Learning Strategy Instruction in the Foreign Language Classroom: Reading
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DOCUMENT RESUME ED 343 438 FL 020 289 AUTHOR Chamot, Anna Uhl; And Others TITLE Learning Strategy Instruction in the Foreign Language Classroom: Reading. INSTITUTION Interstate Research Associates, McLean, VA. SPONS AGENCY Center for International Education (ED), Washington, DC. PUB DATE Jul 90 NOTE 284p.; For related documents, see FL 020 290-292. PUB TYPE Guides - Non-Classroom Use (055) EARS PRICE MF01/PC12 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS *Classroom Techniques; French; Higher Education; High Schools; Instructional Improvement; Instructional Materials; Language Acquisition; *Learning Strategies; *Lesson Plans; *Reading Instruction; Russian; *Second Language Instruction; Second Language Learning; Spanish; *Teaching Methods; Worksheets IDENTIFIERS Integrated Organized Approach (Language Teaching) ABSTRACT This resource guide is designed to provide foreign language teachers with suggestions for helping ineffective students learn how to become better language learners and for already effective students to become superior language learners. The foar chapters of the guide for teaching reading skills are as follows: (1) Teaching Learning Strategies (e.g., rationale, kinds, guidelines, and specific strategies such as directed attention, self-monitoring, repetition, note-taking, and translation); (2) Learning to Comprehend Text (e.g., explanation of reading comprehension); (3) The Building Blocks of a Proficiency-Based Reading Program (e.g., authentic texts, levels of difficulty, reading tasks); and (4) Learning Strategy Instruction for Reading in the L2: Lesson Plans and Possible Scripts (e.g., inferencing using cognates, using background knowledge, reviewing, scanning, and predicting). Twelve appendices making up three-quarters of the document are included that provide a variety of reading and practice worksheets in French and Spanish. Cnntains 25 references. (LB) *********************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. *********************************************************************** 2;1711p Cmt Mi 1 a.: U.S OtPARTMENT Of EDUCATION Office 01 Educateonal Research and Improvement "PERMISSION TO REPRODUCETHIS EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION MAT RIAL HAS BEENGRANTED BY CENTER (ERIC) 104; document hes Nen reprOduced es received tram the person or organization originating it 0 Minor changes have been made to improve Nimrod rction Quality Points of view or opinions staled in this dock,- mem do not necessarily rep:esent official OERI position or policy Ir'Yt t L.' ,qg 24. Submitted to: Dr. José Martinez Project Officer International Research and Studies Program U.S. Deparf-unt of Education 7th & D Streets S.W. Washington, D.C. 20202 Ref. Project Number P017A80038-89 Learning Strategy Instruction in the Foreign Language Classroom: Reading Submitted by: Anna Uhl Chamot, Ph.D. Project Director Interstate Research Associates 7926 Jones Branch Drive, Suite 1100 McLean, Virginia 22102 (703) 893-3514 July 1990 :3 Learning Strategy Instruction in the Foreign Language Classroom: Reading by Anna Uhl Chamot Irene Thompson Lisa Kiipper Sarah Barnhardt Project Number P017A80038-89 Funded by the International Research and Studies Program U.S. Department of Education July 1990 '1 Table of Contents PREFACE xi Background xi Organization of the Resource Guides xii CHAPTER ONE. Teaching Learning Strategies I-1 Why teach or use learning strategies? I-1 What kinds of learning strategies are there? 1-2 What are some useful strategies for foreign language learning? I-4 Guidelines for learning strategy instruction 1-5 Instructional sequence for teaching learning strategies 1-8 The Learning Strategies I-11 Plamiing 1-13 Directed attention I-15 Selective attention 1-17 Self-management I-19 Self-monitoring 1-21 Self-evaluation 1-23 Repetition 1-25 Resourcing 1-27 Grouping 1-29 Note-taking 1-31 Substitution 1-33 Elaboration 1-35 Summarization 1-37 Translation 1-39 Inferencing 1-41 Questioning 1-43 Cooperation 1-45 CHAPTER 'IWO. Learning to Comprehend Text II-1 What is reading comprehension? II-1 Guidelines for reading strategy instruction 11-3 How to begin 11-4 CHAPTER THREE. The Building Blocks of a Proficiency-Based Reading Program 111-1 Authentic texts III- 1 Levels of difficulty 111-2 Realistic reading tasks III-6 Reading strategies III-9 References III-15 CHAPTER FOUR Learning Strategy Instruction for Reading in the L2: IV-1 Lesson Plans and Possible Scripts Preparation: Reading in the Ll IV-5 Preparation: Reading in the L2 IV- 1 1 Inferencing using cognates IV- 1 7 Initial Instruction IV- 1 9 Practice 1V-2 7 Practice Worksheets IV-29 Using background knowledge IV-43 Initial Instruction IV-45 Practice IV-55 Practice Worksheets IV-57 Previewing IV-63 Initial Instruction IV-65 Practice IV-75 Practice Worksheets IV-77 Scanning IV-91 Initial Instruction IV-93 Practice IV-101 Practice Worksheets IV-103 Predicting IV-119 Initial Instniction IV-121 Practice IV-131 Practice Worksheets IV-133 Appendices A Reading Worksheet 1 in French and Spanish 13 Reading Worksheet 2 in French and Spanish C Practice Worksheets in French and Spanish: Using cognates D Reading Worksheet 5 in French and Spanish: Using background knowledge E Practice Worksheets in French and Spanish: Using background knowledge F Reading Worksheet 8 in French and Spanish: Previewing 7 Practice Worksheets inFrench and Spanish: Previewing Reading Worksheet 12in French and Spanish: Scanning Practice Worksheets inFrench and Spanish: Scantling Reading Worksheet 15in French and Spanish: Predicting (Teacher) Reading Worksheet 16in French and Spanish: Predicting (Students) Practice Worksheets inFrench and Spanish: Predicting List of Worksheets Worksheet Number Strategy in Training EU: 1 Demonstration of what it is IV-13 like to read in Russian 2 Recognizing cognates IV-23 3-4 Practice Worksheets IV-29 5 Using background knowledge IV-49 6-7 Practice Worksheets IV-57 8 Previewing IV-69 9-11 Practice Worksheets IV-77 12 Scanning IV-96 13-14 Practice Worksheets IV-103 15 Predicting IV-124 16 Pi edicting IV-127 17... Practice Worksheets IV-133 Sample Think Aloud Scripts Cognates IV-26 Using background knowledge w-54 Previe wing IV-73 Scanning IV-100 Predicting IV-129 Project Participants Project Director Dr. Anna Uhl Chamot Inter America Research Associates, Inc. McLean, Virginia Research Associate Lisa Kupper Interstate Research Associates McLean, Virginia Russian Language Specialist Sarah Barnhardt Interstate Research Associates McLean, Virginia Research Assistant Cora van Ingen Selected Artwork T. Christopher Copley Reading strategy instruction designed by... Dr. Irene Thompson Slavic Department The George Washington University Washington, D.C. Reading strategy instruction field tested by... Alla Sonsev Russian Teacher Gaithersburg High School Montgomery County Public Schools Gaithersburg, Maryland Shirley Haley French Teacher Paint Branch High School Montgomery County Public Schools Burtonsville, Maryland Reading strategy instruction lesson plans written by... Lisa Kupper Interstate Research Associates i 0 PREFACE Foreign language teachers are very much aware of the educational and societal importance of foreign language proficiency for students in American schools. We are as delighted when our students are successful in developing proficiency and continuing their foreign language study to an advanced level as we are disappointed and frustrated by students who seem to have little aptitude for foreign languages and who never progress beyond the most elementary level of language study. This resource guide, developed as part of a research project funded by the United States Department of Education's International Research and Studies Program, is designed to provide foreign language teachers with suggestions for helping ineffective students learn how to become better language learners and for already effective students to become superior language learners. Our research with high school and college students of French, Russian, and Spanish has led us to a new understanding of the somewhat elusive notion of "aptitude" as it pertains to foreign language learning. What distinguished effective from ineffective language learners in the students we studied was that effective students had a range of learning strategies which they used often and which they tailored to the demands of the language task.Ineffective students, on the other hand, used strategies in very limited and often inappropriate ways. Looking at students' abilities in terms of strategies rather than in terms of aptitude has profound implications for instruction. Strategies can be taught and learned, whereas aptitude is generally thought to be innate and unchangeable. The complete resource guide provides guidelines and sample lesson plans for teaching learning strategies for different language skills.The writing materials were developed with secondyear high school French students, the listening comprehension materials with fourth year high school Spanish students, and the reading comprehension materials with first year (intensive) Russian college students.These materials were then field tested by high school teachers with different combinations of languages and levels of study, as follows: reading materials field tested with thirdyear French students and first year Russian students; listening materials with firstyear French students; and writing materials with fourthyear Spanish students.The results of the field test guided the revision of theresource