| The brain has an amazing tendency to create and | | | | However, there is a further step which may be |
| consolidate patterns. Stare at a cloud in the sky, | | | | even more beneficial than echo reading. We can |
| and soon you may start to see the shape of | | | | call it 'synchronized reading.' |
| something familiar. | | | | What is that? |
| The mind is trying to make sense out of | | | | The student reads the passage at the same time |
| something formless. | | | | as the teacher. At first the teacher will need to |
| As noted by Jack Black, a leading personal | | | | read slowly and deliberately. |
| development coach in the United Kingdom, | | | | The student should follow along with a finger in |
| "Once a pattern is set up, then should our world | | | | their own copy of the text and say the words at |
| not match this subconscious view it will get to | | | | the same time. |
| work and do all in its power to restore everything | | | | The teacher of course will need to have sufficient |
| back to order, back to the pattern expected." | | | | volume so the students can hear the teacher's |
| (Mindstore, 1994, p. 123) | | | | voice comfortably above their own. |
| To illustrate the effect of this natural | | | | What happens through this synchronized reading? |
| phenomenon in the brain, Mr. Black sometimes | | | | The natural pattern seeking mechanism of the |
| sticks a torn piece of paper on the wall behind | | | | brain now tries to match the student's voice and |
| where he is speaking at a seminar. Within a short | | | | pronunciation with the teacher's reading. |
| time, someone will have removed it. | | | | After a few of these exercises, the students |
| Why? | | | | actually self-adjust their pronunciation so gestalt is |
| Because it shouldn't be there! It breaks the | | | | achieved. |
| pattern. The audience finds it distracting. Mr. Black | | | | For synchronized reading to have the maximum |
| notices their eyes frequently switching from him | | | | effect, it needs to be done frequently in short |
| to the piece of paper on the wall behind him. | | | | spells. A 5-10 minute synchronized reading session |
| Once the paper is removed, order is restored, | | | | done regularly will yield dramatic results. |
| and the audience can concentrate again. | | | | Persistence and perseverance are keys to |
| The Meaning Of Gestalt | | | | success. It may seem a little awkward at first, |
| This process he calls Gestalt, a German word | | | | but soon students get used to the method and |
| meaning shape, pattern or structure. | | | | enjoy reading in tune with the teacher. |
| This inbuilt mechanism in the brain can be utilized | | | | Students who are nervous or shy find this |
| when learning a new language. | | | | exercise very helpful as they work under the |
| By reading a selected passage of text with the | | | | shadow of the teacher's voice. Soon their |
| students, a teacher can work in harmony with | | | | self-confidence builds and they are able to read |
| the natural synchronizing tendencies of the human | | | | with much more certainty. |
| brain. | | | | So rather than reading practice being a laborious, |
| One method used in many English classrooms is | | | | monotonous exercise, synchronized reading can |
| echo reading. A teacher will read a phrase or a | | | | transform a learning session as students become |
| sentence, and then the student(s) will repeat, | | | | aware of their own dramatic progress in reading |
| following along the text with their finger. | | | | and pronunciation. |
| This certainly helps the student gain familiarity | | | | Learn To Speak English Through Gestalt |
| with vocabulary, correct pronunciation, voice | | | | The teacher simply has to work in harmony with |
| inflection, and of course, assists greatly with | | | | the natural tendency of the human brain to |
| developing fluency in reading. | | | | achieve gestalt! |