Reading Ideas

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Reading is known as one of the best ways to acquire new words and structures.

These descriptions are taken from ACTFL. Check out the site for more information and examples in English. http://actflproficiencyguidelines2012.org/reading

Reading » Novice
At the Novice level, readers can understand key words and cognatescognatesWords between languages that have a common origin and are therefore readily understood. For example, the French word “leçon” and the English word “lesson.”, as well as formulaicformulaicConstituting or containing a verbal formula or set form of words such as “How are you?/Fine, thank you.” “Thanks very much./You’re welcome.” phrases that are highly contextualized.

Novice-level readers are able to get a limited amount of information from highly predictable texts in which the topic or context is very familiar, such as a hotel bill, a credit card receipt or a weather map. Readers at the Novice level may rely heavily on their own background knowledge and extralinguisticextralinguisticNot included in the language itself, such as a visual or contextual clue that supports understanding. support (such as the imagery on the weather map or the format of a credit card bill) to derive meaning.

Readers at the Novice level are best able to understand a text when they are able to anticipate the information in the text. At the Novice level, recognition of key words, cognatescognatesWords between languages that have a common origin and are therefore readily understood. For example, the French word “leçon” and the English word “lesson.”, and formulaicformulaicConstituting or containing a verbal formula or set form of words such as “How are you?/Fine, thank you.” “Thanks very much./You’re welcome.” phrases makes comprehension possible.

Reading » Intermediate
At the Intermediate level, readers can understand information conveyed in simple, predictable, loosely connected texts. Readers rely heavily on contextual cluescontextual cluesHints within the communication or its context that facilitate the comprehension of unfamiliar words.. They can most easily understand information if the format of the text is familiar, such as in a weather report or a social announcement.

Intermediate-level readers are able to understand texts that convey basic information such as that found in announcements, notices, and online bulletin boards and forums. These texts are non-complex and have a predictable pattern of presentation. The discoursediscourseUnit of structured speech or writing. is minimally connected and primarily organized in individual sentences and strings of sentencesstrings of sentencesA series of isolated or discrete sentences typically referring to a given topic but not grammatically or syntactically connected. containing predominantly high-frequency vocabulary.

Intermediate-level readers are most accurate when getting meaning from simple, straightforward texts. They are able to understand messages found in highly familiar, everyday contexts. At this level, readers may not fully understand texts that are detailed or those texts in which knowledge of language structures is essential in order to understand sequencing, time frame, and chronology.