Jigsaw reading – how can a puzzle engage the social brain?

  ‘Reading is boring’ – a comment that I have heard numerous times from a variety of students, and a concept that I find incredibly difficult to comprehend, especially as a voracious reader myself. This receptive skill is an integral part of daily life and, as an English as an additional language (EAL) teacher, I believe it is important that every lesson combines both receptive (listening and reading) and productive (writing and speaking) skills to facilitate learning. If a student believes that ‘reading is boring’ then this will have an impact on their attitude and approach in lessons. The challenge then is to try to make reading more interesting, not just through the topics but within the actual reading process. As reading is a passive activity, making it a more active exercise would no doubt assist this transformation. If a student is engaged in an activity, they will be more motivated to pay attention and to learn. In the 2008 article ‘Beyond learning styles: Br