An approach to selection of reading materials for classroom use based on experience teaching English as both a first and a second language is outlined. Emphasizes the function of texts as a vehicle for information rather than as a linguistic object, and uses the text's potential value as a prime criterion for selection. Provides framework for…

A communicative classroom procedure designed to give students initial practice in deriving notes and summaries from a written text is described. Using various kinds of classroom interaction, the procedure allows practice in recognition, production, and evaluation of paragraph summaries in note form. A piece of text used with adult and college…

Story grammar is a recent area of research related to an interactive conceptualization of reading. A study of 70 sixth-grade students studying English as a foreign language (EFL) suggests that direct instruction in story grammar helps students abstract a story's episodic sequence and metastructure. Sample texts are appended. (Contains 21…

Argues that second-language learners should be encouraged to establish experiential reading as their norm and sufficient comprehension as their goal, thus achieving a multidimensional representation of literature that can facilitate language acquisition and reading comprehension. Demonstrates four approaches that can help ensure that reading…

Describes a method of using newspaper articles in the English-language classroom called Read-Ask-and-Tell. The place of authentic materials in the classroom, including some of the pitfalls, are discussed. The Reading, Asking, and Telling components are outlined, and activities for consolidation and reinforcement of skills are suggested. Appendices…

A teaching technique used in a short course in reading scientific and technical Russian without previous Russian language experience is described. A special grammar-and-dictionary is used in a rule-governed manner to produce semi-automatically a sentence-for-sentence analysis of specialized texts. (MSE)