Reader's Report

"Reader's Report" is one of the self-learning activities, done in 1st and 2nd ESO (the two courses I go more regularly).

Students choose a book of their level, they showed to the teacher (who recommend them, explains them if that book chosen is so easy for him/her, too difficult for a particular person...) and they bring it home. During a week or two weeks (sometimes more, depending on their work) they have that book at home and they have to read it and then complete a reader's report with a mind map of the book (an example is shown in the picture) and some vocabulary with the translation.

When students have all the work done, they show the reader's report to the teacher in class in order to correct it, and then they can study it for the oral test about it. They study at home and sometimes also in class, when they have finished other tasks, before their speaking examination about it...

The examination is based on that book, on the points students have written in the reader's report: "The book title is... The author of the book is... The story is... The main characters are... The story takes place in... At the end..." and there are some questions about the vocabulary, too. These points are written in a mid map, where all sentences are divided into parts, in other to show the structure: subject - verb - object.

The evaluation is done individually with the teacher, who takes into account both fluency and accuracy. She listens to each student and when he or she finishes, she corrects them (accuracy, vocabulary...). She always says them the mark, too, and encourages them at all times.

 

I have seen this task almost every day in these two weeks of practicum, but today I have been able to participate more, listening to them with Eve and saying my opinion about the evaluation.

I agree with Eve, my tutor, that this kind of activity lets the students learn reading and speaking skills, but also grammar. Moreover, this activity develops their reading habits, their responsibility and autonomy, fluency and accuracy in speaking, and students have to be organised (doing the mind map). On the other hand, students can choose the book they want to read, so they are more motivated; and they have time to do this task at home, they don't have a close deadline (although they are asked not to extend a lot one reading).