The Language Teacher
August 2002
Integrating reading and speaking: Jigsaw newspaper reading
Daniel O. Jackson
Obirin University English Language Program
QUICK GUIDE
Key Words:Reading, vocabulary, pair and group work
Learner English Level: Intermediate to advanced
Learner Maturity Level: Young adult and up
Preparation Time: Varies
Activity Time: 45 minutes
Materials: Newspaper articles (2)
In jigsaw reading, learners read different parts of a text and then jointly perform a task to see how their parts link up (Grabe & Stoller, 2002). The version of jigsaw reading described here uses two different, but related, newspaper stories as input for a discussion task.
Depending on the materials, learners' proficiency levels, and course goals, a language focus on vocabulary, question formation, or reported speech may be appropriate or necessary.
Preparation
Find two newspaper stories on the same topic. One should be an earlier account and one a more recent article. To locate corresponding stories, try browsing the websites of newspaper publishers. Not only do many of these sites contain searchable archives; they often display links to related articles on the same page as recent news. Make enough copies to split the two stories evenly among members of the class. For my class, I used two short articles about the Mizuho Bank fiasco: “Bugs infest computers“ (2002) and ”Mizuho inspection starts” (2002).
Procedure
- Step 1: Pre-teach vocabulary and activate prior knowledge of the topic (for example, ask whether students have read or heard about the trouble at the Mizuho Bank).
- Step 2: Inform the class that they are reading two accounts of the same story and tell them which is the most recent version. Designate the students with the earlier version Pair A, and the students with the most recent version Pair B.
- Step 3: Pair A will read and then work together to write a set of questions based on their reading. Encourage them to write questions about the outcome of the story, which are not answered by their text. Invite Pair B to anticipate Pair A's questions by reading once and then scanning for events which are recent developments in the story. Allow them to mark the text, highlighting and underlining key parts.
- Step 4: Next, ask the A pairs to form groups with the B pairs. Tell them that Pair A will ask questions about the story and Pair B should try to answer them. Before starting, present some possible replies for challenging questions. A few replies like these should encourage the groups to continue their discussions in the target language:
Sorry but I don't think our article has that information.
That's still not clear.
That wasn't reported. - Step 5: Monitor the discussions, directing students to parts of the text that give answers to Pair A's questions whenever necessary.
- Step 6: When the discussion is finished, ask the class for examples of questions that were successfully answered to check that the whole class comprehended these parts. You may also wish to invite speculation on any unanswered questions.
Conclusion
Many students in my reading skills course for third and fourth year university students, had already been exposed to the Mizuho Bank story. After reading, questions presented in the group discussions included the following:
- Do they still have the problem?
- How does the government feel about this?
- Did they [Tokyo Electric Power Company] receive their payment?
Because the latter version of the story did not always contain straightforward answers, the questions sparked a fair amount of guesswork. Here, after employing the replies above (e.g., That wasn't reported), students worked together to identify the best possible conclusions to be drawn from their texts, forming hypotheses based on the information available to them.
At least three benefits related to reading instruction emerged during the discussion sessions. Students used new vocabulary, searched their texts for information, and read stretches of text aloud in a meaningful context. I found jigsaw newspaper reading an effective and enjoyable way to integrate reading and speaking in my classroom.
References
Grabe, W. & Stoller, F.L. (2002). Teaching and researching reading. Harlow: Pearson Education Unlimited.
Bugs infest computers at Mizuho. (2002, April 5). The Asahi Shimbun. Available: http://www.asahi.com/english/business/K2002040500508.html.(May 9, 2002)
Mizuho inspection starts today. (2002, May 8). The Asahi Shimbun. Available: http://www.asahi.com/english/business/K2002050800497.html.(May 9, 2002)
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