On the Strategies of Improving Senior High School Students Reading Competence

【Abstract】The competence of reading comprehension is mainly tested in College Entrance Examination， but many senior high students find it difficult to enhance it. This paper aims to research the effective reading strategies to cultivate students reading skill. Skimming， scanning， inferring， guessing meaning of new words in context and evaluating are considered as efficient reading strategies， which students are also required to master in daily reading practice.

【Key words】Strategy; Cultivate; Students; Reading; Competence

【作者簡介】徐世敏，云南師范大學(xué)外國語學(xué)院。

1. Introduction

Since reading is mainly way for people to gain information， study and sometimes amusement， it is considered as the most important ability among listening， speaking， reading and writing as a way of language input. For senior students in China， the reading materials they can find are more than other forms of materials so that reading becomes mainly way of English input. In addition， reading comprehension takes up the major part in various English exams. However， it is pity that most of senior high students spend a great amount of time practicing reading comprehension and their reading abilities have little improvement. The main reason is that the senior students dont master and make use of appropriate reading strategies. Therefore， the English teachers have the responsibility to practise reading strategies and using them in the process of reading.

2. Literature Review

The definitions of reading strategies take on varieties. Reading strategies is static and passive resources or skills which readers use（Langers， 1982）. Richards， J. C.， Schmidt， R.， Kendrick， H.， & Kim， Y.（2005） consider reading strategies as ways to understand the meaning of texts which readers utilize flexibly and selectively including “keep main ideas in mind; guess unknown words from context where possible; stop and re-read when you dont understand.” In China， Jiao Minghai （1997） holds that reading strategies are all useful means and approaches which readers use to complete reading task in the process of reading. Zhu Xiaoen （2005） see reading strategies as the plans for cognitive activities used by readers to comprehend all kinds of texts. Lu Ziwen （2012） describe reading strategies as methods or procedures chosen and applied by readers consciously in order to comprehend reading materials better.

3. Cultivation of Effective Reading Strategies

If the senior high school students want to improve the reading competence， it is necessary to conquer some of their bad reading habits and master some effective reading strategies and adjust the reading strategies according to different reading purpose and reading materials（Cheng & zheng， 2002）. In daily study， the students should gradually cultivate their reading strategies consciously depending on their situation.

3.1 Skimming and Scanning

Skimming is a reading means in which readers look through the reading materials quickly in order to gain the general idea. In the process of skimming， the readers are required to read quickly and the speed is about 400 words per minute， which is twice as quick as normal speed（Cheng & zheng， 2002）. Sometimes， readers need to jump over some unimportant sentences and pick out some key sentences to get hang of general idea of the article. At this time， readers decrease the accuracy of reading comprehension and just obtain the main idea. Scanning is another reading method which requires reader to look through article quickly aiming to find out certain detailed information from long article. Both fast reading speed and accuracy are required in the process of scanning.

3.2 Inferring

It is required that the students should have the competence of analyzing and solving problems by inferring and generalizing in the seventh level of English learning strategies（the Ministry of Education， 2003）. Richards， J. C.， et al.， （2005） considered inferring as “the process of arriving at a hypothesis， idea， or judgment on the basis of other knowledge， ideas， or judgments.” It is obvious that inferring refers to obtain the information which the author doesnt express clearly in reading article and the students need to know by means of analyzing the information given by author. In English reading comprehension of College Entrance Examination， the students also are tested to see whether they have the competence of inferring. Therefore， inferring is one of major reading strategies and very crucial in order to improving the reading comprehension proficiency.

3.3 Guessing meaning of new words

It is inevitable that the students will meet some new words in reading article. Guessing meaning of new words is a competence which the students should get hang of and also are tested in English reading comprehension of College Entrance Examination. It is also one effective way of enlarging students vocabulary. Cheng & zheng， （2002） put forward three ways to infer the meaning and parts of speech of new words： a） guessing meaning from the clue of definition; b） guessing meaning according to the synonyms and antonyms; c） guessing meaning employing word formation. The context plays an important role in guessing meaning of new words in reading article for students to improve the reading comprehension.

3.4 Evaluating

The reading strategy of evaluating which means reading critically is required because the senior high students need to assess the authors attitude and true value of some information in text. In the reading comprehension of College Entrance Examination， the students also are tested to judge authors attitude and value. The students should learn to analyze the authors attitude and value consciously in daily reading practice by evaluating. Only by reading critically can students have deep comprehension and form their own attitude and value.

4. Conclusion

Reading is really important language skill in English learning. It is necessary to improve senior high school students reading competence if they want to learn English well. Consequently， the students are also required to master some useful and effective reading strategies. Skimming is employed to gain the general idea， while scanning is utilized to find out detailed information quickly. In order to improve the reading comprehension proficiency， inferring is required by means of analyzing the information given by author. Guessing meaning of new words in context is a kind of reading strategy and needed enhancing in daily reading practice. The reading strategy of evaluating is also required to assess the authors attitude and true value of reading text. Those effective reading strategies mentioned above can aid students to improve students reading competence. The senior students should try their best to master them and use them efficiently.

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