Teaching of reading in a bilingual setting : exploring the strategies spanish and english teachers use to teach reading

Abstract

This study aimed to identify the reading strategies used by both Spanish and EFL primary teachers in two bilingual schools in Colombia and to analyze if those strategies significantly vary between them. Data were examined from an interpretive qualitative stance and gathered through document analysis and interviews. Results evidenced that at the beginning of the lesson, Spanish and English teachers use similar strategies such as asking questions, showing students the cover of the book, and asking students to make predictions. Both types of teachers also do read-aloud activities, ask questions, and focus students’ attention on the vocabulary of the text while reading. At the end of the lesson, Spanish and English teachers often assign individual activities, encourage their students to ask questions, ask students’ opinions about the text, and give suggestions to their students about how to improve. When comparing the strategies, there are some aspects that vary. English teachers told students which skills they would be working with in class, employed activities that draw students’ attention to sounds, and taught students how to locate specific information in the text with graphic organizers. However, there are more reading strategies that are not used by these teachers which may help students to improve such as analyzing text structure and doing peer-learning activities. It is recommended that these teachers show students how to use these and other strategies on their own since explicit instruction of reading strategies is crucial if teachers want students to have better comprehension levels.