Sreeraj Vasudevan
Aim: To improve reading comprehension skills of learners
Objectives: To enable learners to read collaboratively, explore a piece of text through peer-questioning, skim and scan the text
Level of learners: Standard V—Standard X (CBSE)
Time: 45 minutes
Points for adaptation: Use of mother tongue, if necessary, increase or decrease in group size, gamification of the steps, etc.
Pre-task Stage (10 minutes)
The students are divided into groups of 4. A piece of prose text from the prescribed textbook is given to all the groups. They are asked to divide the text among themselves, read the text carefully and note down all the new words while reading. They complete reading their respective portions in this stage.
While-task (25 minutes)
Step 1: The teacher asks each student to present a summary of his/her portion to other members in the group. When one member presents, other members are encouraged to ask him/her as many questions as possible. (15-20 minutes)
Step 2: The group is asked to consolidate all the questions and exchange with another group sitting next to them. They are encouraged to ask questions to each other in case they do not find the answer to a question. (5 minutes)
Post-task (10 minutes)
Each group is asked to select the best question raised by the group with whom they have exchanged their questions. One member reads out that question to the class and the entire class is encouraged to answer that question. The teacher consolidates the lesson by discussing the meanings of the new words noted down by various groups.
Sreeraj Vasudevan is a Postgraduate Teacher (PGT) of English at Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, Doda, Jammu and Kashmir.
sreevasudevan@gmail.com
