Journal #4

From Table 4.1-4.4, think back what reading skills you haven't used before when you read English textbooks. Do you think ESOL learners should practice these skills (the skills you haven't used) in English class?

Reading skills I have not used befor when I read English textbooks:
Rhyming words, retell story, reliability of source, reactions to the author's use of language, identifying a writer's technique

I think some skills are necessarily needed in English class. For example, retelling story is an important comprehension skill. When I was in middle and high school, I rarely used the skill, retelling a story. The teachers in middle school focused on teaching grammatical rules and structures through the reading passages and they just translated the English passages to Korean. Also in high school, I was taught some reading skills only used to solve problems in university entrance exam. I did not use the skill, retelling a story, because it was not contained as a type of skills the the exam required. However, I think paraphrasing is an essential skill to understand what I read. To paraphrase a story, the reader needs to completely understand what s/he read. Also it is good for the reader to use the skill to reconstruct what s/he has read.
On the other hand, I do not think it is necessary for learners to practice rhyming words, reliability of source, and identifying a writer's technique. Learners do not need to practice rhyming words unless they compose poems or raps. Also, it is too difficult for ESOL learners to identify a writer's technique.