World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology

International Journal of Educational and Pedagogical Sciences

Vol:8, No:3, 2014

On the Constructivist Teaching of Extensive Reading

for English Majors
Haiyan Wang

knowledge. Knowledge is learning subjects' (students) active

Abstract—Constructivism, the latest teaching and learning theory construction on learning object (objective world). We should
in western countries which is based on the premise that cognition advocate discovery learning. Learning is not passively accepted.
(learning) is the result of "mental construction", lays emphasis on the Learning subjects should be active to cognize and create from
learner's active learning. Guided by constructivism, this thesis
personal experience to construct a personal meaning.
discusses the teaching plan and its application in extensive reading
course. In extensive reading classroom, emphasis should be laid on the Second, learning inevitably exists in a specific environment
activation of students' prior knowledge, grasping the skills of fast and is finished through interaction with others, especially
reading and the combination of reading and writing to check language learning, because an important part of language study
extracurricular reading. With three factors supplementing each other, is to use the target language to interact and communicate with
Open Science Index, Educational and Pedagogical Sciences Vol:8, No:3, 2014 waset.org/Publication/9997857

students' English reading ability can be improved effectively. others. In this case, the environment here is not only substance
such as classroom environment, but also refers to the social
Keywords—Constructivism, extensive reading, constructivist culture, education, family and interpersonal relationship, and
teaching.
even psychological environment. So we must pay special
attention to social interaction’s effect on learners' behavior and
I. INTRODUCTION
emotional factors, which is also the connotation of one of the
A. Constructivism Learning Theory basic theory of social constructivism—humanism.
Third, since the learner is the main body of learning, we
C ONSTRUCTIVISM learning theory is a philosophy which
enhances students' logical and conceptual growth. The
constructivism learning theory argues that people produce
should shift the emphasis of teaching to the student. To teach is
to learn. The role of the teacher should change from the
traditional knowledge transmitter to a mediator [2]. Instead of
knowledge and form meaning based upon their experiences [1].
giving a lecture the teachers in this theory function as
Two of the key concepts within the constructivism learning
facilitators whose role is to aid the student when it comes to
theory which create the construction of an individual's new
their own understanding. This takes away focus from the
knowledge are accommodation and assimilation. Assimilating
teacher and lecture and puts it upon the student and their
causes an individual to incorporate new experiences into the old
learning. Teachers should provide learning opportunities and
experiences. This causes the individual to develop new
learning experience for students, so as to create learning
outlooks, rethink what were once misunderstandings, and
environment and atmosphere favorable for constructing
evaluate what is important, ultimately altering their
personal meaning, make learners strengthen autonomy,
perceptions. Accommodation, on the other hand, is reframing
self-control and self-responsibility and improve the ability of
the world and new experiences into the mental capacity already
using learning strategies in order to achieve the purpose of
present. Individuals conceive a particular fashion in which the
active learning. Such learning is more effective.
world operates. When things do not operate within that context,
Fourth, learning should be full of educational value.
they must accommodate and reframing the expectations with
Language learning is even more so. Language is also the media
the outcomes.
of constructing meaning and creating "reality". In a sense, what
Based on constructivism, which provides theoretical support
kind of choice and construction creates what kind of "reality".
for today's educational research and teaching practice,
"Reality" embodies language users' position. Therefore,
knowledge is not an objective existence independent of the
language use is creating culture. When we are constructing
cognitive subject (human beings), but is an active construction
meaning in language, we are creating culture [3].
in understanding the outside world. This construction is the
result of social interaction which occurs in the environment
II. READING TEACHING AND CONSTRUCTIVISM LEARNING
interacting with others.
THEORY
B. Constructivism's Influence on Language Study Constructivism claims that learning is a process of learners'
The enlightenment of social constructivism on learning, actively constructing internal mental representation [4].
especially language learning, is deep and profound. First of all, Learning is not passing knowledge from teachers to students
it is trying to change our understanding of the nature of but students' constructing their knowledge. Learners are not
passive information receiver but those who actively construct
Haiyan Wang is with the College of Foreign Languages, Qingdao information meaning. The construction cannot be replaced by
University of Science and Technology, Qingdao 266061, China (phone: others. Therefore in reading teaching, students should fully be
86-0532-88958959; e-mail: haiyanwang417@ 163.com).

International Scholarly and Scientific Research & Innovation 8(3) 2014 797 ISNI:0000000091950263
 World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology
International Journal of Educational and Pedagogical Sciences
Vol:8, No:3, 2014

given the autonomy of reading and teachers help students the construction of meaning [6].
develop appropriate reading strategies, providing certain help One of the important tasks for the teacher is to help students
and making them construct the understanding of the article. establish or activate that knowledge. This stage can be achieved
Constructivism emphasized that students do not come into through the preparation before class activities or classroom
the classroom with empty head. They have formed rich teaching. For example: In the fifth unit, Book Four of Tapestry
experience in daily life and the previous study or concluded the English Reading "Not Child's Play: the Work", the title has
explanation of the problem through sensible reasoning [5]. significant implications of the text content [7]. The teacher may
Teaching cannot ignore students' experience and store the new start to activate students’ prior knowledge about child labor.
knowledge from the outside but regard students' knowledge of For example, the teacher may ask questions, "What do you
existing experience as "growing point" of new knowledge. know about child labor? Why do some businesses hire workers
Constructivism claims that the meaning of an article lies in illegally? Do you think that illegal child labor is only a problem
learners' construction based on the existing information, in developing countries? Illustrate your point." Those questions
knowledge, emotion, experience and culture rather than article should be specific, instructive and students should be given
itself. In fact, reading is a communication between readers and sufficient time to think. Group discussion is encouraged. Here
writers but not face to face. Therefore, in the process of reading teachers may be reminded that they need to help students build
teaching, on the one hand, the teacher should pay attention to schemata knowledge, because a lot of students know little
students' previous experience which influence the about employment situation in such developed countries as
understanding of the article, use teaching methods to activate America. So teachers can introduce, "You know, In the U.S.,
Open Science Index, Educational and Pedagogical Sciences Vol:8, No:3, 2014 waset.org/Publication/9997857

students' prior knowledge and guide students to establish the employers can save $155 in wages one year by hiring underage
connection between the old and new knowledge; On the other workers instead of legal workers". Besides, students can be
hand, the teacher should acknowledge the diversity of thinking required to find some related materials via the Internet or other
and encourage students’ critical thinking. ways. Take this unit as an example; teachers can arrange
Teachers are not simple knowledge presenters, but ones who students to find information about child labor and different
should pay attention to students' own understanding of all kinds situation in different countries so as to obtain the schema
of phenomena, listen to their views and have an insight into the knowledge. In a word, teachers should strive to expand
origin of their ideas. Everything needs both teachers and students' background knowledge, guide their existing
students to explore some issues, communicate with each other knowledge and motivate students' reading interest so as to
and question each other in the process, know each other’s idea lighten the understanding burden for students.
clearly and make some adjustments. Because of the difference
B. Guiding Students to Read Materials Correctly and
of experience, learners' understanding of the problem often
Grasping Fast Reading Skills
vary, which constitutes a valuable learning resources in the
community of learner. Linguist Frank Smith thinks, "Reading is an active process of
Besides, the resources and lesson plans that must be initiated solving problems. In this process, the reader must try his best to
for this learning theory take a very different approach toward find information and the answer." This process can't be
traditional learning as well. Instead of telling, the teacher must replaced by teachers, but teachers can guide students how to
begin asking. Instead of answering questions that only align read effectively, teach them reading methods and guide them to
with their curriculum, the facilitator in this case must make it so understand the main idea of the text correctly. Therefore, if the
that the student comes to the conclusions on their own instead reading speed is too slow, it will be harmful for reading
of being told. Also, teachers are continually in conversation comprehension. This is because we only pay attention to
with the students, creating the learning experience that is open individual words, rather than the outline of the article and the
to new directions depending upon the needs of the student as overall planning, that is, "the endless attention to trees at the
the learning progresses. Teachers following Piaget's theory of expense of forests," which affects getting needed information
constructivism must challenge the student by making them from the passage. The brain can process information at
effective critical thinkers and not being merely a "teacher" but breakneck speed, so low reading speed makes the brain in a
also a mentor, a consultant, and a coach. state of underused so that the thought is not highly
concentrated, vulnerable to outside interference and ultimately
III. CLASSROOM TEACHING DESIGN affects the reading effect. It is visible that not only certain
amount of reading material but also certain reading speed are
A. Activating Prior Knowledge needed to improve reading level. In order to enable students to
Constructivism claims that meaning is constructed in the read fluently and quickly, fast reading training is needed for
repeated, bi-directional interactive process between the old and students in order to let them grasp speed reading skills. Reading
new knowledge. In reading, students' understanding of the text can be divided into two steps:
is based on prior knowledge. Schema knowledge is an 1) Do fast reading once. Learners are restricted to a period of
important part of prior knowledge, which includes general reading time, only grasping the theme and the main idea of
knowledge of the world, social and cultural knowledge, theme the article without looking the news words up in their
knowledge and style knowledge. That knowledge plays a very dictionary.
important role in the students' understanding of the article and 2) Read at normal speed again, and deal with new words and

International Scholarly and Scientific Research & Innovation 8(3) 2014 798 ISNI:0000000091950263
 World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology
International Journal of Educational and Pedagogical Sciences
Vol:8, No:3, 2014

difficult problem. emphasize the activation of students' prior knowledge, master

In class, first of all, the teacher would like to ask students fast reading skills and inspect extracurricular reading by
some questions related to reading comprehension for them to combination of reading and writing. The three factors
answer. If these questions are clear, they also understand the supplement each other, complement each other both inside and
whole passage to some extent. Teachers can also ask them to outside the classroom, which can make reading classes
brief the content of the passage in order to inspect students' informative but not boring class type. It is better to reach the
previewing work. At the same time, teachers should introduce demand of syllabus for English majors and improve students'
some text background knowledge to help students understand English reading ability effectively.
the text. And then, language points in the article and practice
are dealt with. REFERENCES
[1] R. Driver, Theory into Practice: A Constructivist Approach to
C. Positive Innovation, Promoting the Combination between Curriculum Development. In P. Fensham(ed.). Development and
Reading and Writing Dilemmas in Science Education. London: Falmer Press, 1998.
It is explicitly stipulated in the syllabus: "In-class reading [2] R. Feuerstein, P. S. Klein, A. J. Tannenbaum, Mediated Learning
Experience: Theoretical, Psychological and Learning Implications.
quantity of 37. 50000 words are needed for Band 4, London: Freund, 1991.
extracurricular reading quantity is 62.50000 words." With 2 [3] Z. Fang, “Constructivism learning and the training of the university
periods every week, the teachers all focus on the teaching students' active learning English under the network,” Journal of Qiqihar
Junior Teachers' College, vol. 107, no. 1, 2009, pp. 6-8.
materials, which cause in-class reading quantity unable to [4] Y. Kafai, M. Resnik, Constructivism in practice : Designing. thinking and
Open Science Index, Educational and Pedagogical Sciences Vol:8, No:3, 2014 waset.org/Publication/9997857

complete, let alone extracurricular reading quantity. So, learning in a digital world. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum
extensive reading should be the conscious extracurricular Associations, 1996.
[5] P. Johnson, “Effects on Reading Comprehension of Building Background
activities. Knowledge,” TESOL Quarterly, vol. 16, no. 4, 1982, pp. 503-516.
In 1990, after the comprehensive survey of the relationship [6] P. L. Carrell, “Three components of background knowledge in reading
between reading and writing O'Malley [8] found: writing comprehension,” Language Learning, vol. 33, no. 2, 1983, pp. 183-207.
[7] M. E. Sokolik, Tapestry Reading 4. Heinle, division of Thomson
activity is very useful to improve reading comprehension; on
Learning, 2000.
the other hand, the method of improving writing by reading is [8] J.M. O’Malley, A. U. Chamot, Language Learning Strategies. Cambridge:
also very effective. With the development of psychological Cambridge University Press, 1990.
linguistics, linguists think that the process of reading is not
merely a passive process of accepting, but an act of creating
meaning. Through writing, students can express what they Haiyan Wang received the MA degree in English Linguistics and Literature
think and feel about a piece of reading material, completing the from Liaoning Normal University, Dalian, Liaoning Province, China, in 2005.
Currently, she is working at College of Foreign Languages of Qingdao
behavior of "create meaning". The teaching method of University of Science and Technology. Her research interests include
"combination of writing and reading" can make students be linguistics, second language acquisition and language and culture.
exposed to a lot of language materials through a wide range of
extracurricular reading. Reading and writing are inseparable,
closely related. Language input relies on listening and reading
while language output relies on speaking and writing. The input
and output supplement each other, complement each other and
promote each other. The more rich input is, the more accurate
and fluent output is. Therefore, if the teaching method of
"combination of writing and reading" can be applied fine in
extensive reading class, it is a good attempt. Teachers should
ask students to read relevant books and write a book report out
of class.
The author demands students to read any English material
you are interested in, such as books, English newspaper or
online material every week and write down a piece of reading
journal. Through periodic inspection, teachers can find
students' interest in reading, amount of reading and the degree
of reading with concentrated attention. In addition, writing can
also train students to think in English and the ability of using
English.

IV. CONCLUSION
Reading class has always been considered to be a course
difficult to grasp and often wrongly interpreted as the idea that
only the word "reading" can solve it. But by the theoretical
instruction of constructivism, in the reading class, teachers

International Scholarly and Scientific Research & Innovation 8(3) 2014 799 ISNI:0000000091950263