying the material in their subject textbook. The study combines a diagnostic phase, in which learners' perceptions of their own reading habits and difficulties are examined, and an implementation phase, which describes how a short course in content area reading was developed, taught and evaluated. The article sets out the main findings of both phases and suggests implications for pedagogy and educational change.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Allison, D. (1996) Comprehension teaching in educational discourse . Hong Kong Journal of Applied Linguistics, 1. 107-124
2.
Alvermann, D.E., Dillon, D.R. and O'Brien, D.G. (1987) Using discussion to proniote reading comprehension . Newark, Delaware: International Reading Association.
3.
Alvermann, D.E. and Moore, D.W. (1991) Secondary school reading. In Barr, R.; Kamil, M. L.; Mosenthal, P. and Pearson, P. D. (Eds.), Handbook of reading research volume II, 951-983. New York: Longman.
4.
Bintz, W.P. (1993) Resistant readers in secondary education: some insights and implications. Journal of Reading, 36:604-615.
5.
Benson, M.J. (1991) University ESL reading: A content analysis. English for Specific Purposes, 10:75-88.
6.
Davey, B. (1988) How do classroom teachers use their textbooks? Journal of Reading, 31:340-345.
7.
Devine, T.G. (1981) Teaching study skills: a guide for teachers. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.
8.
Dunkel, P. (1991) The effectiveness research on computer-assisted instruction and computer-assisted language learning. In Dunkel, P. (Ed.), Computer-assisted language learning and testing, 5-36. New York: Newbury House.
9.
Finley, F.N. (1991) Why students have trouble learning from science texts. In Santa, C. M. and Alvermann, D. E. (Eds.), Science learning: processes and applications, 22-27. Newark, Delaware: International Reading Association.
10.
Frager, A.M. (1993) Affective dimensions of content area reading. Journal of Reading, 36:616-622.
11.
Grabe, W. (1991) Current developments in second language reading research. TESOL Quarterly, 25:375-406.
Herber, H.L. (1985) Developing reading and thinking skills in content areas. In Chipman, S. F.; Segal, J. W. and Glaser, R. (Eds.), Thinking and learning skills vol. 1: relating instruction to research, 297-316. New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
14.
Holliday, W.G. (1991) Helping students learn effectively from science text. In Santa, C. M. and Alvermann, D. E. (Eds.), Science learning: processes and applications, 38-47. Newark, Delaware: International Reading Association.
15.
Hudson, T. (1991) A content comprehension approach to reading English for science and technology. TESOL Quarterly, 25: 77-104.
16.
Hyon, S. (1996) Genre in three traditions: Implications for ESL . TESOL Quarterly, 30(4): 693-722.
17.
Kasper, L.F. (1995) Theory and practice in content-based ESL reading instruction. English for Specific Purposes, 14: 223-230.
18.
Lee, W.Y. (1996) An investigation of the outcomes of reading instruction for learning from science texts at the upper secondary level. Unpublished MA dissertation, National University of Singapore.
19.
Lim, S. ( 1995) A review of reading and writing research in Singapore: Implications for language education. In Tickoo, M. L. (Ed.), Reading and writing: Theory into practice, 492-513. Singapore : RELC.
20.
Lynch, B.K. (1996) Language program evaluation: theory and practice . Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
21.
McAndrew, D.A. (1983) Underlining and notetaking: some suggestions from research. Journal of Reading, 27:103-108.
22.
McKeown, M.G., Beck, I.L. and Worthy, M.J. (1993) Grappling with text ideas: questioning the author . The Reading Teacher, 46:560-566.
23.
Mohan, B. (1986) Language and content. Reading, Massachusetts: Addison-Wesley.
24.
Mok, R. ( 1994) Reading and English Acquisition Programme (REAP). In Tickoo, M. L. (Ed.), Research in reading and writing: A Southeast Asian collection, 30-40. Singapore : RELC.
25.
Morris, A. and Stewart-Dore, N. (1984) Learning to learn from Text: effective reading in the content areas. Singapore : Addison-Wesley.
26.
Ng, S.M. (1995) Language teaching and cross-cultural communication . In Khoo, M., Lee, J. I. and Lim, A. (Eds.), Literacy and biliteracy in Asia: Problems and Issues in the next decade (Selected Papers, Asian Reading Congress 1995, 19-38. Singapore: National Book Development Council / Society for Reading and Literacy.
27.
Ngeow, A.C. (1983) An investigation of the reading activities in the content-area classrooms of selected secondary schools in Singapore. M. A. dissertation, Singapore : SEAMEO Regional Language Centre.
28.
Oh, J.M.L. (1986) Content-area reading in secondary geography classrooms - an exploratory study ofperception and practice in Singapore schools. M.A. dissertation, SingaporeSEAMEO Regional Language Centre.
29.
Pinnell, G.S. (1984) Communication in small group settings. Theory into practice, 23:246-254.
30.
Santa, C.M. (1986) Content reading in secondary schools. In Orasanu, J. (Ed.), Reading comprehension: from research to practice, 303-317. New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
31.
Shih, M. (1992) Beyond comprehension exercises in the academic reading class. TESOL Quarterly, 26:289-318.
32.
Singer, H. and Donlan, D. (1989) Reading and learning from text. New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
33.
Tickoo, M.L. (1995) Reading-writing research and Asian TEFL classrooms: Providing for differentness. In Tickoo, M. L. (Ed.), Reading and writing: Theory into practice, 259-280. Singapore : RELC.
