How to Teach Reading Skills in ESL Classes: Practical Strategies for English Teachers

How to Teach Reading Skills in ESL Classes: Practical Strategies for English Teachers

Teaching reading in ESL (English as a Second Language) classes can be both rewarding and challenging. Reading is one of the most essential skills for English learners—it expands vocabulary, improves grammar awareness, and helps students understand how language works in real contexts. However, many learners struggle with reading comprehension, especially when texts are long or contain unfamiliar vocabulary.

As teachers, our goal is not only to help students decode words but also to understand, think about, and enjoy what they read. In this post, we’ll explore how to teach reading skills effectively in ESL classes, step by step.

 

1. Understanding the Nature of Reading in ESL

Reading is more than just recognizing words on a page. It involves several processes that happen almost at once:

• Decoding: recognizing and pronouncing words.
• Comprehension: understanding meaning at sentence and paragraph level.
• Inference: reading between the lines to interpret implied meaning.
• Evaluation: thinking critically about what the text says.

For ESL learners, these processes are often slowed down because of limited vocabulary or unfamiliar grammar patterns. Therefore, reading lessons must support students through different stages of understanding — before, during, and after reading.

 

2. The Three Stages of a Reading Lesson

A well-planned ESL reading lesson usually includes three main stages:

A. Pre-Reading Stage (Before Reading)

This stage prepares students to read by activating their background knowledge and setting a purpose for reading.

Objectives:

• Motivate learners and create interest in the topic.
• Introduce key vocabulary or concepts.
• Help students predict what they will read about.

Activities:

• Brainstorming: Ask questions like, “What do you know about…?”
• Predicting from pictures or titles.
• Discussing related experiences or ideas.
• Pre-teaching essential vocabulary (but avoid overloading them).

For example, if the reading is about travel, show pictures of famous destinations and ask students, “What do you usually take when you travel?” This simple discussion activates the topic and gets students thinking in English before reading.

 

B. While-Reading Stage (During Reading)

Here, students read the text and interact with it actively. The goal is not to read every word but to develop specific reading strategies such as skimming, scanning, and detailed reading.

Key Reading Strategies:

1. Skimming – reading quickly to get the main idea or “gist.”
   Example task: “Read the text quickly and choose the best title.”
2. Scanning – looking for specific details, numbers, or names.
   Example task: “Find the date when the event took place.”
3. Reading for detail – understanding all information closely.
   Example task: “Answer comprehension questions in full sentences.”
4. Inferring – guessing meaning from context or understanding implied ideas.
   Example task: “Why do you think the writer decided to do that?”

Tips for Teachers:

• Give students a clear purpose for each reading.
• Encourage silent reading instead of reading aloud all the time.
• Use short, manageable texts for lower levels.
• Ask comprehension questions that move from simple to complex (literal → inferential → evaluative).

 

C. Post-Reading Stage (After Reading)

This stage helps students go beyond the text to deepen understanding and connect reading with other skills.

Objectives:

• Check comprehension.
• Encourage personal response.
• Practice speaking or writing based on the text.

Activities:

• Summarizing the text in pairs or small groups.
• Discussing opinions about the topic.
• Completing a graphic organizer (story map, chart, or timeline).
• Writing a short response (email, diary entry, or alternative ending).

This stage is also great for integrating skills — for example, moving from reading to speaking or writing.

 

3. Teaching Core Reading Sub-Skills

Good readers use a combination of sub-skills. ESL teachers can help students develop these systematically:

Reading Skill	Description	Classroom Activity Example
Skimming	Reading quickly for the general idea	“Read the article in 2 minutes and choose the best headline.”
Scanning	Searching for specific information	“Find 3 dates mentioned in the text.”
Predicting	Using clues to guess what will happen	“Look at the first paragraph — what do you think comes next?”
Inferring	Understanding hidden meaning	“What does the author mean by saying...?”
Summarizing	Expressing the main idea in fewer words	“Write one sentence to summarize each paragraph.”

By practicing these skills regularly, students become more independent readers who can approach any text with confidence.

 

4. Choosing the Right Reading Materials

Selecting the right text is critical for success. Here’s what to consider:

• Level: The text should be slightly challenging but not frustrating. (Follow the “i+1” rule — one level above their current ability.)
• Length: For beginners, short paragraphs; for advanced learners, longer authentic articles.
• Interest: Choose topics students enjoy — travel, food, sports, technology, etc.
• Purpose: Match the text to your lesson goal — for example, stories for inference, articles for scanning, etc.
• Authenticity: Whenever possible, use real-world materials (news stories, brochures, emails, etc.) to expose students to natural English.

 

5. Helping Students Deal with Vocabulary

Unknown words can block comprehension, but you don’t need to translate everything. Instead, train students to use context clues:

• Definition clues: The meaning is explained nearby.
• Example clues: “Fruits such as apples and bananas…”
• Contrast clues: “Unlike cats, dogs are very loyal.”
• Word formation clues: Understanding prefixes/suffixes (un-, re-, -ness).

Encourage students to guess first, then check later using a dictionary. This builds independence and confidence.

 

6. Integrating Technology in Reading Lessons

Technology can make reading more interactive and motivating. Here are some ideas:

• Use digital articles from websites like Newsela, Breaking News English, or BBC Learning English.
• Encourage students to read graded eBooks or online stories.
• Use reading comprehension apps or platforms like ReadTheory or LingQ.
• Turn texts into listening-reading activities by pairing them with audio versions.
• Have students use Padlet or Google Docs to share their reflections or summaries.

Digital reading also supports learners outside the classroom, helping them develop habits of extensive reading.

 

7. Encouraging Extensive Reading

Extensive reading means reading for pleasure and general understanding, not for detailed analysis. It helps students:

• Build vocabulary naturally.
• Improve reading speed and confidence.
• Develop a lifelong love for reading.

To promote extensive reading:

• Create a classroom library or digital reading corner.
• Let students choose what to read based on their interests.
• Set simple reading goals, like one story per week.
• Have them keep reading journals to reflect on what they’ve learned.

Remember: the key is choice + enjoyment = progress.

 

8. Assessing Reading Skills

Reading assessment doesn’t have to mean tests only. You can check comprehension through:

• Multiple-choice or true/false questions.
• Sequencing events.
• Matching headings with paragraphs.
• Short written responses or summaries.
• Oral discussions about the text.

Balance formative assessment (ongoing feedback) with summative assessment (quizzes or tests) to measure progress effectively.

 

9. Tips for Successful Reading Lessons

✅ Start with topics students care about.
✅ Give a clear purpose before every reading.
✅ Focus on comprehension, not just pronunciation.
✅ Balance guided reading and independent reading.
✅ Encourage students to share opinions after reading.
✅ Use visual aids, charts, and questions to scaffold understanding.
✅ Celebrate reading success — no matter how small!

 

Conclusion

Teaching reading skills in ESL classes is about more than vocabulary or grammar. It’s about helping learners become confident, thoughtful readers who can access information, enjoy stories, and use English in real life. By combining pre-reading preparation, active while-reading tasks, and creative post-reading follow-ups, teachers can make reading lessons engaging, meaningful, and effective.

When students learn how to read strategically, they also learn how to learn — and that’s the ultimate goal of language education.