Glosträning eller lässtrategier? Lärares syn på läsning i gymnasieskolans språkundervisning

AbstractThe aim of this study is to find out how teachers view the importance of reading in the teaching of foreign languages. In relation to this, we wish to gain understanding of what teachers want to achieve with reading, how they choose texts and what difficulties they encounter in getting their students to read. Six teachers from three different upper secondary schools in southern Sweden were interviewed for the study. We also examined the text-materials that they were using for their instruction. The findings show that students read mostly adapted texts from textbooks and, to a limited extent, authentic materials. We found that while some teachers give priority to vocabulary and question-based controls of reading comprehension, others focus more on the content and strive to create discussion. In this latter case students tend to work in groups. One of the teachers worked very intensely with strategies for reading and tried to teach her students how to use their pre-understanding in order to get through the text. Most of the teachers considered reading to play a key role in language learning, but the study shows important differences in approaches to reading