Sample interview questions: How do you support English language learners in developing their academic reading skills for academic texts and research papers?
Sample answer:
One effective way to support English language learners in developing their academic reading skills for academic texts and research papers is by implementing a comprehensive approach that combines various strategies and techniques. Here are some key practices that can help:
-
Pre-reading activities: Before diving into the text, it is crucial to activate the learners’ prior knowledge and build a foundation for understanding. This can be done through discussions, brainstorming, or engaging in related vocabulary exercises. By connecting the new material to their existing knowledge, learners will be better equipped to comprehend the text.
-
Building vocabulary: Academic texts often contain specialized vocabulary that may be unfamiliar to English language learners. Providing explicit instruction on key terms and phrases, teaching word roots and affixes, and offering opportunities for meaningful practice can greatly enhance learners’ understanding of academic language.
-
Reading strategies: Teach students various reading strategies such as skimming, scanning, and close reading. Encourage learners to ask questions, make predictions, and summarize information as they read. Model these strategies and provide guided practice until learners become proficient in using them independently.
-
Text annotation: Encourage learners to actively engage with the text by highlighting main ideas, circling unknown words, and underlining supporting details. This not only helps learners better understand the content but also promotes critical thinking skills.
-
Text structure awareness: Explicitly teach the organizational structure of academic texts, such as identifying topic sentences, supporting evidence, and concluding statements. By understanding how academic texts are structured, learners can better navigate and comprehend complex information.
-
Scaffolded activities: Provide learners with scaffolded activities that gradually increase in complexity. This can in… Read full answer