Reading
across Content from Topic-Based to Skill-Based
Tien Martini Soedradjat
This paper will discuss the experience of teaching erading to undergraduate students from various departments
who have to take English as a compulsory subject. The objective is to help the
students understand English textbooks that they have to read during their study
at ITB. The material was prepared with the assumption that the students will be
happy and motivated if the material deals with the topic which the students are
familiar. Therefore, there were a lot of versions of student’s workbooks for
the students of different departments. The teachers could handle only one class
each – which was large – because of the preparation they have to make on their
own. The teacher had a heavy burden constructing two sets of tests each
semester. The burden of the teacher was heavy in delivering the instruction and
preparing for tests, yet the result of instruction was not as expected. Based
on th eresearch
conducted, we decided to change the material, from topic-based to skill-based.
We believe that when the students master the erading
skills, they can apply them to any topic they deal with. The advantage of skill-based
materials will be discussed as compared to topic-based ones and some
suggestions will be made.
------- ----
-------
Soedradjat, T. M., & Jati,
A. G. (2004, April). Reading
across content from topic-based to skill-based. Paper presented at the RELC
International Seminar on Approaches to
Website: www.geocities.com/eltindonesia
Email:
eltindonesia@yahoo.com