Intensive reading in teaching involves learners engaging with a text in a highly focused and detailed manner to achieve specific learning objectives. According to the provided reference, it's a targeted approach, quite different from extensive reading which focuses on reading for pleasure and general skill development.
Key Characteristics of Intensive Reading:
Intensive reading focuses on accuracy and comprehension of the text. Here's a breakdown of its core components:
- Detailed Analysis: Students examine the text closely, paying attention to grammar, vocabulary, and the author's intent.
- Specific Learning Aims: The reading is guided by pre-defined learning goals, such as understanding specific grammatical structures or learning new vocabulary.
- Task-Oriented: Learners typically complete tasks directly related to the text, demonstrating their understanding.
- Short Texts: The text is generally short to allow for thorough analysis.
Intensive Reading vs. Extensive Reading
The following table summarizes the difference between intensive and extensive reading:
| Feature | Intensive Reading | Extensive Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Detailed comprehension, language study | Reading for pleasure, general skill dev. |
| Text Length | Short | Long |
| Focus | Accuracy | Fluency |
| Teacher Role | Active guidance | Facilitator |
| Learner Activity | Detailed analysis, task completion | Reading and enjoying |
Practical Application: Example
As the reference indicates, an example of intensive reading in action is when "the learners read a short text and put events from it into chronological order." This requires a detailed understanding of the text.
Benefits of Intensive Reading
- Improved vocabulary: Learners encounter and understand new words in context.
- Enhanced comprehension: Detailed analysis leads to a deeper understanding of the text.
- Grammar development: Intensive reading provides opportunities to study grammatical structures.
- Critical thinking skills: Learners analyze the author's intent and purpose.
