1.1.2. Topic
Texts which the students find interesting and relevant increase motivation.
Steffensen (1988) points out that texts should have topics familiar to the learners as
this facilitates understanding.
Moreover, the teacher should choose topics which bear a thematic relevance to
each other so that students can benefit from the repeated vocabulary and use the
knowledge they have acquired for better comprehension. Krashen (1981:23) suggests
what he calls ‘narrow reading’ which he defines as referring “…to reading that is
confined to a single topic or to the texts of a single author”.
1.1.3. Use of visuals
According to Parker and Parker (1991:185) good illustrations enhance
children’s understanding of the text. This is not only because illustrations increase
motivation but also because they help learners activate relevant schemata (see
2.2.2.below)
1. 2. The interaction between the reader and the text
As Greenwood (1981:82) stresses reading entails a physical process which is
the deciphering of the marks on the page and a