Reading

In the last session, we discussed the use of sight words, phonics and a variety of other "word attack" skills the learner could use to assist in the recognition and pronunciation of words. While knowledge of the letters and the ability to pronounce what you read is important, reading entails much more. It involves understanding the meaning expressed in the text.

A: What is reading? ¹

1. Decoding the symbols (the words)

This refers to the learner's ability to understand what the letters are and how the words may sound. While this is an essential part of learning how to read, there are other skills which need to be developed before the learner can successfully read something.

2. Understanding the syntax (the patterns)

We gain a lot of meaning not just through the words that we use but the way these words are put together. Knowledge of these patterns is important if the reader is to get the intended meaning. Although the sentences below are very similar (only one word is different), the meaning they convey is very different.

She put the hammer away.

Did she put the hammer away?

3. Understanding the meaning and context

Sometimes, learners will understand the symbols and the syntax but have difficulty understanding the message. There are many reasons why this can happen. When reading aloud, the learner may be placing too much emphasis on producing the sound and not focusing on the meaning. If problems exist when the learner reads silently, it may be because the material is too technical or has too many cultural references in it for the learner to understand.

¹ Philip Fernandez, Frontier College Tutor's Handbook: A Guide to Student Centred Individualized Learning. (Toronto, Ontario: Frontier College Press, 1997.) Used with permission.