skkn cấp tỉnh some solutions help students of quan son secondary and high school in grade 9 do reading exercises effectively in the 10th grade entrance exam

It is the effective implement to integrate into the region and the world, the mean to approach the information technology and science, the good way to understand the culture of the count

1 INTRODUCTION 2

1.1 The reason for choosing the topic 2

1.2 The purpose of the research 2

1.3 The objects of the research 3

1.4 The method of the research 3

2 CONTENT 3

2.1 The rationale of the experienced initiave 3

2.2 The real situation before applying the experienced initiave 3

2.3.The solutions of implementation……… 4

2.3.1 Equipping the reading method……… 4

2.3.1.1 Skimming ……… 4

2.3.1.2 Scanning ……… 6

2.3.2 Improving the reading skill……… 8

2.3.2.1 Broadening the vocabulary and knowledge 8

2.3.2.2 Improving the ability of reasoning……… 9

2.3.3 Providing the skills to do some types of reading exercises… 10

2.3.3.1 Filling in the gap with one suitable word……… 10

2.3.3.2 Answering the questions by choosing the best choice…… 12

2.3.3.3 Reading the passage and answering the questions……… 14

2.4.The effect of the experienced initiative 15

3 CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION 16

3.1 Conclusion 16

3.2 Suggestion 1

1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 The reason for choosing the topic

English plays a vital role in the development of society by facilitating global communication, enabling access to information and education, enhancing employability, promoting cultural exchange, driving innovation and research, and fostering social mobility As the world becomes increasingly interconnected, the importance of English proficiency is likely to continue growing It is the effective implement to integrate into the region and the world, the mean to approach the information technology and science, the good way to understand the culture of the countries in the world as well as the important events… With all above reasons, Vietnam’s education and training has given the vital target for the foreign subject: the syllabus of English is to form and develop students’ knowledge and basic skills about English, especially build the necessary virtue to help them study further specialized level of education or apply to their life flexibly

Learning English well is not easy so the teachers who are assigned a task

to cultivate good students of English meet lots of difficulties in finding the most effective methods to impart knowledge for students well and help them get high results in the examinations In the process of cultivating good students in English, I recognize that Reading exercises are still quite difficult for students and they always make mistakes and go wrong when they do those reading exercises such as: Filling in the gaps, choose the best answer, read and answer the questions… While all types of reading exercises are often in the examinations and occupy high mark in the exam paper With my experience in the process of revising and drilling students and reference from my colleagues, I have observed, studied and recognized some reasons which students often meet when they do the exam as well as found out some solutions to help them overcome those mistakes above

With all above reasons, I choose the topic “Some solutions help students

of Quan Son secondary and high school in grade 9 do Reading exercises effectively in the 10 th grade entrance exam” to research It is hoped that both

students and other teachers will find some useful reference for their learning and teaching

1.2 The purpose of research

When I write the experienced initiative, I really wish my students will not only have more useful knowledge to do reading exercises well but also give them the most effective methods to do the exam with high result Moreover overcoming the mistakes, difficulties which students meet in doing Reading exercises mentioned in the topic will help them reduce difficulties and be more

confident in doing tests Besides it is a useful document for English teachers to refer in the process of teaching good students in English

1.3 The objects of research

- Students in grade 9 take part in revising for English’s exam at secondary school

- Reading texts in the English tests for students

- The method of research

- Studying reasoning: reading newspaper, books, documents, lesson plan

- Investing the real situation

- Counting figures and result of studying

- Observing the reality: observing students when they do tests

- Experimenting the teaching methods

- Summarizing the results, learning from the colleagues’ experiences

The research is carried out with 42 students of class 9A who have been learning English for 7 years (3 years at primary school with English 3, 4, 5) These students are studying at Quan Son secondary and high school in Quan Son district, Thanh Hoa province They are mainly from ethnic minority

1.4 The method of research

In order to achieve the above aim, the teacher supplies or teaches the necessary knowledge about process approach and an overview of reading skills

to the students After that, the teacher ask the students to do exercises, the students will have time to practise them and get feedback as well as correction from their friends and teachers

In this research, theory study, observation, data collection and analysis, discussion as well as evaluation are mainly used to achieve the aims of the research

2 THE CONTENT OF THE EXPERIENCED INITIATIVE

2.1 The rationale of the experienced initiave

English at secondary school improves students a basic, useful knowledge and it is also the first step for them to study at advanced level at universities or colleges, even for their jobs in the future According to some experts, teachers of English should pay attention to the factors which effect on the quality of student’s task in doing reading exercises such as: the ability of concentration, reading the instruction, reasoning and judgment… However, students are usually get used to reading word by word and do not notice in reading generally the whole task

Therefore teachers need to form the basic skills to do the types of reading exercises that will help them develop the ability of awareness and capacity of action

2.2 The real situation before applying the experienced initiave

In fact, students at rural areas like Quan Son secondary and high school are still learning in the difficult studying conditions so it is not easy for them to get access to reference books or modern technology equipment Furthermore, the students’ ability of analysis, mentality and summarizing are limited; the skills of doing tests are confused While students need to have good basic knowledge, various awareness about every field combining with summarizing thought and flexible judgment that will help them get high mark in the exams

Before applying the experienced initiative, I asked the students to do lots

of Reading exercises and checks their results The result of cultivating good students in English I was assigned in was low

Students’ results based on the first survey:

Grade

9A

The result made me worried too much and I always tried my best to find out the solution Because students do grammar exercises and writing quite well but reading exercises which account for one third in the paper exam, they made too many mistakes After observing students do these exercises I realized that they didn’t know the method of reading, the shortage of knowledge (both vocabulary and other field), the limited reasoning and do not have the skills to do each type of reading exercises

2.3 The solutions of implementation

2.3.1 Equipping the reading method

2.3.1.1 Skimming

What does skimming mean?

Skimming means reading quickly the entire main contents of the reading text but do not read the small parts of the text deeply Students can read quickly by reading the title, topic sentences and concluding sentences to get the content of the reading text Because the reading text in English is written in two ways: deductive and inductive method Students can skim when the passage is too long

or time is limited Skimming helps get the main content as well as the writer’s opinion in each part of passage When students understand the important information, they will decide to continue reading deeply or not

The steps to skim:

- Read the title first then read the topic sentences to get the main content of the passage

- Read the topic sentence of each part of the passage It is usually at the beginning of the text or at the end

- When students read the passage, they should pay attention to the wh-questions such as: who, what, which, where, when, why….and the important words which are noun, figure, bold words or capital letters

- They need to understand the logic of the reading text basing on the marking words such as: because, firstly, secondly, finally, but, the, includes, etc… Those words will help them read quickly and recognize how the reading text is written: listing, comparison-contrast, time-order and cause-effect Skimming is very important to catch the content of each paragraph

Example:

Read the text and answer the questions that follow Write the answers on your answer sheet.

If you'd like to improve your English, one thing you can do is to build up your vocabulary In order to do this, you have to practice a lot I'm afraid there is

not a short cut for this But there are many effective ways First of all, you

should read a lot You can read short stories, comics, newspapers, magazines, etc depending on your English level As you read, you can try to guess the meanings of unknown words from the context of the sentence If you cannot, then look up the definition in a dictionary English to English dictionary should

be your first choice and keep the translator as last Another way of building vocabulary is to watch movies in English which will also help with pronunciation Try to be involved with the language as much as you can Keep a vocabulary notebook and write down a few Words each day Keep in mind that you have to revise them regularly In my opinion, to communicate with people all you need is words Even if you just say the words one after another, people most likely will understand what you mean regardless of the order of the words and grammar

1.What is the main idea of this passage?

A What we can do to improve our English

B The difficulties in learning English

C Problems of learning a second language

D.The best way of communicating in English

2.The word "effective" in the passage is closest in meaning to

A expensive B careful C useful D funny

3.Which of the following is NOT true, according to the passage?

A We should use a translator for all unknown words

B We should read a lot and see movies in English

C We should take notes when we learn new words

D We should practice speaking as much as we can

4.The writer's advice for English learners is

A finding a short cut to practice English

B using a dictionary for translation

C avoiding English to English dictionary

D writing down some words every day

5.What is the most important thing to communicate with people according to the writer?

A Grammar B Vocabulary

C Order of the words D Advanced English course

Answers:

1 A What we can do to improve our English

2 C useful

3 A We should use a translator for all unknown words

4 D writing down some words every day

B Vocabulary

2.3.1.2 Scanning:

What does scanning mean?

In reading, scanning refers to a specific reading technique where the reader quickly glances over a text to locate specific information or keywords without necessarily reading every word or sentence thoroughly This method is often employed when the reader is searching for particular details, facts, or answers to specific questions within a text

Scanning involves moving the eyes rapidly across the text, looking for visual cues such as headings, keywords, or phrases that are relevant to the reader's purpose It's different from careful, in-depth reading, as the focus is on finding specific information rather than comprehensively understanding the entire text

Scanning is particularly useful when:

- Looking for specific information in a large body of text

- Reviewing a document for key points or details

- Searching for answers to questions in textbooks, manuals, or reference

materials

- Locating relevant sections in a lengthy document or article

The steps to scan:

- Identify students’ purpose: Determine why students are scanning the text Are they looking for specific information, keywords, or answers to particular questions?

- Preview the text: Quickly glance over the entire text to get a sense of its structure, organization, and main ideas Pay attention to headings, subheadings, bolded or italicized text, bullet points, and any other formatting features that may indicate important information

- Formulate search criteria: Based on students’ purpose for scanning, decide on the specific keywords, phrases, or types of information they're searching for within the text

- Focus students’ attention: Direct students’ eyes to scan the text systematically, looking for their predetermined search criteria Move their eyes quickly across the text, pausing briefly when they encounter relevant keywords or phrases

- Use visual cues: Pay attention to visual cues such as headings, subheadings, keywords in bold or italicized font, bullet points, and numbered lists These elements can help guide students’ scanning process and identify key information

- Skip irrelevant sections: If students come across sections of the text that are not relevant to their purpose, skip over them and continue scanning for the information they need

- Adjust students’ speed: Vary their scanning speed depending on the density of the text and the importance of the information they're searching for Speed up when scanning through less relevant sections and slow down when they encounter potentially important details

- Review and verify: Once they've located the information they were searching for, review it to ensure it meets their needs and verify its accuracy if necessary

- Take notes or mark the text: If students find relevant information during the scanning process, consider taking notes or marking the text for future reference

- Reflect on comprehension: After completing the scanning process, reflect on whether they've achieved their purpose and if they have a sufficient understanding of the text's content

Scanning is a valuable skill for quickly finding information in textbooks, articles, or other written materials With practice, students can become more efficient at locating specific details without having to read through entire texts

Example:

Read the following passage and choose the best anwer A, B, C, or D Write the answers on your answer sheet

My city has been changing since the municipal authority had a plan to renovate the canal systems The project cost a huge amount of money which was from the support of the world bank and the city’s budget Before the renovation, the canal was the dirtiest place full of rubbish along its sides Many ramshackle

shacks were built to be shelters of the impoverished working families migrating

to this city to earn their living Household wastes were directly dumped into the canal, resulting in the very contaminated environment It was said that the very unpleasant smell releasing from the canal Trang 3 was unable to be eliminated, and the living condition there would not be better However, thanks to the advanced technology and methods as well as the city authority’s effort,

everything has been changing There is no longer the disgusting smell or shabby houses along both sides of the canal Instead, the road running parallel to the canal is now full of shade of greenery and the water now is so clean that it is a friendly habitat for a variety of fish

The residents now can walk or do morning exercise on the sidewalks along the banks to enjoy the fresh atmosphere Former inhabitants are also relocated in new apartments with much better living conditions than before The canal creates not only a beautiful urban landscape, but also brings a lot of economic benefits

to local dwellers Because of its reformation, the city is changing fast too

1 What is the main topic of the passage ?

A the bad condition of the city canal

B the modern look of the city

C the change of the city because of the canal renovation

D the reason why the local authority renovates the canal

2 The word ‘impoverished’ in is closest in meaning to _

A wealthy B prosperous C poor D homeless

3 The word “its” in paragraph 2 refers to

A city’s B canal’s C resident’s D bank’s

4 Which of the following is NOT true about the residents?

A They have better living conditions than before

B The advanced technology contributes to the better changing of their lives

C They can go for a walk along the canal without suffering from the unpleasant smell

D Many of them still live in shanty houses

5 What benef its can the canal bring to the city?

A The stunning view of the city

B The chances to boost local businesses

C The better view and economic advantages

D.The development of tourism

Answers:

1 C the change of the city because of the canal renovation

2 C poor (impoverished = poor : làm cho nghèo khổ, làm bần cùng hoá )

3 B canal’s (its = canal’s : của con kênh)

4 D Many of them still live in shanty houses

5 C The better view and economic advantages

2.3.2 Improving the reading skill

2.3.2.1 Broadening the vocabulary and knowledge

Broadening students’ vocabulary and knowledge is a continuous process that involves various strategies and activities Here are some steps students can take:

- Read widely: Make reading a regular habit and explore a diverse range of materials such as books, newspapers, magazines, blogs, and academic articles Choose topics that interest you but also challenge students to learn new words and concepts

- Use context clues: When students encounter unfamiliar words while reading, try to infer their meanings from the context of the sentence or paragraph Pay attention to surrounding words, phrases, and the overall tone of the text

- Keep a vocabulary journal: Keep a notebook or digital document where students write down new words they come across along with their definitions, example sentences, and any related notes Review and revisit their vocabulary journal regularly to reinforce their learning

- Use vocabulary apps and tools: Explore vocabulary-building apps, flashcard programs, and online resources that offer exercises, quizzes, and games to help students learn and retain new words

- Engage in conversations and ciscussions: Participate in conversations, discussions, and debates with friends, family, classmates, or colleagues on a wide range of topics This not only exposes you to different perspectives but also allows you to practice using new vocabulary in context

-Watch and listen: Watch documentaries, TED talks, educational videos, and podcasts on various subjects to expand your knowledge and vocabulary Pay attention to how words are used in different contexts and take note of any unfamiliar terms

- Use a thesaurus: When writing or speaking, challenge yourself to find synonyms for common words or phrases using a thesaurus This helps you discover alternative ways to express yourself and enrich your vocabulary

- Play word games: Play word games such as Scrabble, crossword puzzles, word searches, or online word challenges to have fun while actively engaging with language and expanding your vocabulary

- Learn root words, prefixes, and suffixes: Familiarize themselves with common prefixes (e.g., pre-, re-, un-) and suffixes (e.g., -tion, -ment, -able) as well as root words from Latin and Greek origins Understanding these word parts can help students decipher the meanings of unfamiliar words

- Review and practice regularly: Consistently review and practice using new words to reinforce students’ learning and retention Set aside time each day or week to engage in vocabulary-building activities and track students’ progress over time

To incorporate these steps into students’ daily routine, they can gradually expand their vocabulary and deepen their knowledge across a wide range of subjects

2.3.2.2 Improving the ability of reasoning

Improving students’ ability to reason is indeed crucial for enhancing their reading skills Here are some strategies to help they do just that:

- Develop critical thinking skills: Critical thinking involves analyzing and evaluating information in a systematic and logical manner Practice questioning the text as they read: What is the author's main argument? What evidence is provided to support it? Are there any logical fallacies or biases present?

- Recognize author's purpose and perspective: Consider why the author wrote the text and what biases or perspectives they might have Understanding the author's purpose and point of view helps students approach the text with a critical eye and evaluate its credibility and reliability

- Make connections: Connect the ideas presented in the text to students’ own experiences, knowledge, and observations Look for patterns, similarities, and differences between the text and other sources of information This helps deepen students’ understanding and retention of the material

- Evaluate arguments and evidence: Assess the strength of the arguments presented in the text by examining the evidence provided Look for logical reasoning, relevant examples, and credible sources Practice distinguishing between opinions and factual information

- Engage in reflective reading: Take time to reflect on what they've read and consider its implications, significance, and potential applications Reflective reading encourages deeper understanding and helps they internalize the key concepts and ideas presented in the text

- Practice logical reasoning: Strengthen students’ ability to reason by solving puzzles, riddles, or logic problems These activities help develop their analytical skills and train their mind to think critically and logically

- Seek multiple perspectives: Expose themselves to diverse viewpoints and opinions on various topics Engage with texts and discussions that challenge students’ beliefs and assumptions, fostering a more open-minded and nuanced approach to reading and reasoning

- Use socratic questioning: Ask themselves and others thought-provoking questions that encourage deeper analysis and reflection Socratic questioning prompts they to clarify, evaluate, and justify their thoughts and opinions, enhancing their ability to reason effectively

By incorporating these strategies into their reading practice, students can sharpen their reasoning skills and become a more discerning and analytical reader This, in turn, will improve their comprehension, interpretation, and evaluation of texts across different subjects and genres

2.3.3 Providing the skills to do some types of reading exercises

2.3.3.1 Filling in the gap with one suitable word

Providing the skills to do some types of reading exercises