Analysis on Methods How to Improve English Reading Ability for High School Students

Yahan Shen

【Abstract】Reading is an important element in English teaching for high school students； English reading training is the key point for developing thinking ability as well as handling scientific and effective reading method. Based on the current English reading teaching conditions， this paper analyzes the major problems and searches for measures and solutions for improving high school students English reading comprehension， thus facilitating the improvement on their overall English level.

【Key words】high school English； reading comprehension； ability improvement

【作者簡介】Yahan Shen， Class 1610， Grade 3， Changsha Experimental Middle School.

I. Teaching situations and problems for English reading

Reading is the most frequent activity in English， much more English reading can improve other language elements. However there are also some problems in reading， which are shown at following aspects：

1.1 Unsuitable teaching method

There are always several English reading articles at the end of each unit in high school English book， most teachers delineate all the knowledge points words by words， even require students just learning that by heart. It favors too much on language knowledge but usage， and grasps the shadow instead of the essence， thus solidifying students thinking.

1.2 Bad reading habit

High school students bad reading habits include： figure reading， reading in low voice or in silence etc， which divert the readers attention going against the articles purport or topic reducing English reading interest. Dictionary lookup makes the overdependence on tools during reading， and the students always are unwilling to think independently.

1.3 Deficiency in English vocabulary

Vocabulary is the basis of reading， so increasing vocabulary is important to overcome reading problems. Inadequate amount of vocabulary blocks readers from quick reading and comprehension.

II. Effective measures to improve English reading comprehension for high school students

2.1 Increase vocabulary and improve comprehension.

During usual learning， the students should increase vocabulary steadily， and quickly remember words from word building knowledge or widely reading.

2.2 Create good reading habit and develop reading skills

Good reading habit guarantees improvement on reading speed and efficiency. In reading teaching， teacher should help students in creating good reading habit， such as reading aloud， learning excellent paragraphs or articles by heart and developing language sense； as well as correct some bad habits easily found in reading process.

2.3 Establish English culture base

Much more language tests indicated that the major barriers in English reading are not the vocabulary or grammar， but the background culture information carried by language. Therefore， cultural background introduction in English teaching is very important， which can help students to read the article successfully， get the cultural information of western country and enlarge students view.

III. Methods on how to improve high school students reading comprehension

3.1 Based upon book article to improve reading comprehension

High school English textbooks draw excellent articles in wide range， various types， large amount words flow and vivid expressions. These articles are the best training materials for reading； teachers can fully utilize them and do reading training to the students in daily teaching activity， in order to create reading comprehension.

3.2 Teach and guide reading methods

Teachers should guide the students in handling of key words and sentences during reading to understand the soul of the article. Before reading， teachers may ask some questions， allowing the students to read the read article quickly in determined time before carefully reading any paragraph， after finding out the important language points let the students talking about some topics on the article. At last， teachers come out and make some suggestions.

IV Conclusions

Reading， interacted by language knowledge， background information and other professions， is a deduction and correction process of language materials， cultural knowledge and logic reasoning. Teachers need to give full play to learning initiative for the students， while the students should come over bad reading habits and form a habit of persevere， in order to unawares increase vocabulary. At the same time， high school students should be encouraged for correctly using reading method and skills， increasing reading amount thus improving reading comprehension.

References：

[1]Lin Zhaoxia.Methods on How to Develop Students Reading Comprehension[J]，Guangxi Education，2006（35）.