The Nature of

Reading
 WHAT IS READING?
. . . a dynamic process in which the
reader interacts with the text to
construct meaning. Inherent in
constructing meaning is the reader’s
ability to activate prior knowledge,
use reading strategies, and adapt to
the reading situation.
ALTERNATIVE VIEWS
ABOUT READING:
1. Reading as SKILL
2. Reading as PROCESS
3. Reading as COMPREHENSION
4. Reading as DEVELOPMENT
5. Reading as STRATEGY
 Reading as SKILL
While the reader’s knowledge of
language is recognized as an integral
part of reading print, reading is
viewed as a skill that is learned. In
fact, reading is a unitary skill that we
use to process texts.
 GLOBAL SKILLS

WORD IDENTIFICATION COMPREHENSION

WHOLE WORD MORPHEMIC

SUMMARIZING NOTING DETAILS
RECOGNITION ANALYSIS

ROOTS PREFIXES SUFFIXES

GETTING THE MAIN IDEA
GRAPHOPHONEME
WORD ANALYSIS CORRESPONDENCES
IN CONTEXT ANALYSIS
INFERENCING SEQUENCING OF EVENTS

VISUAL SPELLING PATTERN

CONFIGURATION
PREDICTING
PHONICS SYLLABICATION
MEANING
ASSOCIATION CVC
SINGLE
TWO SYLLABLE
LETTER
SOUND
CVC + E
3 OR MORE SYLLABLE
LETTER
CLUSTER
SEGMENTATION
TO VC
SOUND
ASSIGNING ACCENTS
TO SYLLABLE
INFLECTIONAL ENDINGS
 Reading as PROCESS
The reading process, also known
as the meaning – making process,
provides an explanation of “how
reading happens” (Cambourne,
1998). To construct meaning,
readers draw on, or sample the
language information available to
them.
A Language-based Model of the Reading Process
 TEACHING PRACTICES
ASSOCIATED WITH THE
THREE MODELS OF READING
TOP-DOWN INTER-ACTIVE BOTTOM-UP
concept-driven both concept and text- text-driven
driven
emphasizes the reader emphasizes both emphasizes material
reader and material being read

emphasizes emphasizes both emphasizes decoding

comprehension comprehension and
decoding
instruction tends to be instruction tends to be instruction tends to be
holistic, literature- balanced, allows for skills-oriented;
based, flexible in various forms of grouping by ability
grouping strategies grouping
 Reading as
COMPREHENSION
Comprehension occurs in the
transaction between the reader and
the text.
Reading Situation
• Purpose
• Setting
(Kucer 2001; Rosenblatt, 1978)
 CONTEXT
Reading
• Environment
Situation
• Physical • Setting
Factors • Task
Constructing meaning
happens here
READER TEXT
• Type/Organization
Background Experience
•
• Content
Knowledge about subject
•
• Readability
Vocabulary
•
• Concepts
Attitudes and motivation
•
• Author’s purpose
FIGURE 2: Interactive Model of Reading Comprehension
Adapted from Cook, 1986, 1989
 FACTORS THAT AFFECT
READING COMPREHENSION
THE READER – brings the following to the text:
Script knowledge - knowledge and beliefs about the
world.
Knowledge about language - graphophonic,
syntactic, semantic, pragmatic.
Knowledge of text structure - text cohesion,
general text structure
(narrative, expository, etc.)
Pragmatic system - how language is used in
social settings.
 FACTORS THAT AFFECT
READING COMPREHENSION
THE TEXT
Text Structure
its genre, vocabulary, language, even the
specific word choices
How well text is written
Content, difficulty or readability
Author’s intent
 FACTORS THAT AFFECT
READING COMPREHENSION
The Context
involves the activity that occurs around the
transaction.
Purpose
- reading a text for a specific reason.
Setting
- teacher creates the learning
opportunities to support the construction of
meaning.
 Reading as
DEVELOPMENT
Reading is an interplay of one’s experience,
oral language, and ability to interpret written
symbols as shown in the diagram.
Experience Oral Written/
Language Printed
Symbols

A B C
Figure 3. The relationships of three types of knowledge
used in reading (Hermosa, 2002)
 The relationship of circles A, B and C is reciprocal. It
is true that Circle A develops first, followed by Circle B,
then by Circle C. However, once an individual has
acquired a language, he uses it to learn more experiences.
Similarly, once he has learned to read, Circle C becomes
a very powerful tool for learning, even more so than oral
language.
transfer
Oral Written/ L
Language Printed
Symbols 1
Experience

Oral transfer L
Written/
Language Printed 2
Symbols

A B C
 Reading as STRATEGY
Strategies are conscious, flexible plans a
reader applies to a variety of texts. The use
of strategies implies awareness, reflection,
and interaction between the reader and the
author. Strategies do not operate
individually or sequentially, but are
interrelated and recursive. The goal is the
active construction of meaning and the
ability to adapt strategies to varying reading
demands.
 Learner Strategies

Cognitive Metacognitive
Previewing Predicting/Inferring
Highlighting Self-Questioning
Outlining Monitoring/Clarifying
Taking notes Evaluating
Mapping information Summarizing
Rereading Visualizing
Finding key vocabulary
 In-the-Head Reading
Strategies Used by the
Reader While Engaged
In Reading
 Monitor Search
Check Predict

Confirm
Self-
Correct
Reading
Making meaning
from print

Guided Reading: Making It Work

Schulman and Payne
 Reading is development

Reading is a

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The Five Alternative Views About
Reading
 Help Build the Word
Children: And
Build the World
MABUHAY AT
MARAMING
SALAMAT PO!