ENglish

PROPOSAL

SELECTED READING

(example) Ackerman, D. (2014). Planets in the sky with diamonds. In G.H. Muller (Ed.), The McGraw-Hill

reader: Issues across the disciplines pp. 114-117. New York. NY: McGraw-Hill.

SELECTED PROMPT

(my own) What role does interest in science play in the development of reading skills?

ABSTRACT

Reading regularly will help people in all walks of life to strengthen their writing and reading abilities.

Research has shown that at least twenty minutes of reading each day, regardless of the type of material,

offers innumerable benefits for those who lack strong reading and comprehension skills. Reading also

provides learners for whom English is a foreign language the opportunity to engage with the English

language and to strengthen their communication skills. This paper will seek to argue that more people

should read in order to gain stronger writing abilities. Reading at least twenty minutes per day will help

strengthen vocabulary, reading speed, and general understanding. This research is important because it

highlights some valuable ways to enhance one’s tools of communication, both in writing and speaking,

which can increase a job seeker’s viability in the workplace. Previous research on this topic did not

consider EFL learners so this research will fill that gap and help future researchers to more firmly

establish the viability of reading as a method for enhancing language skills across the board. Reading, in

the context of this research, will include all forms of reading material such as academic journals, short

stories, poetry, and graphic novels.

THESIS STATEMENT Active reading should be a primary method of learning because it supports strong

communication skills in the workplace, enhances EFL learner’s transition from the native language to the

adopted one, and promotes a tangible experience not found in social media engagement.

SOURCES

Abraham, M. (2017). The rabbit in the hat: Literature as psychology. Journal of literary studies, 24(3).

427-449.

This source argues that reading enhances major communication skills that can be useful in all avenues of

one’s life. It stipulates that reading should not be condensed solely to academic publications but can

include non-academic sources such as newspapers and blogs. It does consider that learners for whom

English is not a primary language may have a more difficult time understanding language when using

non-academic sources prior to fully understanding the nuances of English. One of the counterarguments

that is offered is that the availability of social media does make it easier and more enjoyable to read.

However, the material commonly found in social media entries is not academic or generally written with

professional communication skills in mind. Within the article, there are statistics related to reading

comprehension at all levels from kindergarten to post-graduate study as well as further statistics for

readers who read solely for pleasure. The source uses academic language and proper source support.

The source is a peer reviewed source and was written by a Ph.D. who has published numerous articles

on the subject of reading. The publication is well-known in the field and regularly publishes articles

authored by experts in the field.

Myers. S. (2013). Bring on the parade! In M. Eberhardt (Ed.), The literary reader: An anthology of

psychological satire. (pp. 126-129). New York: McGraw Hill.

This reading is one of the readings contained in the textbook assigned for this course. The contents are

intended to be read as pleasurable reading rather than for strictly academic purposes. The main content

addresses the value of reading and the experiences had by the main character. This character finds that

reading can be enjoyable, especially if conducted in the mode of experience. The main character is

involved in the choosing of texts for the new library in his hometown. While many of the townspeople

prefer technology for their reading habits, the main character is able to change their minds. The text

does not use academic language, but it is not intended to. However, it does provide proper use of

language and could be used as a viable source for teaching EFL learners. Although the reading itself is

not one that would normally be considered scholarly, it is used in a scholarly context and, more

specifically, as the generator of understanding how reading can be enjoyable and learning-filled.

Perreault, J. (2018). Literature as communication pathway. Journal of communication, 23(3). 145-152.

This source argues that literature is a primary teacher of communication for humans of all ages. Reading

as an act can be social, educational, political, and psychologically immersive. The author states that all

humans have a need for reading skills and impresses upon the audience that reading need not be taught

solely through academic texts. Instead, reading any form of literature can help readers understand

communication nuances and proper sentence construction. Readers also need not be advised to read

texts that are solely for their age level. Instead, adults who read young adult novels can still gain

valuable insight. The author is a well-known communications scholar in the UK and is widely known for

her ability to guide even the most difficult of learners into a broader spectrum of communication skills.

She has published in academic journals all over the globe and has received accolades for her writing.

One of the main counterarguments in this piece is the caveat that reading must be enjoyable for

learning to take place. Readers should not be forced to read texts that do not appeal to them.