Many apprentices, regardless of Essential Skill level, do not spend a lot of time reading outside the classroom. As a result, they may need more practice in reading regulations, standards and codebooks. You can help apprentices to overcome reading challenges by drawing attention to the way text is organised and by teaching reading strategies.
To help apprentices with low reading skills, explain:
Using the questions at the end of a chapter in a textbook is one way to give apprentices a focus for reading. Questions indicate what is important in a chapter.
Example:
Ask questions to draw attention to notes, tables of contents, chapter objectives, paragraph headings, glossaries, appendices and indexes. Have apprentices use these organizational features to locate information.
Example: What is the subject of the notes under RJC-50?
Demonstrate how to highlight the important words by using highlighters.
Example: What us the purpose of a regulator?
Keywords are the words in a question that help apprentices locate the answer in the text.
Example: Demonstrate how to combine notes on one topic in one place. Suggest using sticky notes to organize information that is located in more than one location.
Reading strategies are important to teach in technical training to increase skill level. Previewing material, identifying key words and main points, locating and integrating information all contribute towards apprentices becoming focused and efficient readers.
