Literacy Preparation WeekNovember 2009

A Teacher’s Guide

Teaching Reading Comprehension

Informational TextSpoiling Paradise: The Impact of Tourism

Created by:Darren Reed with contributions by Dale Simnett

Formatted by R Fracchioni2009

Reproduction of the material without authorization from authors, by any duplication process, is strictly prohibited

OSSLT Preparation: Reading Comprehension Spoiling Paradise – The Impact of Tourism

The following is a lesson outline that should be used to assist in preparing our students for success on the OSSLT (Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test). This package is meant to assist teachers in delivering a brief, focused lesson which is beneficial to all students taking the OSSLT this year.

DAY 1STEP 1

Go through Tips for Reading Success on the Literacy Test . Stress the importance for students to have a strategy before going into the test.

STEP 2 Go through The Three Types of Questions Students Will Encounter on the

Literacy Test. Students can follow along in their student workbooks.STEP 3

Discuss Multiple Choice Tips. Students should have a multiple choice strategy.

STEP 4 With these strategies in mind, students can begin reading “Spoiling Paradise –

The Impact of Tourism”. The informational reading along with multiple choice and short answer questions should take students roughly twenty minutes. Students with IEP’s should be granted up to twice that time.

STEP 5 Please take the time to assess student performance. Answers and suggested

answers are provided. After the students have completed the lesson and have written down all their answers, read the article again as a class. Model how you would respond to each set of questions or tasks.

Thank you so much for taking the time to help our students succeed!

Key Teaching Points

Reading Comprehension

Reading is an active process.

Good readers reread a passage or a sentence, all the time asking “What is going on here?”

Struggling readers rarely talk to themselves about what’s going on in the text; most confuse page-turning with comprehension

Strategies for Reading Success (discuss with class):

o Read the title, scan for pictures and try to predict what the reading will be about

o Read a few questions before starting to read. This way, students know what they are looking for.

o Always reread when unsure of text

o Highlight main ideas, words, and sentenceso Make notes about text in margins o Relate what is read to personal experienceo Visualize the text. Good readers describe reading as

running a movie inside their heads.o Never give up when experiencing difficult vocabularyo Understand the three types of questions they will

encounter: Right There, Think and Search, and On My Own Questions

The Three Types of Questions Students Will Need to Answer

Rereading is probably the last strategy struggling readers use to make sense of text!

Right Thereo Answers to Right There questions are always in the text.

You need to actively go back into the text and find the answer!

o Literal level questions:o Who is…o Where is…o List…o What is…o When is …o How many …o When did …o Name ...

Think and Searcho Think about how the ideas in the text relate to one

another.o Search through the entire passage to find information that

applies:o Summarize … o What caused … o Contrast …o Retell … o How did …o Explain …o Find two examples …

On My Owno Questions that can be answered with information from

students’ background knowledge combined with reading the text

Multiple Choice Test Taking Tips

o Read the question before you look at the answer

o Come up with an answer in your head before looking at the possible answers. This way the choices given on the test won’t throw you off or trick you.

o Eliminate answers before choosing your answero Read all choices before choosing your answero Don’t keep on changing your answer. Usually your

first choice is the right one, unless you misread the question

o Guess if you don’t know the answer!o Shade in the bubbles on your student answer

sheet.

Spoiling Paradise:The Impact of Tourism

(1) Venice is sinking. Each year, millions of tourists rush to see this unique city in Italy before it disappears in the sea. The travellers themselves are probably unaware that their combined weight is adding to the problem. Venice has suggested imposing a tax on all visitors, to help pay for restoration of the ancient buildings and public squares and to finance research into ways of preventing further sinking.

(2) As we begin the new century, there are 1.6 billion tourists roaming the world, and the impact of tourism can be devastating. Some say that tourism is ruining the planet. But how and to what extent should we impose restrictions on the tourists’ right to go wherever they wish?

(3) New groups of “green” tourists or “eco-tourists” are upset by the effects of mass tourism on coastal regions such as those of the

Mediterranean. They suggest that only low-volume tourism should be allowed. They don’t want the world’s picturesque places to be destroyed by the hordes of people who go there to experience the natural beauty. It’s ironic that these same “green” tourists travel to some of the most sensitive spots on earth, where the environmental impact of even a few visitors can very severe. How many people can visit the Galapagos Islands off the coast of Ecuador without affecting the ecological balance? And how should we decide who is allowed to visit and who isn’t?

(4) Still other groups point out the damage to local communities, customs and crafts that results from the arrival of huge groups of tourists. Tourism is almost always portrayed as evil. But do local people always want to stay the way they are? Why should they not enjoy the economic benefits of tourism? In many places, it’s tourism that’s actually keeping alive or even reviving the local traditions and crafts, as well as the economy.

(5) So how should the recent explosion of tourism be managed? The travel industry – airlines, hotels, cruise companies – should work with local councils and government agencies to agree upon realistic standards for planning and development in tourist areas. More frequently, the tourist destinations themselves are beginning to realize that they don’t want to “kill the goose that laid the golden egg.” The Caribbean island of St. Lucia, for example, recently turned down a plan to build a cable car and restaurant on top of Pitons, the island’s twin volcanic peaks.

(6) It may become necessary for the United Nations to work out international agreements and strict environmental controls on the tourist industry. A lot of little steps can help to ensure that the earth’s unspoiled travel destinations remain unspoiled for future generations of tourists.

Multiple choice (answer on the student answer sheet)

1. “… the impact of tourism can be devastating.” (paragraph 2) What is the best meaning of “devastating” as used in this sentence?

A hugeB destructiveC exaggeratedD wide-ranging

2. Quotation marks are used around the word “eco-tourists” (paragraph 3) to indicate

F a speaker’s wordsG a specialized termsH a Mediterranean wordJ a quotation from a travel brochure

3. How are the first and last sentences of paragraph 4 connected?

A They emphasize the damaging effects of mass tourism.B They demonstrate the economic benefits of mass tourism.C They indicate that local people do not support mass tourism.D They show that mass tourism has both positive and negative effects.

4. What is the main purpose of the phrase “So how”? (paragraph 5)

F to reinforce an anti-tourism messageG to present an additional example of eco-tourismH to add more information about problems in tourismJ to shift the focus from problems to solutions in tourism

Written answers5. How does the first sentence of this selection catch the reader’s

attention?

_____________________________________________________

6. According to this selection, what is one way Venice would use the money from a “tax on all visitors”?

_____________________________________________________

7. Why does the writer start the final sentence of paragraph 3 with the word “And”?

_____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________

8. Name one environmentally sensitive spot on Earth not mentioned in this selection and explain why it is sensitive.

_____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________

9. Is this selection more “in favour of” or more “against” tourism? Give a reason for your answer.

_____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________

Sample Marking Guide

1. “… the impact of tourism can be devastating.” (paragraph 2) What is the best meaning of “devastating” as used in this sentence?

Answer: B Destructive

Note that the numbers in the right hand margin correspond to the paragraph number, making it very easy to locate words or sentences that the questions ask.

If student are still unclear of the word “devastating” tell them to read the entire paragraph and search for “context” clues. For example, the very next sentence states, “Some say that tourism is ruining the planet.” What is another word for “ruining” (destroying). There are always clues if students spend the time looking for them!

2. Quotation marks are used around the word “eco-tourists” (paragraph 3) to indicate…

Answer: B A specialized term

3. How are the first and last sentences of paragraph 4 connected?

First Sentence: Still other groups point out the damage to local communities, customs and crafts that results from the arrival of huge groups of tourists.

Last Sentence: In many places, it’s tourism that’s actually keeping alive or even reviving the local traditions and crafts, as well as the economy.

Answer: D They show that mass tourism has both positive and negative effects

The first sentence states that tourism can do harm to local communities and their way of life. (Negative impact of tourism)

The last sentence states that tourism can actually help communities and their way of life by injecting cash into their economies. (Positive impact of tourism)

4. What is the main purpose of the phrase “So how”? (paragraph 5)

Answer: to shift the focus from problems to solutions in tourism

Note that up until this point, the article has been discussing the arguments for and against tourism. The fifth paragraph represents a change in tone…it actually starts to look at examples of how people can travel the world without harming communities, their way of life, or natural habitats.

Written Answers

5. How does the first sentence of this selection catch the reader’s attention?

(Note to teacher: This is an On My Own Question – the answer is not explicitly in the text but inside the reader’s head through background knowledge)

First Sentence of article: Venice is sinking.

AnswerThe first sentence makes the reader want to read further. Why is Venice sinking? How can a city sink? Basically, the first sentence is a way to generate interest in what the author has to say.

6. According to this selection, what is one way Venice would use the money from a “tax on all visitors”?

(Note to teacher: This is a Right There Question – the answer is stated explicitly in the text and is easy to find because the words in the question matches the words in the text.)

Answer(s) Venice would use the ‘tax’ money to help pay for restoration of the ancient

buildings and public squares or

Venice would use the ‘tax’ money to finance research into ways of preventing further sinking

7. Why does the writer start the final sentence of paragraph 3 with the word “And”?

This is a tough question, especially for our students!!!! This is an On My Own Question.

Answer: The writer starts the final sentence with the word “And” because he wants to continue his/her line of questioning. Or

The writer starts the final sentence with the word “And” because he wants to show that by asking one question, another one question is quickly generated.

8. Name one environmentally sensitive spot on Earth not mentioned in this selection and explain why it is sensitive.

Answers will vary. A student will need to offer a specific place and explain why the area is sensitive

Example The Tropical Rain Forests are sensitive because only certain plants and

animals are found in them, yet we are cutting the forests down forcing trees and animals to become extinct.

9. Is this selection more ‘for’ or ‘against’ tourism? Give a reason for your answer.

(Note to teachers: This is a Think and Search Question (the answer is in the text but not stated explicitly and the reader may have to read several paragraphs to relate information)

AnswerThe student chooses a side and supports his/her answer. Nevertheless, the article’s tone is pro-tourism and full marks would be awarded for this perspective.

This selection is more ‘for’ tourism because the author’s last sentence states that much can be done to ensure that the earth’s unspoiled travel destinations remain unspoiled for future generations of tourists.