Learning & Teaching Sequences for Reading – Non-Fiction Level 6
Training Methods in Physical Activities
Sample text: Training Methods in Physical Activities
(http://www.pponline.co.uk/encyc/training.htm)
Training Methods in Physical Activities is used to illustrate the learning and teaching sequence at this level. Students learn the characteristics and values of various types of training methods. One way in which they can do this is by using their literacy knowledge to work on written text relating to the topic.
The learning and teaching sequence here illustrates the use of written text information in both online and conventional contexts. Students are encouraged to get their knowledge of the topic ready; to build an improved understanding while reading; and then to consolidate and review their new understanding of the topic.
Strategies that facilitate learning from the text include teaching students to:
- Describe their reading plan for learning by reading both online and conventional texts. For example, their plan explicitly mentions skimming the text to link its likely topic with what they know about why the text was written and what it might tell them; the actions they will use while reading; and how they will add new ideas to what they know and deal with the more complex language of the text.
- Skim and scan for the main ideas in this more complex type of informational text that has high conceptual density.
- Identify how a text is organised, distinguish between different types of informative texts and use this to say what they might know having read a particular type of text.
- Read the text independently, either silently or aloud as appropriate.
- Use vocabulary enhancement strategies to work out the subject specific meanings of unfamiliar topic words.
- Use sentence strategies necessary for comprehending the more complex sentences in text at this level and switch between using different strategies.
- Use paragraph comprehending strategies for more complex text.
- Use paragraph synthesis strategies; for example, they identify the main and subordinate ideas across informative text and integrate these into a summary.
- Use various strategies for recording key ideas in the text they read; for example, note taking for informational texts by drawing a network of meanings in the text.
- Consolidate and review what they read in a range of ways; for example students construct or select a summary of a text read and implement the set of actions described in a text.
The teaching activities recommend both group reading activities, with one or more students reading aloud, and individual silent reading activities. During each teaching session the text is read as an interactive group learning activity.
In this learning and teaching activity, students read at least two texts. The first is a factual text prepared specifically for the topic that students use to focus their learning attention. In this activity it is a hard copy or conventional written text titled Training Methods in Physical Activities. The second are online texts such as those linked to Peak Performance Online (http://www.pponline.co.uk/encyc/training.htm). These texts allow students to pursue the topic in greater depth according to their interests.
The recommended literacy teaching strategy at this level is for students to initially read and comprehend the prose text specifically written for this topic. This provides them with a framework for developing the topic further and for integrating any additional factual information.
Typical of web pages, the information on these pages is organised into columns. In this case three columns, two outer columns that act as side bars (that largely comprise links to related pages) and a central column that presents the main ideas on the page. This set of pages contains much more information than students at these levels might reasonably be expected to use. Teachers can assist students to learn how to use information sources exemplified by these strategically, selectively and judiciously according to the specific questions they seek to answer.
Prior to students reading Training Methods in Physical Activities, it is recommended they describe their reading plans for comprehending hypertext pages. Their plans need to indicate how students will:
- Take a big picture view of the information that indicates their awareness of the need to integrate the various sources of information, and how they will do this.
- Deal with each source of information in a detailed way.
- Integrate these various sources.
Whatever texts are used, once students have read the text provided they are encouraged to pursue further texts either online or from hard copy information sources. This should provide further opportunity for students to practise factual reading strategies. In addition, individual students can share the information sources they have located and used with class peers and identify how each source assisted them to answer relevant questions.