UNIT 3

THE THREE STAGES OF A READING LESSON

Objectives

To familiarize teachers with the types and purposes of activities in the three stages
of a reading lesson.

Unit Outcomes

By the end of this unit, you will

- know the three stages of a reading lesson
- be able to state the purposes of each stage, and
- be aware of the types of activities that can be carried out in each stage.

Unit Overview

ACTIVITY 1: Getting to Know the Reading Lesson Stages

Timing

ACTIVITY 1: 60 minutes

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ACTIVITY 1: THE THREE STAGES OF A READING LESSON
Reading instruction is effective if it
is systematic and organized. A
reading lesson should not be a
hodgepodge of activities.
Activities should be carefully
selected for their effectiveness in
achieving the lesson objectives
and they must be presented to the
learners in a pedagogically sound
sequence.

Read the text on The Stages of a Reading Lesson and then complete the tasks that
follow.

THE STAGES OF A READING LESSON

In order to provide some sort of structure to the reading lesson, it is usually

divided into three phases: pre-reading; while-reading; and post-reading. The
main purposes of each of these three phases are indicated below.

PRE-READING

• to stimulate interest in the topic and to motivate students by providing a

reason for reading
• to activate students’ prior knowledge of the topic
• to provide language preparation for the text

WHILE-READING

• to clarify content and vocabulary of the text

• to help students understand the writer's purpose
• to help students understand the structure of the text

POST-READING

• to consolidate and reflect upon what has been read

• to relate the text to the students' own knowledge/interests/views
• to provide a stimulus for other language activities

Adapted from: http://www.philseflsupport.com/reading_approaches.htm

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Task 1

The three phases of a reading lesson are provided in the three tables
below.

The lesson steps for each phase are also described and they are
arranged in the correct sequence.

Identify the lesson phase in Column 1 of each table. Then, in Column 3,

indicate the purpose(s) of the different activities carried out by the
teacher.

Table 1

Lesson
Teaching Steps Purpose(s)
Stage

1. Teacher tells the class to work on the Activity 1a & 1b:

vocabulary and grammar exercises in their
worksheets.

a) Find the words in the text (in Para 1) that

have the same meanings as the words in bold
in the sentences below.
1 “No one dares to bully a lion.”
2 All the villagers fled…………..

b) Irregular verbs: find past tenses in the

text and match them with their infinitives.
think cry flee go eat
can

Tr tells the class to discuss the task in

groups of three to four. Students are asked
to compare their answers.

2. Tr tells the class to discuss a situation Activity 2:

related to the topic in groups.
Task: What advice would you give the
farmer so that he will take better care of
his donkey?
Write your advice in the table below.

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Table 2

Lesson
Teaching Steps Purpose(s)
Stage

1. Tr tells the class that they are going to Activity 1 & 2:

read a story about a donkey.

2. Tr then asks the class a general question

about donkeys.
For example:
How are donkeys helpful to man?

Table 3

Lesson Stage Teaching Steps Purpose(s)

1. Teacher writes 3 questions on the board Activity 1:

and tells the students to find answers to
them as they read.
For example:
.i Why did the donkey run away from
the farm?
ii. Where did the donkey go to find
food?
iii. Was the donkey clever or foolish?
Tr asks class to read the text and answer the
questions. Tr checks answers with the class.

2. Tr then distributes the worksheets to the Activity 2:

students.
___ He went into the barn.
___ The donkey escaped from the farm.
___ He went back to the village.
___ He tried to roar like a lion to frighten
the farmer.
___ He put on the lion’s skin.

Tr tells the class to read the text silently a

second time. As they read, students are
asked to number the sentences according to
the sequence in the story.

After they have finished reading, Tr goes

through the answers to the questions with
the class.

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Task 2

The possible steps of a reading lesson are given below. The steps are in a jumbled
order. Categorize the steps into pre-, while- and post-reading.

Lesson
Lesson Step
Stage

a. Students ask the teacher about unfamiliar vocabulary.

______

b. Students work very quickly in order to work out the answers

______ to one or two general questions.

c. Students use the context to work out the meaning of

______ selected words and expressions from the context.

d. Students predict the content of the text from the

______ title / picture /first line.

e. The teacher draws attention to some of the grammar in the

______ text.

f. Students complete a detailed true/false exercise.

______

g. Students locate topic sentences in some paragraphs.

______

h. Students discuss topics related to the content of the text.

______

i. Students scan the text to pick out proper names.

______

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