Developmental

Reading

ARACELIM, VILLAMIN
EVELYN S. SALAZAR
WILHELMINA GATMAITAN
CONTENTS
Introduction, v
1 THE NATURE AND PSYCHOLOGY OF READING
DR 1-What Is Reading?, 1
2- Processes That Affect Reading, 4
3- The Psychology of Reading, 6 4- What Developmental Reading Means, 8
5-Levels of Comprehension, 11
6- The Different Kinds of Reading, 13
2 STUDY AND LIBRARY SKILLS
DR 7-How Library Facilities Are Organized, 20
8- Why Go to the Library?, 24
9- How Books Are Classified, 28
10- The Card Catalog, 31
11- Content of Catalog Entries, 36
12- Where to Find Information, 40
13- Nonbook Materials, 43
14- How to Interpret Graphics, 47
15- Information from Footnotes and Bibliographies, 52
3 WORD BUILDERS
DR 16-Word Associations, 60
17- Using Collocations, Clusters, and Clines, 65
18- Identifying Specific and Generic Terms, 69
19- Using Context Clues, 71
20- Identifying Words with Multiple Meanings, 77
21- Understanding Root Words, 81
22- Using Idiomatic Expressions, 84
4 COMPREHENSION
DR 23- Creative Words, 88
24 - Breaking Sentences, 93
 25- Noting Details, 98
26- Giving Titles, 104
27-Identifying Paragraph Parts, 108
28- Forming Opinions, 116
29- Critical Reading, 122
30- Making Predictions, 126

5 CREATIVE READING
DR 31- Sensing Character Traits, 134
32-Narratives, 140
33- Figurative Language, 148
34 The Essay, 156
35-Poetry, 162
36-Drama, 170
 INTRODUCTION

DEVELOPMENTAL READING FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS (DERECT) is a worktext

designed to expand vocabulary, strengthen study habits, accelerate speed and
comprehension, foster literary appreciation, and build higher level skills in critical
creative thinking.
Developmental reading recognizes that almost anyone can learn to read bet ter.
DERECT aims to accomplish this by involving the student in his own learning.
The materials can be used:
1. As the main text in Developmental Reading, a prescribed course in col- lege
2. In an extensive course for mastering the fundamental reading skills
3. In a student's self-directed or group instruction reading/communication arts
situations
Ideally, a reading program should be tailored for the individual student. For practical
purposes the program should be adaptable it must meet the reading needs of the
individual as well as of the group of students in a class.
In the average classroom the students may belong to different reading levels. In
a college freshman class for instance, some may have the reading level of third or
fourth year high school while others may have a reading level of junior or senior col-
lege students or even of professionals with a college degree. Yet all the students use
the same textbook and work on the same activities. How does the teacher of such a
class meet the needs of the above and below par students? DERECT has a provision
for such situations. The multi-level materials allow a progression of skills from easy to
difficult as well as the simultaneous activity of students of varying levels. It also makes
possible individual or group instruction in or out of the classroom
A CONVERSION TABLE helps identify the student's mastery of a specific skill or
subskill. The results obtained in the different activities should be recorded in the
STUDENT'S RECORD SHEET.
LEARNING PRINCIPLES AND STRATEGIES
DERECT offers an exciting approach to aid the college student refine the reading
skills he needs to cope with his school work and with his activities out of school. Certain
aspects are incorporated to achieve such:
1. Scientific. A SKILLS ASSESSMENT is administered before the stu- dent works
on the materials. The TABLE OF SPECIFICATIONS helps pinpoint his strengths
and weaknesses. Other sources for the student's profile may include tests in
language, grades obtained in the different subjects, and observations in related
reading/communication arts ac- tivities which are part of the school's educational
setup.
 2. Indisdualized. The focus is on the student. He is not expected to com. pete with
other students but is encouraged to maximize his own capabilities. The skills he
already has may be strengthened and refined so that he can move on to higher
critical-creative thinking skills.
3. Multi-level. The classification of the activities as Starter, Enricher, and Challenger
is an intrinsic provision for developmental as well as for enrichmem reading.
4. Faried DERECT offers ample material with a variety in subject mar ter, activity,
and difficulty to meet the needs and interests of most of the students in the class.
Selections offer a wide range of readings: fiction, science, biography, culture,
history, and religion.
5. Values-Oriented. The materials support the educational objectives of the
Department of Education, Culture and Sports: To develop in the stu dent
wholesome values and a positive concept of nationhood. Although they do not
specify the values the student gains from them, certain selec. tions and activities
were carefully chosen and structured so that the values are built-in.
6. Flexible. DERECT is so constructed that it can be adapted for use to suit various
situations or needs
a. Sequencing is not arbitrary. After working on Unit I, the student may work on
the other units or DR's. Lessons do not have to follow strictly the sequencing in
the book. It is suggested, however, that Starter, Enricher, and Challenger be
worked on in that order unless there is reason to disregard it.
b. After having learned how to work on the DR's in the classroom the student can
work on certain activities at home or elsewhere. The ex- ception to this is when
the reading level of the student is 'frustra tion, for this requires careful supervision
from the teacher or someone as knowledgeable to guide him.
C. Available supplementary or enrichment activities can be intro- duced before or
after work on the DR which is the focus at the mo- ment.
7. Fun. Interest and enjoyment can make the study hour a time of fun. Some
activities can be turned into games or contests where individual or group work is
stressed. Creative activities which are thought of by the students can be included
under IDEA BOX can be tried out again
with other students in other classes.

DEFINITION OF TERMS
Certain terms are explained for maximum effectivity:
1. Time Started. This refers to the time a student begins reading the selection or
working on the activity. It does not include time spent on reading the directions or
trying out the examples given in connection with the directions
2. Time Finished. This refers to the time when the student finished reading the
selection and/or working on the check up activities that follow. This does not
 include creative activities like oral interpretation or creative writing. It is important
too, that the same watch or clock must be used for both Time Started and
Finished.
3. Working Time. This is the total time spent in working on a particular activity and
can be computed as: Time Finished-Time Started.
4. No. Correct. This refers to the raw score gained in each activity.
5. Rating. This is computed by using the CONVERSION TABLE to get the
percentage of comprehension. When an Answer Key is not provided, or when
creative performances are required, the following rating system can be followed:
E- Excellent
VG Very Good
G- Good
F- Fair
P-Poor

DR 3 The Psychology of Reading

TIME STARTED: SCORE:

TIME FINISHED: WORKING TIME:
EYE MOVEMENTS
Reading makes constant use of the eyes. Studies on eye movements show that the
eyes should move rhythmically and regularly along the printed line if reading is to be
effective. However, the eyes perceive printed words during a series of pauses of
fixations. When the eyes stop at any given point along a line of print, only five let ters
immediately around the fixation point are seen with 100 percent acuity Beyond that,
words and their letters are seen with decreasing clarity. Vision is alsu reduced while the
eyes are in motion; hence, recognition is quite difficult when the eyes are moving.
Photographs show that reading involves these eye movements: fir ation, interfixation,
return sweeps, and regression.
Fixation is the vertical mark made when the eyes stop and the film continues t
move. Good readers have fewer fixations than poor readers.
Interfixation is the short horizontal line caused by the eyes which move froft one
stopping point to another.
Return sweeps are long slanting lines resulting from the quick swinging back of
the eyes from the end of the line to the beginning of the next line.
Regressions are backward or right-to-left movements made in a reverse
direction.
Usually, readers regress as a result of habit, although some do so to double
check a point. Even good readers make some regressions, but they are usually fewer
than those made by the poor ones.
Span of recognition or perception span is the number of words taken every time
the eyes stop. It is synonymous with the length or distance recognized within one
fixation.
Duration of fixation is the length of time the eyes pause. Most readers make an average
of four eye stops per second, but poor readers require more time to pause in order to
see accurately. A person who makes fewer fixations has a longer duration.
Many teachers believe that readers can accelerate reading growth by widening the span
of recognition through phrase reading or chunking. As the span widens, the number of
fixations decreases resulting in increased reading rate. One should read ideas, not
words. For example, the phrase on the hilltop should not be read as three words but as
a single unit picked up at one pause or fixation.
First grade teachers must remember that six and seven-year-olds have hyperopia or
farsightedness. All children from birth and for some time thereafter are normally
farsighted. Consequently, initial reading should be from the blackboard and chart,
before book reading is attempted. As the years go by, the eyes mature and the
condition gradually corrects itself. Better eye coordination is achieved, thus enabling the
nine-year olds to read smaller print at the usual book distance.
SENSATION AND PERCEPTION
The most basic stage of reading revolves around the ability to identify and recognize
words, because the word represents the smallest unit of visual identifica- tion and
meaningful recognition. While it is true that we recognize letters, these letters do not
convey meanings. How can the reading act take place if letters are identified in
isolation?
Sensation and perception occur when the eyes are so aimed that light from the
printed symbols hits the foveal areas of the retina. These light patterns hit the close- ly
packed sensory cells of the retina. In turn they induce chemical changes which start
patterns of nerve currents in the optic nerve fibers. Nerve currents from both eyes travel
up to the optic nerve to a center in the mid-brain. Here the impulses are combined and
carried to the gray matter of the cerebral cortex. When the word is familiar, traces of
past experiences are aroused and associated with traces of the spoken and heard
word. Each association between symbols and concepts enables the reader to perceive
the word. Only when one is clearly aware of the spoken and heard equivalent and its
concept or meaning does perception take place. Reading is, therefore, a continuous
cycle of excitation and reaction in which each moment of perception produces a
feedback effect that sets the reading for the following perception.
In this connection, Stanford E. Taylor (1975) contends that readers react to the
total word pattern, although less consciously to familiar word parts. Accuracy of reaction
depends much upon our learned visual discrimination ability. Translating printed
symbols into sound assists in identifying words. Thus, when a child starts to learn to
read, he recalls from his stock-pile of heard or spoken words and associates them with
the letters. Taylor concludes that reading experiences should be provided to introduce
children to additional meanings and new relation- ships with old or known words. These
experiences should acquaint them with new words and help them develop the ability to
use context clues in understanding words.

Checkpoint
Fill in the blank with the correct word or phrase.
1. Studies show that the eyes should move along the printed line
if reading is to be effective. and regularly
2. The eyes perceive words only during a series of pauses or .
3. When the eyes stop at any given point along a line of print, only letters
immediately around it are seen with 100 percent sharpness.
4. Very brief or short pauses between words are known as .
5. The fast accurate movements of the eyes from the end of one line to the
beginning of another line are called .
6. The backward movement of the eyes to reread or doublecheck a word or a
phrase is commonly known as .
7. The number of words recognized within one pause or fixation is called .
8. Reading by phrases or meaningful units which improves speed and com
prehension is known as .
9. Since six and seven-year-olds have or farsightedness,
in- itial reading should begin with exercises on blackboard and charts.
10. Sensation and occur when the eyes see the printed
symbols and send nerve currents to the brain for its reaction.

DR 4 What Developmental Reading Means

TIMESTARTED: SCORE:
TIME FINISHED: WORKING TIME:
Developmental reading refers to a comprehensive reading program which consists of
several periods or stages. These periods usually coincide with the individual's
developmental stages of growth. It is believed that one progresses gradually in ac
quiring and developing certain skills.
According to Havighurst (1981) a developmental task is a specific responsibility
that the individual faces at certain stages of life in order to be well-adjusted. It grows out
of the interaction of physical maturation, social demands, and the values and
aspirations of the individual. It implies that one performs skills on materials of increasing
difficulty from low to middle and advanced levels.

The reading periods are shown below:

DEVELOPMENTAL READING
Reading readiness (nursery, kinder- garten)
Beginning reading (grades I & 11)
Rapid growth (grades III-IV)
Refinement and wide reading (grade VI- high school & college)

READING READINESS
The period when the child gets ready to read is referred to as the reading readiness
stage. With the guidance of his teachers, the child acquires a functional listening and
speaking vocabulary. He engages in varied activities using real or concrete ob- jects like
toys, picture books, and alphabet blocks. He acquires skills in auditory and visual
discrimination, motor-ocular coordination, and critical thinking. To the child, listening to
stories and reading rhymes and poems are enjoyable ex- periences. Gradually, the child
acquires a basic sight vocabulary through the use of picture, action, configuration, and
context clues. He learns to attack words through the use of phonetic and structural
analysis. Through well-structured lessons, the child acquires readiness in language,
reading, science, mathematics, the arts, and social studies. These interesting
experiences prepare him for the next period of his development.

BEGINNING READING
The initial process of learning to recognize words, phrases, and sentences as sym- bols
for ideas is known as beginning reading. For instance, a child develops the con- cept of
bus after he has seen one, ridden in one, or drawn one. He may even own a toy bus.
Then he needs to know that the word symbol bus stands for the same idea. Beginning
reading includes: (1) getting acquainted with an idea or experience: (2) seeing how the
combination of symbols that stand for the idea looks; and (3) remembering how the
combination of symbols may be distinguished from other combinations.
In beginning lessons only a few words are introduced, although constantly and in
new situations. Reading will be both silent and oral even if many teachers prefer the oral
word in initiating the child into the reading process. Young children enjoy expressing
themselves orally in reading. Oral expression enhances the ability of the child to
remember words and aids him in achieving correct pronunciation and clear enunciation.
Betts (1967) says that the child should have a reading vocabulary of about 200 words
before he attempts the first reader. No matter how controlled and repetitive vocabulary
may be presented in reading materials, these should be set in interesting and
meaningful situations.

PERIOD OF RAPID GROWTH OR EXPANDING POWER

Most children will have mastered the techniques of reading upon reaching the stage of
rapid growth or expanding power. However, interesting materials should be used in
developing vocabulary, comprehension, locational, and simple organizational skills.
Lessons in basic readers are followed by comprehension check-ups in the form of
teacher-made exercises. Textbooks in science or social studies also help in finding
answers to problems. At this point, free reading is also encouraged. The learners use
skimming and scanning techniques as they go over the table of con tents, glossary, and
index of a book. They use the dictionary to locate the meaning of new words. Moreover,
they make summaries, book reports, and outlines.

PERIOD OF REFINEMENT OR GROWTH IN THE USE OF THE READING TOOL

Learners do a great deal of serious and interpretive reading during their period of
refinement or growth in the skill. Reading becomes a tool for purposeful study in other
subjects. Lessons will vary with the learner's needs and the teacher's purpose. Hence,
there will be practice on the finer skills like wide reading for pleasure; doing research for
solutions to problems in science, social studies, mathematics, and prac tical arts; or
reading orally to entertain others. More independent reading not only in the classroom
but also in the library will be enhanced if the learner has acquired adequate skills in
using general reference books such as encyclopedias, dictionaries, atlases, books of
facts, and world almanacs. Better readers know other sources of data such as
government agencies or private companies that put out annual reports. They can take
down notes and organize them efficiently.
Skills in vocabulary, comprehension, literary appreciation, the use of references
in the library, and creative interpretation are carried on to high school where both
intensive and extensive reading are needed in all the subject areas.
Developmental reading in college refers to the refinement of vocabulary, com
prehension, literary appreciation, and study skills which are needed in both inten sive
and extensive reading.
Extensive reading is the recreatory type one does as he curls up in his favorite
chair and leisurely enjoys his favorite book, magazine, or newspaper.
Intensive reading is the detailed, careful reading one does in class or in the
library. It takes a great deal of effort and concentration since it calls for an applica tion of
various skills: vocabulary, comprehension, functional, creative, and study The
vocabulary skills consist not only of the type used in general reading but also of the
technical or social and specific vocabulary in science, mathematics, social studies, and
the arts. General skills in reading include getting the main idea and anticipating point of
view. Functional skills consist of scanning for a particular pur pose such as looking for a
friend's address in the telephone directory. Intensive reading emphasizes study skills
like library and locational skills to enrich comprehension, retention, and speed.

Checkpoint
Enumerate in proper sequence the four reading periods:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Developmental reading in college refers to the refinement of four major skills, namely:
5.
6.
7.
8.
9. The detailed careful reading we do in class or in the library is called reading.
10. 10. The recreatory type where we sit in our favorite chair and leisurely read our
favorite book, magazine, and newspaper is known as reading.

DR 5 Levels of Comprehension
TIME STARTED: SCORE:
TIME FINISHED: WORKING TIME:
An attempt to divide the sources of reading comprehension has resulted in a
categorizing scheme that gives four important components: literal comprehension,
interpretative comprehension, critical analysis, and application and creation.
1. Literal comprehension is understanding facts or ideas extracted from the explicit
or stated information given in the text. These facts are answers to questions
often identified as the "wh's" (e.g., who, what, when, where).
2. Interpretative comprehension is understanding ideas extracted from im- plicit
information in the text. Understanding is inferential because the facts are not
stated; instead the reader has to "read between the lines." When a wh question
cannot be answered by facts directly stated, then the question measures
interpretative comprehension.
 3. Critical analysis is applied when comprehension of a reading material in- volves
not only the ideas directly stated and the inferences made on these stated facts
but also judgments or conclusions. Examples of such judgments are the
analyses of the characters in a selection or of the author's style. Thus,
experiences or ideas the reader already possesses plus his attitudes and
standards are involved in comprehension.
4. 4. Application and creation are often called "reading beyond the lines." reader
puts together what he has learned from the selection (integration) and then uses
this knowledge in a related situation (applica (ion) An imaginative reader may find
inspiration in the selection he has read and use it as his "germ of thought" that
grows into a story or a poem of his own (creation). Or, he may want to share his
experiences with others by reading the selection using his voice and face to aid
in inter- preting the story. He may even enact it on stage. Thus, a selection can
be the springboard for something new.

Checkpoint
Identify the following:
1. The level of comprehension wherein the reader puts together
what he has learned from the selection.
2. Comprehension of a reading material which involves not only
the ideas directly stated but also inferences, judgments, and conclusions.
3. Understanding facts or ideas extracted from the explicit or
stated information given in the text.
4. Understanding ideas extracted from implicit information in
the text.
5. Reading beyond the lines.
6. Level of comprehension often identified with who, where,
and when questions.
7. Why and how questions which ask the reader to read
between the lines.
8. Reading skills which consist of scanning for a particular
purpose such as looking for a friend's address in the telephone directory.
9. Skills which include getting the main idea and anticipating
point of view.
10. One who finds inspiration in the selection he has read and
uses it as his "germ of thought" to develop his own story or poem.
DR 6 The Different Kinds of Reading

TIME STARTED SCORE:

TIME FINISHED: WORKING TIME:
Reading can be classified according to the rate or speed at which a person reads as
well as to his purpose in reading.
For certain reading tasks, skimming and scanning are most appropriate. To get
the gist of something, the reader needs to be able to skim materials quickly. Skimming
is reading by the sign posts or clues in the selection. It is fast reading in which the
reader reads headings and topic sentences and spot-reads parts of paragraphs. By
identifying these markers, he skips materials which are not of im- mediate interest to
him. Skimming can also be very effective as a preliminary step to reading a selection
more thoroughly. It gives the reader an overview of the material.
Scanning, on the other hand, is glancing through a page to locate a particular
kind of information. For example, a student may scan through names in a telephone
directory to locate a friend's name, or scan a paragraph to find where an event took
place. Scanning requires the reader first to identify key words or phrases related to the
information sought and then to focus attention on just those words as he glances over a
page.
Idea reading is rapid reading for the main idea. Moving swiftly, the eyes catch
large phrases at each glance and register in the brain only the most significant words in
those phrases. Idea reading means making quick decisions, as to the relative
importance of the different clues and rapidly associating them with ideas assimilated in
previous experiences.
Exploratory reading is done when one aims to get a fairly accurate picture of a
whole presentation of ideas. Materials that call for this type of reading contain few
headings and cues and require more concentration like long articles in magazines.
descriptive literature, and light fiction.
In study reading the learner gets a maximum understanding of the main ideas
and their relationships. The SQ3R reading formula is a good example of the pro-
cedure. It is used especially in science, mathematics, social studies, and arts. S stands
for Survey, Q for Question, and 3R's for Read, Recite, and Review.
Techniques involved in study reading are
1. Preliminary skimming
2. Thinking and questioning oneself before reading
3. Concentrating on small units at a time with breaks for thinking and note taking
between units
 4. Reviewing the basic ideas before close reading
In critical reading the reader stops to consider the facts carefully. It is not necessary
to read fast because rapid reading of the main ideas might lead to false conclusions.
This is the kind of reading used on periodicals, books, and advertising materials which
are loaded with propaganda devices designed to sway opinions of sell products.
Critical reading requires the reader to
1. go back and consider carefully the source of the reading materials and the
possible biases or ulterior motives its author or publisher might have
2. consider facts about the author, his background, and knowledge of the subject
3. watch out for inconsistencies and for false analogies
4. be aware of emotionally loaded words which appeal to basic emotions and stir up
strong reactions.
Analytic reading is the type that demands careful attention to each word and its
relative importance in relation to other words in the sentence or paragraph. Reading
mathematical theorems and problems, scientific formulae, and certain definitive
statements of key ideas require a questioning mind.

GUIDELINES TO EFFECTIVE READING

How may one read efficiently? The college student must have a clear picture of his
reading goals. For successful reading, he should:
1. Improve reading comprehension and rate. Acquire the skills needed to read
materials that vary in difficulty. Adjust his reading speed to suit his purposes and the
nature of the material he reads.
2. Prepare for specific uses of reading: extensive and intensive. Skills in reading
newspapers and novels may differ from those needed in reading experiments, reviewing
for examinations, or preparing term papers.
3. Grasp learning content so as to gain information on various fields: the humanities,
the arts, the sciences, etc. A good socializer or conversa tionalist keeps himself
informed of the latest events in his community, his country, and the world.
4. Use reading to improve skills in listening, speaking, and writing.
5. Be an independent learner through the use of effective study habits at home and
in school.
6. Refine critical thinking skills by evaluating and appreciating what he reads.
 7. Have fun by reading. Read different materials that bring him pleasure, make him
laugh, and help him relax.

Checkpoint
A. Identify the kind of reading referred to in the following statements. Write your
answer in the blank after each statement.
1. The kind of reading used on periodicals and advertising materials which are
loaded with propaganda devices designed to sway your opinion: .
2. The type that requires careful attention to each word and its relative im- portance
in relation to other words in the sentence or paragraph: .
3. Reading by the signposts от the clues in the selection: .
4. Making quick decisions as to the relative importance of the different clues and
rapidly associating them with ideas assimilated in previous ex- periences: .
5. The learner gets a maximum understanding of the main ideas and their
relationships: .
6. A preliminary step to reading something more thoroughly: .
7. Used for materials that contain few headings and cues and those that re- quire
more concentration such as long articles in magazines: .
8. The type needed in understanding mathematical theorems and prob- lems,
scientific formulae, and certain definitive statements of key ideas: .
9. Concentrating on small units at a time with breaks for thinking and note taking
between units: .
10. The kind of reading which makes the reader stop to consider all the facts
carefully: .
B. Fill in the blanks with the correct word.
The SQ3R reading formula which is used in study reading has been very effec- tive
in the content fields.
1. S stands for or getting a brief overview.
2. Q means reword or restate statements in the form of .
3. R1 stands for .
4. R2 stands for .
5. R3 means to go over the material once more or .
 The content fields referred to in which the formula is used include:
6. .
7. .
8. .
9. .
10. .

5 CREATIVE 5READING
Creative reading is intelligent reading and it involves the ability to read beyond the
printed page. Thus, ideas and feelings gathered from the selection become a
springboard for other ideas and activities which may be shared with others.
Literary appreciation is another aspect of creative reading. The term literature/lit'
ri chər/ refers to "the body of written work of a particular people or culture." It consists of
written compositions which present ideas. It includes the thoughts of people who may
have expressed them orally in the past; and enterprising individuals put these ideas into
written form later.
Literary pieces may be written in one or a combination of the following ap
proaches:
1. Aesthetic. This stresses beauty and/or pleasure. In this approach for in stance,
one notes the poet's appreciation ation of nature which may be manifested even
in the commonplace.
2. Didactic. The purpose of the author is to instruct or reveal his philosophy in life.
In this approach the intention is to reshape attitudes and values or teach lessons.
3. Biographical. This deals with background information on some person, e.g., the
author his life and experiences which may have a direct bear ing on his work. It
also looks into allusions on events in history or in other literary works.
4. Lexical. This involves a study of the diction used in the selection. Em- phasis is
on the literal and figurative meaning of words, on imagery (pic tures evoked), on
metaphor (comparisons), and on symbolism (represen tations).
5. Structural. Each paragraph is thought of in terms of sentence units which may
have simple or complex ideas, or of their order which may be natural or inverted.
It also takes into consideration grammatical features such as predication and
subordination, modification and complementation.
VIEWPOINTS ON LITERARY APPRECIATION
The appreciation of a literary piece may be either for personal or social reasons.
1. It is personal when one reads a selection for his own personal satisfaction. use,
or need.
2. It is social when a person reads a selection, understands what it is about. derives
pleasure from it, and shares it with others. This type of literary appreciation may
be gained through oral interpretation.
THE ART OF ORAL INTERPRETATION
Oral interpretation is the art of communicating to an audience a work of literature in its
intellectual, emotional, and aesthetic entirety (Lee 1952). It is the act of communicating
ideas intellectually and emotionally through the tonal elements of the voice and the
movements of the body. For effective oral interpretation, two main aspects are taken
into consideration:
1. Vocal Techniques. The interpreter has to observe careful and clear pro duction of
the vowel and consonant sounds of the language in order to be understood, He
makes use of the various attributes of the voice-pitch. force, rate, and quality to
achieve effective vocal expression. Adequate projection ensures that his
audience will hear him.
2. Body Techniques. Today called body language, these techniques refer to the use
of energy part of the body needed to convey the ideas and emo- tions presented
in the literary piece. Body techniques include conven- tional gestures of the head
(e.g., nod or shake), and the hands (e.g.. pointing, clenched fist, palm up, palm
down); descriptive gestures of the hands (e.g., to show size, shape, height); and
movements (e.g., taking steps to go to another side of the room, etc.).
The appreciation of a literary piece can be shared with others through dif ferent types of
presentation:
A. Oral Interpretation
1. Dramatic reading
2. Storytelling
3. Jazz chants
4. Speech choir
5. Dramatic monologue
6. Readers theatre
7. Chamber theatre
B. Dramatics
1. Role playing
2. Pantomime
3. Creative dramatics
 4. Chamber theatre
5. Play
C. Writing
1. Giving a sequel to the selection (which would follow the last incident or
conclusion)
2. Writing a conclusion to a story which is open ended
3. Writing original poems or stories with the aid of the insights gained from the
selection read
4. Evaluating or analyzing the reading material
D. Graphics
1. Drawing or sketching
2. Painting coloring
3. Cutting, folding, pasting, or any other activity which results in a finished product
inspired by what has been read

DR 31 Sensing Character Traits

Trait, from the Latin tractus, meaning "to drag," refers to a feature or a quality which
characterizes a particular person or a thing or things. In narratives, characterization is
revealed in various ways:
1. By the author who describes the character as in the following example: The old
man was selfish and arrogant, imposing his will on the family whom he ruled with
an iron hand.
2. By the character who reveals himself through his speech and actions as in the
following statements: "Don't you dare accuse me!" screamed the well-dressed
girl with a hand raised to strike the saleslady. "Millionaires don't steal."
3. By other characters in the story who reveal through their speech and ac tions
what they think of a character. In the following passage the character of Doris is
suggested: "We better keep quiet now," warned Marie in a terse voice. "The
slightest whisper of our innocent adventure can grow into a heinous crime if Doris
ever hears of it."
STARTER
TIME STARTED: SCORE:
TIME FINISHED: WORKING TIME:
Study the words in the list and their meanings. Then read the description of a character
in each number. Choose a word from the list to complete or summarize the description.
Do the same in the ENRICHER and the CHALLENGER. Make sure you know how to
pronounce the words correctly.
Inarticulate- unable to speak coherently
Pessimist- one who takes a gloomy or cynical view of life
Cadaverous- haggard, gaunt, corpselike
Banal- trite, hackneyed, unoriginal
Dolorous- sorrowful, melancholy
Atheist- one who does not believe in God
Chivalrous- attentive and courteous to women
Cogent- brilliantly compelling, persuasive
Urbane- poised
Dilettante- one who interests himself in a subject superficially or only for amusement
Convivial- friendly
Loquacious- talkative
Lecher- lewd, sexually aggressive person
Magnanimous- noble and forgiving
Versatile- capable in many fields

1. Gerry lacks originality and imagination in his speech. The words he uses and his
speech patterns reveal a dull, unquestioning mind.
Gerry's speech is .
[Link] is often misunderstood by others because he cannot explain clearly what he
means or wants. Dick is .
3. Raul is an excellent sales manager because he can express his ideas brilliantly and
forcefully and can sway others to his way of thinking. Read his remarks
on the report.
4. Bella can talk for hours without tiring. She talks a lot about anything and everything.
She is .
5. Ramon finds amusement in painting. During his spare time, he turns to his sketch
book or canvas and easel and paints whatever comes into his mind. He does not really
bother about whether he paints well or whether he gets any monetary reward from his
work. Ramon is a .
6. Archie believes firmly in the theory of evolution. He scoffs at anyone who says that
the world was created by God. He does not believe in a super- natural Being who keeps
the universal order because he says that science has explained why the earth behaves
the way it does. Archie is a/an .
7. Norman is gregarious and extrovertive. He often invites others out for snacks just for
fun or for lunch where he can transact business. He is sociable and enjoys parties. He
is .
8. Jose Rizal was a doctor, an engineer, a writer, a painter, an agriculturist, a
multilingual, and a poet. His range of abilities was amazing. He was .
9. Chita is admired by friends because she is generous in forgiving a slight or an injury.
She does not store up petty grudges and does not have revenge in her vocabulary. She
is .
10. Pressy is at home with any social group and at ease in all types of gather- ings. She
is self-confident, tactful, and congenial. Everyone admires her poise and sophistication.
She is .

DR 32 Narratives
The term narrative comes from the Latin narrare, 'to account' and can be defined as "a
story or an account of an event, factual or imaginary." A factual story may be an account
of a personal experience or that of others. On the other hand, an imaginative narrative
originated from the writer's mind. The writer invents his plot, setting, and characters but
makes the reader feel that these are real. It is possi- ble however, that he draws
inspiration from reality.
Narrative literature may be in the form of prose or poetry. Prose narratives in-
clude folktales (e.g., legends, fables, myths) short stories, novels, biographies, histories,
news reports, and travel books. Narrative poetry includes epics, metrical romances,
ballads, dramatic narratives, and plays.
Each of these types of writing has a different purpose as well as special prob
lems and techniques; but certain characteristics are common to them all:
1. A careful choice and sequencing of details. This refers to the careful selection of
relevant and meaningful details. In writing the biography of a well-known personality, for
instance, the biographer will select only those details or incidents that help to reveal the
character of the man.
2. A sense of reality. All creative narrations must have a semblance of reali ty and truth.
Good fiction presents an honest picture of people and hap- penings. In Villa's "The Son
of Rizal," the story revolves around a man who claims to be the son of Rizal. Later, we
learn that the man is a megalomaniac, a man with a sick mind.
3. A sense of movement. Something must happen in the story. There is con- flict,
action, and movement toward a climax or a goal or an illumina tion of character.
4. A well-defined point of view. Sometimes called the "focus of narration", the point of
view is related to the question Who tells the story? Four points of view are used in
fiction:
a. First person. This is the point of view where a character in the nar rative
tells his own story.
b. First person-observer. Here, a character other than the hero ог heroine
tells the story.
c. Third person. Here, what happens is told in an objective manner. as in a
dream; the writer or character comments on the incidents.
d. Omniscient author. When the writer tells his own story, makes his own
comments, and freely enters the minds of the characters, the omniscient
point of view is used.

Answer without referring to the selection:

10. What questions were asked of the three sages?
a. Buddha: .
b. Lao Tzu: .
c. Confucius: .
11. Why were they not able to reply?
12. What weakness of human character is portrayed in the parable?
13. Demonstrate your understanding of the moral of the parable by giving a specific
situation in real life.
ENRICHER
THE SHORT STORY
The short story has been defined as "a brief, imaginative narrative unfolding a single
predominating incident and a single preeminent character." (Esenwain) It is marked by a
unity of action, setting, and theme. To understand a story, one must understand its
basic elements:
1. Setting refers to anything in the story that fixes the time and place of its action.
The scenes described help supply the atmosphere needed for the story.
2. The characters in a story are the individuals who influence the events and are in
turn, influenced by them. They become involved in a conflict, either internal or
external. The conflict is internal or psychological when the opposing forces are
within the character who has to make an impor- tant decision. The conflict is
external when the main character has to fight another person, or a group (social);
or against nature (physical) such as a fight for survival against the flood.
Communication between characters is revealed through dialog.
3. The plot is called the framework of the story; and it consists of inter- related
events which move from a conflict, progress to a crisis-the mo- ment of fateful
decision-and finally to a denouement or result, where the complication is
resolved and ends happily or tragically.
4. The theme refers to the underlying idea, the general truth, or the par-ticular view
or observation of life which the story is intended to convey.
To understand a short story better, we should answer certain basic questions:
1. Who is the central character in the story? What are his traits and how are these
revealed?
2. What is the main conflict in the story and how is it solved?
3. How is the plot developed?
4. What is the theme of the story?
5. What part does the setting play in the story? From whose viewpoint is the story
told?
6. What is the dominant element in the story?

Directions: Read the condensed version of "They Grind Exceedingly Small by Ben
Ames Williams. Then answer the questions and work on the suggested ac tivities that
follow. The paragraphs have been numbered for your convenience.
THEY GRIND EXCEEDINGLY SMALL
'Hazen Kinch had grown in his small way-great; and by our sights he had prospered. His
wife was thin and frail and afraid of him. The countryside said he had taken her in
payment of a bad debt. Her father had owed him money which he could not pay. They
had a child, a boy not yet two years old. There seemed to be an evil malevolence in his
baby eyes and he was deformed a twisted leg. But Hazen loved him and in his crackled
old voice he mumbled endearments to him. I had often wondered whether his love for
the child redeemed the man; or merely made him vulnerable. Certainly any, harm that
might come to the baby would be a crushing blow to Hazen.
Doan Marshey was a thin man who lived a little beyond Hazen on the same road.
He lived in a little two room cabin with his wife and five children. In his stumbling steps
that day, he climbed the stairs to Hazen's office and turned the knob to the office door.
Hazen said angrily, "Come in! Do you want my stove to heat the town?" 'Doan shuffled
in and closed the door behind him, "Howdy, Mr. Kinch."
Hazen said, "What's your business? Your interest is due.
"Doan nodded, "Yeah, I know, Mr. Kinch. But I can't pay it all."
Kinch exclaimed impatiently. "An old story! How much can you pay? Remember you
owe me twenty."
I can pay only eleven dollars and fifty cents," said Doan. "I aim to pay the rest
when the hens begin to lay."
Hazen, laughed scornfully. "You aim to pay! Marshey, if your old farm was worth
taking. I'd have you out in this snow, you old scamp!"
"Doan pleaded, "Don't do that. Mr. Kinch! I aim to pay "He came shuffling toward
the table before which Hazen sat and took off his gloves. His hands were blue with cold
as he reached into an inner pocket of his torn coat and drew out a cloth pouch. He drew
two quarters and laid them on the table. Then, as he reached into the pouch again,
something fell out soundlessly on the table. It looked like a bill, a piece of paper
currency. I was about to speak but Hazen dropped his hand on the thing and drew it
unosten tatiously toward him. When he lifted his hand, the money was gone. Marshy
drew out a little roll of worn bills which he took and counted swiftly. "All right," Hazen
said. I'll give you a receipt." He wrote out a receipt and gave it to Marshey.
"When Marshey left, I asked Hazen casually, "What was that he dropped on the table?"
14
" A dollar bill," said Hazen. "The miserable fool." 15You mean to give it back to him?" I
asked.
"He stared at me and laughed, "Nol Am I a fool? He loses a dollar: I find one. Can he
prove ownership? Pshaw!" He laughed again. "If there were any backbone in the man
he would not be paying me eighty dollars a year on a five hundred dollar loan-
discounted. Besides, Hazen continued, "he lied to me.
He told me the eleven dollars and fifty cents was all he had." "A surge of indignation
surged in me with the sound of Marshey's weary feet coming upstairs. I was minded to
do violence to Hazen but a deeper im pulse held my hand from the man.
"Marshey came back to the office and his teary eyes wandered around the room. They
inspected every place and then, they rose at last humbly to Hazen Kinch.
Well?" said Hazen.
201 lost a dollar," said Marshey, "I lowed I might have dropped it here."
"Hazen frowned. "You told me eleven-fifty was all you had." The dollar
"Hazen Kinch wasn't mine. It was to git medicine. exclaimed, "I believe you're accusing
me!"
"Marshey lifted both hands placatingly. "No, Mr. Kinch. No, sir. Mebbe I dropped it in the
snow." And he turned toward the door. Even in his slow
shuffle there was a hint of trembling eagerness to escape. "Hazen looked at me, his old
face wrinkling mirthfully. "You see?" he said.
"On my way to the hotel a little later. I stopped for a cigar at the drug store. I saw
Marshey pleading with the druggist who said. "No, Marshey, I'm sorry. I've been stung
too often." "It was my impulse to give him the dollar he needed, but I did not do it.
An overpowering compulsion bade me keep my hands off the matter. "The next morning
Hazen decided to go home in spite of the piles of snow all around. "I want to see that
boy of mine," he explained. And on our way home. Hazen talked much about his boy.
He laid the whip on the mare and we went at a speed that left me breathless.
Come in, man, and warm yourself and see the baby," he said As we came in a woman
got up stiffly from the bed, and I saw that the woman was Hazen's wife. But there was a
change in her. She was bleak as cold
iron and she was somehow strong. "Hazen rasped at this woman impatiently. "Well, I'm
home. Where's the
boy?" The boy?" she said to Hazen, "the boy is dead!"
"The dim-lit room was very quiet. I looked at Hazen. He had always been a little thin
man. He was shrunken now. A muscle in one cheek jerked and jerked at his mouth. It
was as though he controlled a desire to smile. The jerk ing, suppressed smile upon his
white and tortured countenance, was terrible. He became white as death itself.
"After a while he tried to speak. He said huskily, "Where is the boy?"
"She looked toward the bed and Hazen went across with uncertain little steps. He
looked down at the little body but made no move to touch it. I heard him whisper to
himself, "Fine boy."
The woman seemed to feel an accusation. "I did all I could," she said. "He coughed, and
I knew it was croup. I asked you to get medicine-ipecac. You said no matter no need
and you had gone.'
"She looked out of the window. "I went to Anne Marshey for help. Her husband was
going to town and she said he would get the medicine for me. But she did not tell him it
was for me or he would not have done it. So I gave her a dollar to give him for the
medicine.
"He came home in the snow last night. Baby was bad by that time so I was watching for
Doan. When I stopped him and asked him for the medicine, he said he had not brought
it."
"The woman was speaking dully, without emotion. "It would have been in time, even
then. But after a while, after that, the baby died."
"I understood in that moment the working of the mills. When I looked at Hazen Kinch I
saw that he, too, was beginning to understand. There is a just mercilessness in an
aroused God.
"Why why didn't Marshey fetch it?" he asked.
"She said slowly, "They wouldn't trust him at the store."
"His mouth twitched; he raised his hands. "The money!" he cried. "What did he do with
that?"
"He said," the woman answered, "that he lost it in your office." "After a little while the old
money-lender leaned far back like a man
wrenched in agony. His body was contorted; his face was terrible. His dry mouth
opened wide. Then he screamed! The vast hills in their snowy garments looked upon
the land, upon the house of Hazen Kinch - still and silent and inscrutable.
"I knew now that a just and brooding God dwelt among these hills.

A. Learn About Words

Directions: Look for a word in the selection that means the following:
1. desire to do mischief (1)
2. capable of being physically or emotionally hurt (1)
3. walked with a slow dragging motion (4)
4. casually, of little importance (11)
5. pacifying (24)
6. a slang word meaning "made a fool of " (26)
7. an unproven statement that a person is guilty (36)
8. 8. a throat condition characterized by coughing and labored breathing (36)
9. cannot be understood (46)
10. pondering morbidly (47)
B. Checkpoint
11. What was Hazen Kinch's occupation?
a. farmer
b. manager
c. office clerk
d. money-lender
e. usurer
12. What was his redeeming trait?
a. love of money
b. love for wife
B. love for baby
c. industry
d. frugality
13. How did people regard Hazen?
a. a merciless money-lender
b. a usurer
c. thin ugly man
d. rich man
e. both a and b
14. Why did the baby not get the needed medicine?
a. It was snowing so hard that nobody could go out to buy medicine.
b. Everybody hated Hazen and would not do anything to help him or his
family.
c. There wasn't enough money to buy medicine.
d. His mother didn't care enough to get the medicine he needed.
e. The money for the medicine was lost.
15. The story "They Grind Exceedingly Small" conveys the idea that
a. The mills grind the flour very finely.
b. The millers are careful about the flour they grind.
c. God is merciless.
e. God is cruel but just.
f. Man who sins will receive the punishment in God's time.

C. For Better Understanding

16. Might the boy have lived in spite of the weather if he had a different kind of
father? Explain.
17. What do you think is the most tragic element in the story? Why?
18. What do you think will be the effect of the boy's death on the lives of
Hazen and his wife?
19. Three ideas are woven into the story.
a. God is brooding over the hills and over the lives of men.
b. Kinch loses his only child.
C. The narrator feels that Kinch's destiny should not be meddled with
Show how these ideas are interwoven in your summary of the story.
20. Read one or both of the following selections to try to understand God's way of
doing things:

a. "Retribution" by the German poet Friedrich von Logau from which the
quotation is taken: "Though the mills of God grind slowly, yet they grind
exceedingly small."
b. "God Sees the Truth But Waits" a story by the Russian author Leo
Tolstoi. This is about a man who is cleared of a murder charge only after
he has spent years in Siberia to work out his sentence,
D. Oral Interpretation
1. For character portrayal. Choose passages that show different kinds of
personalities. Read each passage with expression and use your face and
body to make each personality more believable. The passage can be
memorized for better presentation.
2. For dramatic scene. Choose a scene and dramatize it. Lines should be
memorized.
3. For readers theatre. Choose 4 readers: the narrator, Hazen, his wife, and
Doan Marshey. They stand in front of the class and read the lines
assigned to each role.
4. For chamber theatre. Prepare the script for a presentation on stage.

DR 33 Figurative Language
The suggestive power of words is necessary for the effect which the writer wishes to
create. This is especially true in literature, particularly in poetry, the richness and beauty
of which would not be possible without the connotative power of words. This is also true
in political discussions, scholarly essays, and financial articles where figures of speech
are often used to express comparisons or associations to make what is stated more
impressive.
Figures of speech are language devices intended to bring to the reader or to the listener
fresh reactions to a scene or an object. They represent or make comparisons between
familiar objects or impressions in order to bring out less familiar impressions.
There are many figures of speech but not all lend themselves to classification.
The figures that logically go well together are based on:
[Link]
a. Simile
b. Metaphor
c. Personification
d. Apostrophe
e. Allusion
f. Antonomasia