1. Reina Elisa Merlo Lara Merlo 1
Iris Vallecillo, M.A.
Didactics of Literature
June 7, 2013
Reading is an important tool in our classes.
To start this essay first is necessary define what is reading, everyone could be agree that is a
process where the student get meanings from everything that they see around because, all the
symbols that they see is read it, no matter if is previous knowledge or something new, but we
are going to emphasize that reading is not a process is a technique to get new knowledge
for our life and the best reason to increase our culture. As a teacher reading is more than
a technique, is the way to get meaning for everything that is around us, at the same time
is important to mention the different advantages that we can approach in reading, as increase
vocabulary, review writing and grammar steps, but the unique purpose of the writers is
give an experience to the reader through books, this is the reason that a teacher look for a
extensive reading in their classes. The teacher is the responsible that their pupils read and
learn new meanings.
To explain the importance of reading is necessary understand that everything around is to fill
our minds with knowledge that we going to need in our life and our pupils too, as in our text
book Teaching Reading Skills in a foreign language says: “The text is full of meaning like a
jug of water, the reader’s mind soaks it up like a sponge.” Is a figurative expression but tells
us as the reader take everything that they see , if we talk about see symbols we are talking
about read and take this meanings as useful knowledge.

2. Merlo 2
In general not all that we read is literature and this is our reason of this study, literature is
everything that is beautiful and we enjoy it at the same time, however every writer are
interested in present new experiences in their books and in this way teach us their point of
view and sometimes changes, or add new ideas to our schemata. Every author is different in
their works so we have several interesting places, ages and experiences to know and add to
our students’ mind, with this art everyone has a new knowledge to store and enjoy them.
To get a student be interests in a novel or any other literature the teacher has to take some
responsibilities as chose an attractive and understandable reading program. But we do not
lose hope, because we can get interesting themes and use modern resources, engaged to our
curriculum and giving them the facilities to read. Because the teacher role has to be
interactive with the student’s role:
The teacher role implies a reciprocal role for the students: taking an active part in
learning monitoring comprehension learning text talk taking risk learning not to cheat
oneself. (Teaching reading skills text book)
How we can learn about Caribbean Culture if we do not read any book from this place, how
we can understand creoles people’s feelings, if the writer in “Wide Sargasso Sea” did not
write her book? In this novel the author is telling us how her perspective’s life was when she
was young, can see it in this paragraph: “I never looked at any strange negro. They hated us.
They called us white cockroaches. Let sleeping dogs lie. One day a little girl followed me
singing, ‘Go away white cockroach, go away.’ I walked fast, but she walked faster. ‘White
cockroach, go away, go away. Nobody want you. Go away’ When I was safely at home I sat
close the old wall at the end of the garden.” Is clear the writer is expressing her point of view.

3. Merlo 3
She is telling us her feelings and this part of her life and all the discrimination that she
perceived in this age, even though when we did not live in that age.
Reading in a foreign language, it is learn about the rest people in this wonderful planet and
why not, learn about everything that is around no matter the time, because something that is
written in the present could be interesting in any time on the future, just has to be accessible
and understand the symbols that the writers wrote them and read it to get their experiences,
feelings, thoughts and know their places or simple in their imagination. It is save our life for
the future people.
In conclusion readings is and had been the best resource to learn about other languages and is
the better way to communicate our feelings and knowledge to the audience, in this way add
new acquaintances in their schemata. As in our text book says as teacher we should “prepare
the students to undertake the tasks and monitoring progress to make sure everyone in class
improves steadily according to their capabilities.” And for future readers just make an
invitation to get in this wonderful world that literature is, because is not only a way to get
vocabulary or practice pronunciation is more than, is take a trip in an imaginary setting that
any book is talking about, and meet amazing people that they are going to teach us with their
experience new things.