What is reading?  Since most of us spend our days “reading” road signs, traffic signs, books, articles, the internet, etc., we think we already know that answer.

We know that reading is about words.  While that is true, reading is more than just words lined up one after the other.  Words form subjects and verbs, which in turn form sentences. However, reading is also more than sentences.  What is reading, then?

Reading is finding meaning in the words and sentences.  How do we do that - by interpreting what the writer is saying.  

 How do we interpret – or infer – meaning?

• We use the dictionary to look up the definitions of words.

  • If we don't understand the words, then we can't understand what we are reading.

• We learn contexts.  Words used in different contexts, or situations, have different meanings.  

  • If we don't understand the proper context, we may misunderstand the meaning.

  • Practicing understanding the proper context will help make you more proficient in reading.

• We learn to predict.  What is it the writer is going to tell us?

  • If we don't learn to predict, our reading will slow us down, and we will become frustrated.

• We use our previous experience.  What do those words and sentences usually mean?  When we’ve encountered them before, what did they mean?

  • If we don't connect our previous experiences with what we are trying to learn - in this case by reading - we will never reach a higher level of understanding what we are reading.

When in doubt, ask you instructor or come to the Teaching and Learning Center for help.

Tools to help with reading:

• Dictionaries - An important tool for interpreting meaning is the use of a dictionary.  A dictionary will teach you the spelling of words, their parts of speech, their definition/s, their syllables, how to pronounce them, and how to add suffixes, pre-fixes, and plurals.

The dictionary cannot teach you to read and comprehend, since it is only a tool.  However, it is a tremendous tool available to you that will help you increase your independence and confidence.

• Computer programs - The Teaching and Learning Center maintains an internet program called SkillsTutor from Achievement Technologies © that has several sections on reading activities and explanations.  Working on this program can help anyone - even good readers - stay in touch with what is important in reading.

1. Knowing what you need to know, then reading appropriately
2. Knowing how deeply to read the document/chapter, etc.  Do you need to skim, scan, or study?
   • If you need a moderate level of information on a subject, then you can scan the text.
   • You read the chapter introductions and summaries in detail.
   • After that, you may can speed read the contents of the chapters, picking out and understanding key words and concepts.
   • At this level of looking at the document it is worth paying attention to diagrams and graphs.
3. Using active reading techniques to pick out key points and keeping your mind focused on the material.
   • If you are reading for detail, it helps to highlight and annotate as you go along.
   • This emphasizes information in your brain.
   • This helps you review later.
   • This keeps your mind focused on the material and free from wandering.
4. Using the table of contents for reading magazines and newspapers, then clipping useful articles.
5. Understanding how to extract information from different article types.
6. Creating your own table of contents for reviewing material.
7. Using indexes, tables of contents, and glossaries to help your assimilate technical information.
   • Keep your glossary beside you as you read.
   • In addition, write down the key terms in your own words, which will help you to truly understand them and remember them.

• Reading and Understanding Text - from the University of Victoria