I Still Think First in My Own Language!

Description of Learner:
Marta is an Hispanic woman from Honduras; she has been in the United States since 1986, and she gained her U.S. citizenship in 1992. She is a wife and mother in her mid-thirties. Marta has expressed commitment to improving her speaking and reading of English, especially reading. She completed the 12th grade level of education in Honduras, and her TABE (Tests of Adult Basic Education: CTB/McGraw-Hill) reading score was 3.5 when she entered class, and was 6.5 at post-testing. Marta's reading in English is halting with pronunciation of words and passages heavily accented by Spanish. During group discussions, she is a vocal participant and frequently asks questions.

Challenge:
Marta stated during group discussion that her ability to comprehend what she reads in English is hampered by the fact that she thinks about what she reads in Spanish first and then must translate into English.

What We Did:
A regular activity in our learning center is to read short articles as a group with learners taking turns reading various sections. The articles deal with various subjects including science, cultural events, and history. I preview the comprehension questions with the group before reading begins or individuals may read them to the group.

I section each article by its main parts: the main idea, the evidence, the conclusions, and then bring the group's attention to the comprehension questions as they correspond to various sections of the article. This helps learners relate the questions to the content as they read. When there are key vocabulary terms or phrases, we review them as a group prior to the reading. Frequently, Marta asks questions about vocabulary; she keeps a class dictionary on her desk and often checks definitions during a lesson. Marta reads her parts willingly; her halting English pronunciation does not seem to bother her. She refers to the comprehension questions and key words when she finds them in the reading, and, generally, she answers the questions quite well. Marta frequently has questions about vocabulary, and she keeps one of our class dictionaries on her desk. I have observed her check definitions during a lesson.

Analysis:
Marta is better at retrieving information with straightforward, factual or literal comprehension questions from a reading than she is at analyzing or interpreting passages. Marta is generally unsuccessful when attempting to recall information she has just read in order to interpret it and reach a conclusion. Although interpretation of certain reading passages is still quite difficult for her, she is forthcoming about offering her ideas as we review and discuss questions that relate to the readings.

What I Learned:
Reading the prepared questions prior to reading the text helps Marta comprehend the material when she has a good understanding of the English vocabulary used in the reading. I need to work further with her, so she can take her reading to the next level. Discussing vocabulary during the questions-review time is important, but it sometimes takes effort on my part to keep the group focused on the content as vocabulary discussion can provide opportunities to stray from the topic causing students to lose momentum in our activity.

Marta, Group Discussion:

Do the reading materials/passages pertain to real life events for Marta? Are they relevant to her?
Not as much as I'd like, but they are of general adult interest.

Has Marta ever been asked to write her own questions from the readings?
No, but I will ask her to do this. She may identify points of personal significance which could make rereading a little easier, and then rereading could help her make interpretations and to reach conclusions. This kind of question-asking activity could be done in small groups or pairs.

Marta seems to enjoy reading aloud in English even though her pronunciation is not perfect. It seems she may understand better when she reads aloud. Isn't this the same strategy that you would or could use with native English-speakers?
Yes, some people definitely understand better if they read aloud and hear the language. With ESOL (English as a Second Language) learners unfamiliar with English pronunciations, reading aloud helps them feel how a word is pronounced as they say it.

What do you do when a reader reads aloud so haltingly that it interferes with the comprehension of the other learners who are listening and following along?
I agree that reading with the accents of other languages is a problem. The reading can be jerky and the reading pace uneven, but I don't think such reading characteristics should "disqualify" a person from reading aloud in the classroom. In some situations, perhaps the teacher should read and model first. Students could read aloud or silently after the teacher has read aloud. With varying approaches to choose from, such as reading aloud or reading silently, the learners can learn how they best comprehend the text they are reading.

Summary:

Director's Comments:

To accomplish Marta's goal, the approach of discussing vocabulary during the questions-review time is important but insufficient. You may wish to have students create vocabulary cards with the key word on the front and a drawing of their understanding of the word or the Spanish equivalent on the back. Based upon your description, I think Marta will willingly use old-fashioned drill and practice to expand her English skills. Also, Marta could use the Language Master recorder to practice English pronunciations. By taking these individual measures, the group will be able to stay focused on an article's content and the comprehension questions during group time. I believe the individual practice opportunities will boost Marta's confidence as well as her reading and speaking skills.

For students who are definitely impeding the progress of the group, you may wish to have them listen to the passage on tape and practice reading it before the group reads together. It takes time to tape record, however, and when a more fluent reader can make the tape recording it gives that student practice while helping you prepare. Readers with strong accents often read in a jerky, uneven fashion; tape recording the reading could give them opportunities to build their skills prior to the group experience. If you don't have a tape recorder available for pre-group practice, you may wish to read a sentence at a time and ask students to reread the sentence as an echo. Sometime, focus on pronunciation and at other times on comprehension. The key, I believe, is providing ample opportunity for reading and pronunciation practice alone as well as in the group.