Research shows that when it comes to reading longer texts, struggling students use limited meta-cognitive strategies and lack motivation, resulting in some passivity and reluctance (Lesley, M., Watson, P. & Elliot, S., 2007). In an attempt to help such struggling students, reading shorter and differentiated texts might be an answer, as prevalent in our Twitter-centric youngsters. In this workshop, participants will attempt to explore various strategies using such varied levelled texts to elicit more reading and active participation from students. The strategies could be used pre-, during and post-reading, involving both productive and receptive skills.

1. Arts and Social Sciences
Monash University Malaysia is jointly owned by Monash University and the Jeffrey Cheah Foundation
Strategies for
Using Shorter, Similar &
Differentiated Reading Texts

2. Monash University Malaysia is jointly owned by Monash University and the Jeffrey Cheah Foundation
15 August 2015Presentation title 2
Overview
 Getting to know you and your problems
 Reading problems
 Micro-reading skills
 Strategies
 Q & A

3. Monash University Malaysia is jointly owned by Monash University and the Jeffrey Cheah Foundation
15 August 2015Presentation title 3
Getting to know you
 Your name
 Your school
 Your kind of “kids”
 Their reading problems

4. Monash University Malaysia is jointly owned by Monash University and the Jeffrey Cheah Foundation
15 August 2015Presentation title 4
Problems
 Poor self-monitoring
 Pseudo-reading
 Text-to-self connection (as
opposed to text-to-world)
 Lack of inference
 Lack of motivation — non-
reader/struggling
 “Read to get it done” mindset
 Little metacognition strategies

5. Monash University Malaysia is jointly owned by Monash University and the Jeffrey Cheah Foundation
15 August 2015Presentation title 5
Reasons “behind” the problems
 Glossing over
 Disconnection
 Instant gratification
 Shallow thinking
 Lack of imagination
 Lack of developmental reading

6. Monash University Malaysia is jointly owned by Monash University and the Jeffrey Cheah Foundation
15 August 2015Presentation title 6
Micro-reading skills
 Recognising punctuation
 Recognising independent &
dependent clauses
 Recognising the noun
phrase
 Recognising “verbal”
phrases
 Analysing sentences

7. Monash University Malaysia is jointly owned by Monash University and the Jeffrey Cheah Foundation
15 August 2015Presentation title 7
Punctuation
a woman without her man is nothing
A woman, without her man, is nothing.
A woman: without her, man is nothing.

8. Monash University Malaysia is jointly owned by Monash University and the Jeffrey Cheah Foundation
15 August 2015Presentation title 8
Punctuation
 i want a man who knows what love is all about you are generous kind
and thoughtful people who are not like you admit to being useless
and inferior
 I want a man who knows what love is all about. You are generous,
kind and thoughtful. People who are not like you admit to being
useless and inferior.
 I want a man who knows what love is. All about you are generous,
kind and thoughtful people who are not like you. Admit to being
useless and inferior.

9. Monash University Malaysia is jointly owned by Monash University and the Jeffrey Cheah Foundation
15 August 2015Presentation title 9
Shunting 1
 therewasabooklyingnearaliceonthetableandwhileshesatwatchingthew
hitekingforshewasstillalittleanxiousabouthimandhadtheinkallreadytoth
rowoverhimincasehefaintedagainsheturnedovertheleavestofindsome
partthatshecouldreadforitsallinsomelanguageIdontknowshesaidtoher
self
 Fullstops — Capitals — Commas — Quotation Marks — A Dash —
Apostrophes — Brackets
 There was a book lying near Alice on the table, and while she sat
watching the White King (for she was still a little anxious about him,
and had the ink all ready to throw over him, in case he fainted again),
she turned over the leaves, to find some part that she could read, “–
for it’s all in some language I don’t know,” she said to herself.

10. Monash University Malaysia is jointly owned by Monash University and the Jeffrey Cheah Foundation
15 August 2015Presentation title 10
Shunting 2
 treesareveryimportanttousformanypracticalreasonsbecauseoftheuses
towhichthewoodcanbeputhowevertheirvalueineconomictermsisnothin
gcomparedtotheirroleinhelpingtoregulatetheworldsclimateandprovidin
gfertilesoil
 Trees are very important to us for many practical reasons because of
the uses to which the wood can be put. However, their value in
economic terms is nothing compared to their role in helping to
regulate the world's climate and providing fertile soil.

11. Monash University Malaysia is jointly owned by Monash University and the Jeffrey Cheah Foundation
15 August 2015Presentation title 11
Analysing 1
 Environmental activists have raised concerns about GM foods, and
criticized agribusiness for pursuing profit without concern for potential
hazards, and the government for failing to exercise adequate
regulatory oversight.
 Environmental activists have raised concerns about GM foods,
and
environmental activists have criticized agribusiness for pursuing
profit without concern for potential hazards,
and
environmental activists have criticized the government for failing
to exercise adequate regulatory oversight.

12. Monash University Malaysia is jointly owned by Monash University and the Jeffrey Cheah Foundation
15 August 2015Presentation title 12
Analysing 2
 Ensuring an adequate food supply for this booming population is
going to be a major challenge in the years to come.
 Ensuring an adequate food supply for this booming population
is going to be a major challenge in the years to come.
 There is a possibility that introducing a gene into a plant may create
a new allergen or cause an allergic reaction in susceptible
individuals.
 There is a possibility that introducing a gene into a plant may
create a new allergen or cause an allergic reaction in
susceptible individuals.

13. Monash University Malaysia is jointly owned by Monash University and the Jeffrey Cheah Foundation
15 August 2015Presentation title 13
Puzzle Breather
1. A mother elephant had two babies named Samson and Delilah.
What is the name of the mother.
2. Which word in the dictionary is spelled incorrectly?
3. What kind of room has no doors or windows?
4. If you have me, you want to share me. If you share me, you haven't
got me. What am I?
5. Feed me and I live, yet give me a drink and I die. What am I?

14. Monash University Malaysia is jointly owned by Monash University and the Jeffrey Cheah Foundation
15 August 2015Presentation title 14
Levelled Text (Low to Mid to High)
 One day Winnie-the-Pooh walked to the middle of the forest and saw
an oak tree. He heard a buzzing-noise. Then he sat there and started
thinking.
 One day when he was out walking, he came to an open place in the
middle of the forest, and in the middle of this place was a large oak-
tree, and, from the top of the tree, there came a loud buzzing-noise.
Winnie-the-Pooh sat down at the tree with his head between his
paws and began to think.
 One day when he was out roaming the forests by himself, he came
upon an open area nicely located in the centre of the forest, and a
large looming oak-tree stood at the middle, and, from the top of the
oak, there came a loud buzzing-noise. Winnie-the-Pooh sat down at
the foot of the tree, put his head between his paws and began to
ruminate.

15. Monash University Malaysia is jointly owned by Monash University and the Jeffrey Cheah Foundation
15 August 2015Presentation title 15
Levelled Text (High to Mid to Low)
 Japan has slipped back into recession, leaving financial analysts to
ponder over the implications for the global economy. Japan's
economy unexpectedly shrank for the second consecutive quarter.
 Japan has slipped back into recession. Financial analysts are
thinking about how this will affect the global economy. Japan's
economy unexpectedly shrank for the second quarter in a row.
 Japan has gone back into financial bad times. Financial experts are
thinking that this will change the world’s economy. Japan's economy
suddenly became smaller for two quarters (3 months in a year) in a
row.

16. Monash University Malaysia is jointly owned by Monash University and the Jeffrey Cheah Foundation
15 August 2015Presentation title 16
Levelled Text (Low to Mid to High)
 Experts have studied school class sizes for more than 40 years.
Many think smaller classes are better. They believe students get
more help in small classes. The idea is popular.
 It seems obvious that giving teachers fewer students to teach is a
change that makes sense. Students should get more individual
attention and perform better. The idea is popular with parents and
lawmakers alike.
 Few education reforms make as much sense on a gut level as giving
teachers fewer students to teach. The idea is popular with parents
and politicians alike — at least 40 states have carried out some kind
of class-size reduction in the past 15 years.

17. Monash University Malaysia is jointly owned by Monash University and the Jeffrey Cheah Foundation
15 August 2015Presentation title 17
Levelled Text (Mid to Low to High)
 American kids are eating healthier because companies have cut
down the amount of calories in their packaged foods. A new study
found that parents bought food with 101 fewer calories per person
per day in 2012 than they did in 2007. But experts said it's not
enough to stop children from becoming too overweight.
 American kids are eating healthier. Companies are making food with
fewer calories. But experts said it is not good enough.
 American families with kids bought 101 fewer calories per person per
day in packaged foods in 2012 than they did in 2007, according to an
analysis of a pledge by big food companies to reduce calories in the
marketplace. It's an “impressive" accomplishment but not sufficient to
reverse childhood obesity, experts say.

18. Monash University Malaysia is jointly owned by Monash University and the Jeffrey Cheah Foundation
15 August 2015Presentation title 18
Strategies
 Looking for synonyms /similar meaning words /related phrases
 Differentiating between main ideas and details
 Real-life application
 Foreshadowing
 Fine-tuning intentions (logical thinking)

19. Monash University Malaysia is jointly owned by Monash University and the Jeffrey Cheah Foundation
15 August 2015Presentation title 19
References
 News in Levels: World News for Students of English (3 levels with
similar texts)
http://www.newsinlevels.com/
 Newsela (5 levels with similar texts)
https://newsela.com/
 Breaking News English (7 levels with similar and different texts)
http://www.breakingnewsenglish.com/
 VOA Learning English (3 levels with different texts)
http://learningenglish.voanews.com/