Time Constraints
Integrating holistic reading put time constraints into an existing curriculum. Adding authentic texts and rereading them both require more time than exists in many pre-established curricular sequences and their lesson plans.
Before you watch this clip, brainstorm about what problems you might encounter if you tried to implement a holistic approach to reading into your own curriculum.
It appears that some of a beginning teacher's concerns about a holistic approach stem from the "tyranny of the syllabus," that is, a pedagogical mind-set found in many language programs that what matters is completing an activity on a specific calendar day. This concern is especially prevalent among instructors who teach a course in a high school or in a large language program with multiple sections and who don't have much control over the syllabus and curriculum.
Brainstorm a few examples that demonstrate how the larger institutional context of a given language course may affect a teacher's autonomy (e.g., high school class vs. community college vs. liberal arts college vs. large state university).
It seems from the video that "reading" fits into almost any curriculum only if the activity is defined broadly. Learners may be assigned a longer reading to complete in stages during the semester, with tasks built in that result in a portfolio assignment, summarizing what has been done. Alternately, a set of web pages may be assigned, which require learners to research a topic and then summarize it—another bridge between comprehension and production. Teachers should not worry unduly about finishing a reading activity "on time" if the activities are integrated and overlapping, as advocated here. For example, what may begin as a reading assignment in class may be completed outside of class as a writing assignment.