Introduction ( Introduccion)

The purpose of this class is to discuss reading as it pertains to children learning ESL or EFL. This class begins with a description of reading as it relates to children who are at different stages of literacy development in their native language. Basic background information about teaching reading is also provided. The next section is about developing reading skills and provides a discussion of phonics and literature-based approaches. Finally, information about a variety of strategies and techniques is presented including specific suggestions for using different textbook pages to teach different literacy skills. This class consider children’s physical, emotional, and cognitive development, also considering both the abilities of native English speakers and the English content they are taught because children learning English as a second  or foreign language should not be expected to do something in English that they would be beyond  the reach of a native speaker. Finally reading comprehension refers to reading for meaning, understanding, and entertainment. It involves a higher order thinking skills and is much more complex than merely decoding specific words. Teaching children how to derive meaning as well as analyze and synthesize what they have read is essential part of the reading process for that reason the information, strategies, and techniques used in this class will be carefully selected and adapted for use with young learners.