Patricia Fundora Ramírez is a higher education professor at Artemisa University. She is interested in developing reading skills. She has written this article for publishing this investigation. Current professional interests are exchanging the results with other colleagues. She enjoys working with young people. E- mail: patryfr@nauta.cu

Dania del C Fariñas Hernández is a higher education professor at Artemisa University. She is interested in developing reading skills. She has co-written this article for publishing this investigation. Current professional interests are exchanging the results with other colleagues. She enjoys working with young people. E- mail: daniaf.h@uart.edu.cu

Lázaro Rolando Rodríguez Fernández is a higher education professor at Artemisa University. He is interested in developing reading skills. He has co-written this article for publishing this investigation. Current professional interests are exchanging the results with other colleagues. He enjoys working with young people. E- mail: lazarorf@uart.edu.cu

 

Introduction

Nowadays, many of the changes occur on the College Education, mainly on the teaching of foreign languages in order to improve the quality of the educational system.

The teaching of English language is fundamental for College Education, because this language is one of the most spoken in the world and most of the scientific and technical information is written in English. It is also commonly used in culture, movies and internet. For these reasons, the knowledge of English is fundamental for College students.

English lessons for College students should contribute to the students’ formation, then, the students develop the four basic communicative skills (listening, speaking, reading and writing). Reading skill is very important for enriching students’ memory such as analysis, synthesis, comparison, generalization, imagination, vocabulary and logical thinking.

Reading is the most affected skill in the teaching learning process. It is one of the main skills that the student should acquire in the process of mastering a language. Acosta, R. (1997) points out that ¨through reading the learner enriches his knowledge about the world. He increases his understanding about speakers’ culture, his ways of thinking, and his contribution to many artistic and intellectual fields¨.

The development of reading comprehension skill needs to be carried out in connection to the other language skills (speaking, listening and writing) for two main reasons:

• The use of language comprises the integration of four skills. If an image gets into the brain through a number of different pathways (by listening, reading, speaking or writing) that image is likely to be a richer one than if it gets through only one pathway.
• The rest of skills are required in the teaching-learning process of reading, because they are indispensable in the accomplishment of different stages of reading activities (before, while and post).

Different authors and publications have attempted to define the concept of reading comprehension from different perspectives.

According to Ur (1998) argues that ¨reading comprehension means: reading and understanding because if someone can read the words but does not know its meaning, the person is not reading, that person is just decoding (translating symbols into corresponding words) ¨.

As O´Farrill (1997) puts down:

Reading comprehension is an active and productive activity characterized by the interaction, negotiation and recognition of meaning between the reader and the text as well among readers: through the critical analysis of the texts the students will develop their process of thinking and their communication skill.

For designing a reading task, the teachers’ need to take into accounts some remarks:

• The objective of the tasks, the development of students´ reading skill(s), and how the activities are going to be performed, they should be clearly defined in the lesson plan and, of course in each task.
• The activities need to have variety of different skills to be covered.
• Reading task should be graded rather than texts so as to create a balance between the reading activity and the complexity of the text.

During the exploratory stage the following difficulties were declared: the Geography 2^nd Year students show different difficulties to understand texts, to extract and to summarize different information from diverse topics in a text. It is complicated for them to extract the main and secondary ideas and to answer questions from a text. The students present difficulties to deduce the meaning and to use unfamiliar lexical items in a text.

In order to solve these difficulties the following scientific problem has been stated: How to develop reading comprehension skill through English subject in Geography 2^nd Year students at University of Artemisa (UA)?

The objective of this investigation is to design a system of activities for developing reading comprehension skill through English subject in Geography 2^nd Year students at University of Artemisa.

 

Research findings

Geography 2^nd Year group is composed by: 9 females and 11 males. This group was chosen intentionally because it showed a limited development of reading comprehension skill.

Different theoretical methods were used during this investigation: inductive-deductive, analytic -synthetic, systemic approach and documental analysis. Several empirical methods were used: scientific observation, survey to the students, interview to the teachers and pedagogical test. Finally, statistical and mathematical methods were applied. Through the observation, the interview to other English professors and the study of the students’ accumulative files, the authors arrived at:  this group is dynamic, cheerful and talkative, they have a good behavior during the classes and it is a good group for doing all the activities. Also, it has an appropriate level of assimilation of knowledge. The population is 30 (100%), for that reason; this group is divided in two groups. The sample is (intentional) 14 students which represents the 46% of the population.

The following scientific tasks were set:

• Determination of theoretical and methodological foundations that support the development of reading comprehension in the teaching-learning process of English subject.
• Characterization of the initial state that support the development of reading comprehension skill in Geography 2^nd Year students in University of Artemisa.
• Elaboration of a system of activities for developing the reading comprehension skill in Geography 2^nd Year students.

Now, it is made a description taking into account the most relevant aspects for fulfilling these tasks.

 

Results

The development of reading comprehension skill was diagnosed using several instruments such as: documental analysis guide, observation guide and the application of questionnaire of survey to the students and a pedagogical test.

Analysis of the scale of measure of the parameters:

• Extracting and processing information

Good: The students need to be able to obtain and to decode the information given in the text in a critic way. When the students understand 100% of the information and they could give opinions about it. They need to be able to emit their personal opinion, to compare and to analyze the information given in the text. 

Poor: When the students obtain or decode with difficulties the information given and also they have problems to process it.

Bad: They do not obtain and decode the information given in the text; they do not understand the information given in the text, so they cannot emit their personal opinion and analyze it to another context.  

• Recognition of main and secondary ideas

Good: When the students are able to select correctly the ideas and they could differentiate the primary and secondary ideas, they could also develop the skimming and scanning skills at the moment of interact with the text.

Poor: The students have difficulties to differentiate the main ideas from the secondary ones, and they also have difficulties to develop the skimming and scanning skills in the moment of interact with the text, but not affecting the comprehension.  

Bad: When they do not comprehend or interpret the information of the given text, they cannot deduce the main and secondary ideas and they cannot express their ideas with coherence or clarity. 

Analysis of the results of the parameters in the initial state

1^{st parameter} (Extracting and processing information) was evaluated Bad: the (40%), six students were evaluated Bad, they do not obtain and decode the information given in the text, and they do not understand the information, so they do not make any evaluation of it. The (30%) four students were evaluated Poor because they present difficulties for obtaining or decoding the information given in the text and they also presented difficulties. The (30%) four students obtained Good evaluation because they could decode the information given in the text in a critic way and they were able to emit their personal opinion and to analyze the text.

2^{nd parameter} (Recognition of main and secondary ideas) was evaluated Bad: The (40%), six students cannot recognize the main and secondary ideas and they do not express their ideas with clarity or coherence, so they obtained Bad evaluation. Four students (30%) were evaluated Poor because they have difficulties to differentiate between the main and secondary ideas from the text. The (30%), four students had Good evaluation because they were able to select correctly the ideas, and they could differentiate the main and secondary ones.

3^{rd parameter} (Deducing the meaning and use of unfamiliar lexical items) was evaluated Bad: The (55%), eight students had Bad evaluations for their incapacity to infer the meaning of unfamiliar lexical items and they cannot deduce the meaning of a word using the context, so they have to look it up at the dictionary. The (30%), four students were evaluated Poor for their difficulties to deduce the meaning of unfamiliar lexical items during the interaction of the text and they obtain and decode partially the meaning of words using the context. Only the (15%), two students were able to infer vocabulary through context, word-formation or analogy and also they were able to infer the meaning of unfamiliar lexical items given in the text, then, they received Good mark.

The systemic approach, sequence of application and a proper dynamics are expressed in the activities for fulfilling a correct order. This dynamic is dialectic because all the activities are related among them.

It is fundamental for designing a system of activities to know what it is. ¨A system is a set of components closely related among them from a dynamic and static point of view and guided to obtaining determined objectives¨. Álvarez de Zayas (1991)

Valle Lima (2001) said that an activity is ¨a whole of operations or person´s own tasks or person´s entity determined by the interest and personal purpose¨.

The proposal follows a system of procedures and activities to accomplish a goal; in this particular case, in order to develop reading comprehension skill into a group of students.

To the conception of the system of activities it is important to emphasize that the teacher should look for the balance in students´ participation; in this sense, the authors recommends:

• To establish a precise and reasonable time limit for the accomplishment of each activity. This would help both advanced and slow students to participate.
• To prepare different activities base on the individual differences. This is particularly for the post reading stage.

The conception of the system of activities is based on the following principles:

• The system of activities is arranged according to three stages (before, while and post reading activities) to individualize students´ work.

• The system of activities includes many types of activities.
• The system of activities includes a main objective dealing with a reading sub-skill. It may include collateral goals associated to other reading sub-skills or other verbal abilities (speaking, listening or writing).

The authors proposed a system of activities carefully designed according to the objective and context of the units taught in 2^nd year college education level in University of Artemisa. All the content was selected in order to solve the mentioned problems. The activities will be applied in classes and the main objective will be carried on the development of reading comprehension skill. 

The selection of the reading texts is based on the following principles:

• Texts should be appropriate to the students´ level of communicative competence.
• Texts should have correspondence to the topics and units taught in the second year of college education in University of Artemisa.
• Texts should be meaningful and motivating for the students.

The proposal has six activities with an approximate duration of forty-five minutes each one. They are designed to be used in practice lessons with a reproductive level of assimilation. They were elaborated to increase and to potentiate the learning according to the students’ level, age, needs, and career.

The main characteristic of this system of activities is the communicative teaching, responding to the current transformations in the educational system of our country, searching as goal to contribute for achieving the end wanted, with a high level of communicative competence in the foreign language. This approach allows the interrelation of linguistics meanings, function and form in the teaching learning process using the stages of reading lesson: before-reading stage, while-reading stage, post-reading stage.

 

Example of activity

Title: “The Oceans”

Objective: To reproduce the content studied in a written text

Content: Describing places and people

Method: Conscious-practical

Approach: Communicative

Level of assimilation: Reproduction

Form of class organization: Individual and group work

Teaching aids: Dictionaries, cards, posters, maps

Assessment: Oral and written form

Procedures: First the teacher is going to explain carefully what to do with the reading using

                     the information given

 

Text: The Oceans

During more than 40 years Jacques Cousteau, one of the most important scientific eats, breathes and practically lives in and for the ocean. This imminent oceanographer spent almost all his life studying and protecting the oceans. So, the Earth, our planet is conformed almost in its 71% for a continuous mass of water called Sea, this sea is separated for the continents and the extension of sea between one and other continent receives the name of Ocean. There are four oceans, the Atlantic, the Indic, the Pacific and the Arctic. The biggest is the Pacific and the smallest ocean is the Arctic. These enormous extensions of water are fundamentals for the maintenance of life in the Earth.  They control the weather, the temperatures of the atmosphere and the emanation of oxygen. For men the oceans are an important fount of food, and one of the fastest and cheapest means of transportation for people and for the maritime transportation of different products. For that reason we should follow Cousteau´s example and we should fight for the protection of our oceans, for us and future generations.

 

Before-reading activities

Objective: To predict what the text is about.

1.The teacher shows images to the students and asks:

What do you think about this text?

___ The Ocean.              ___ A Factory.          ___ The Forest.  

While reading activities

Objective: To verify student´s comprehension of the text.

1.Answer true or false according to the test:

__  Jacques Cousteau was a pirate.

__  He lives for studying and protecting the Oceans.

__  The Sea covers almost the 71% of the planet.

__  The largest Ocean is the Indic.

__  The Oceans control the weather.  

 

Post- reading activities

Objective: To reinforce student ´s comprehension of the text

1.Read the text again and answer:

- Are the Oceans a mean of transportation?

- What did Jacques Cousteau do during 40 years?

- How many Oceans are there? Name them.

 

Other

Many other examples were taking into account in the system of activities during the application stage, and after that these ones were evaluated in the control stage through the application of instruments and the analysis of the results.

 

Discussion of the results

The development of reading comprehension skill was visible noticed with the application of the proposal of activities, O´Farrill (1997) puts down:

Reading comprehension is an active and productive activity characterized by the interaction, negotiation and recognition of meaning between the reader and the text as well among readers: through the critical analysis of the texts the students will develop their process of thinking and their communication skill.

The system of activities elaborated was designed to be applied in the lessons, ¨A system is a set of components closely related among them from a dynamic and static point of view and it is guided to obtain determined objectives¨. Álvarez de Zayas (1991). An activity is Valle Lima (2001) ¨a whole of operations or own tasks of a person or entity determined by the interest and personal purpose¨.

The practice lessons are better for applying the system of activities because they admit the inclusion of a bigger number of activities in the same lesson. It gives the possibility to students to fulfill the different difficulties to understand texts, to extract and to summarize different information from diverse topics in a text, to extract the main and secondary ideas and to answer reading comprehension questions from a text. According to this, the proposal was applied during eight weeks taking into account that English subject has a one frequency peer week.

There was reinforcement for deducing the meaning and the use of unfamiliar lexical items in a text. According to Ur (1998) argues ¨that reading comprehension means: reading and understanding because if someone can read the words but does not know its meaning, the person is not reading, that person is just decoding (translating symbols into corresponding words) ¨.

All the above elements are shown in the results that follow.  

 

Analysis of results of the final pedagogical test

A final pedagogical test was applied for qualitative evaluation of the results with the objective to confirm the final state of the development of reading comprehension skill. In the first question related to the first parameter, twelve students (86 %) were evaluated Good, according to their correct way of obtaining and decoding the information given in the text. One student (7%), was evaluated Poor, in this case the students partially obtain and decode the information given in the text. And one student (7%) was evaluated Bad because he did not obtain and decode the information given in the text.

In the second question related to the second parameter ten students were evaluated of Good, according to their correct selection of ideas and differentiation of main and secondary ones. Three students were evaluated Poor, because they partially selected the ideas and differentiate the main and secondary ones. One student was evaluated of Bad because he does not comprehend or interpret the information given.

After, the analysis of the results the authors may conclude that the students have shown progress in each evaluated parameter.

 

Analysis of the results of the final survey

The survey was applied to Geography 2^nd Year fourteen students at University of Artemisa. The objective of this one is to confirm students´ opinion about the proposal. It showed that: In the first question according to the application of a system of activities, ten students ticked Good, four ticked Poor and no students ticked Bad.

In the second question according to the implementation of the procedures: before, while and post stages as a contribution to the development of reading comprehension skill, eight students ticked Good, four ticked Poor and two students ticked Bad.  

In the third question according to motivation towards English subject, twelve students ticked Good, one student ticked Poor and one student ticked Bad.

 

Analysis of the results of the final observation guide

Through the observation of eight lessons to confirm the final state of reading comprehension skill the authors established that the eight lessons (100%) were evaluated as Good because the students were able to obtain and decode the information given in the text in a critic way, they were able to emit their personal opinion, make comparisons and analyze it.

In the second aspect the eight lessons were also evaluated as Good because almost all the students were able to select correctly the ideas and differentiate the main and secondary ones, they could also develop correctly the skimming and scanning skills in the moment of interacting with the text.

Analyzing the third aspect seven classes were evaluated as Good, because the students were able to infer vocabulary through analogy, word formation, and context, they were able to infer the meaning of unfamiliar lexical items in the moment of interact with the text and one class was evaluated as bad because the students were incapable to infer vocabulary through analogy, word formation, and context, or infer the meaning of unfamiliar lexical items in the moment of interact with the text.

In the fourth aspect all the eight classes were evaluated as Good because the student’s reaction towards the proposal shows a reinforcing of the independent work, interests and motivation.

The results obtained from the instruments applied at the final stage showed the necessity of creating a system of activities that contributes to the development of reading comprehension skill for Geography 2^nd Year students using texts related to their career; taking into account the ways, procedures and concepts mentioned.

 

Conclusions

This investigation offers a system of activities that contributes to the development of reading comprehension skill, it answers to the student’s characteristics. It has also included interesting texts related to Geography career; it helps the students to expand their knowledge about topics about their career. The activities are practical, reflexive, creative, and they stimulate the students’ independence during the learning of foreign language. During the application of the proposal, students´ ethics and moral values were foster, and it guided them to a constant link to the school.

 

References

Acosta Padrón, Rodolfo (1997). /Communicative Language Teaching/, Sydney.

Álvarez de Zayas, Carlos (1994). /Didáctica La escuela de la vida/, La Habana, ed. Pueblo y Educación.

Enríquez O´Farrill, Isora  (1997). /Una estrategia metodológica para el tratamiento de la crítica valorativa en Lengua Inglesa/. Tesis presentada en opción del grado científico de Doctor en Pedagogía. La Habana.

Ur, Penny (1998). /A course in Language Teaching. Practice and Theory/. Cambridge University Press, UK.

Valle Lima, Alberto (2001). /La actividad: una aproximación teórica/. (Soporte Digital), La Habana. ICCP

 

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