ER and young learners

Building a foundation for English reading through teacher reading aloud

Abstract

This exploratory study uses reading aloud as a platform for a large study of language young learners’ English improvement. A class of 21, 10 male and 11 female, beginning English primary students enrolled in a five-session Teacher-Researcher Reading Aloud Project in supplementary English classes at a children’s languages center of a Mexican university. Students were asked to respond to an evaluation rubric concerning their amusement and reading comprehension in certain selected children’s literature readings. The main finding is students developed links between reading aloud project and reading comprehension. Findings and comments are exposed to explore language learning process and conduct- ing prospective intervention to build a foundation in English reading. Although it seems premature to claim reading aloud suitability here, the overall results lend support to the legitimacy of practicing diverse English reading strategies.

 Keeping in mind to gather elements to enhance an intervention program expressing their opinion about enjoying, understanding and suggestions were registered by a rubric we designed. There was a noticeable productivity in the results; students expressed pleasantness respecting the activities and motivation for reading in the target language.