3. Reading

What is reading?

Books have been written about the topic of reading. Here we will simply give a definition. Reading is the process of perceiving symbols, decoding symbols, obtaining meaning from symbols, and remembering the meaning.

What affects a person’s reading ability?

Reading is a form of communication. Reading is using your previous knowledge and experience to make sense out of written communication. Some of the more common factors which affect a person’s ability to read include:

• Vision
• Attitude
• Knowledge of how letters are associated with sound
• Personal vocabulary
• Mastery of basic reading skills
• Knowledge of sentence structure
• Knowledge of paragraph structure
• Personal life experiences
• Experience reading a particular type of literature
• Ability to read silently without moving lips