Online reading tasks in blended learning environments

An online course, a blog or discussion forum may be used as a supplement to traditional in-class instruction that depends on the textbook. Types of online activities are: reading websites (hyperlinks) related to the reading skills covered in class; websites that provided extra reading material such as children’s short stories, newspapers, children’s magazines; supplementary reading comprehension exercises that provide extra practice and help with main idea, recognizing details, and guessing meaning from context examples and exercises; questions that require the students to write a paragraph about themes similar to those read in class, finish a story, write a story or a personal experience. Exercises that require the students to find the main idea, identify details, recognize the pattern of organization, guess word meaning from context, and understand idioms and phrasal verbs may be posted. Children may read a story (such as Harry Potter) and post a summary. Children may post their favorite websites. Other online activities include reading study guides and strategies, help with reading problems, test anxiety and factors that lead to success in reading and school, help with reading assignment. Links to online dictionaries and encyclopedias. The students can check the specific reading links posted, answer the reading quizzes and did the exercises. Exercises and reading tasks can be performed individually, interactively or collaboratively. 

Prof. Reima Al-jarf
King Saud University
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
http://faculty.ksu.edu.sa/aljarf