An alternate approach to reading
Often we as educators and parents are concerned about inculcating reading habit in our children. Reading (as dealt in most primers and classrooms) is decoding the symbols of the language( A to Z). As a child ushers into the school his/her reading trajectory begins with alphabet recognition, 1-2 syllable words, sentences & text. It is assumed that this is the progression i.e. simple to complex.
The constructivist viewpoint in education talks of an active learner who constructs meaning of the text based on his/her subjective experiences. Frank smith adds that a learner supplies non-visual information to the visual information while reading. Reading is essentially a meaning making process. However, the texts that flood the market are largely based on the approach progressing from alphabet to words and sentences devoid of any context to which a child can relate. Reading here symbolizes ‘mastering the code of the language’.
Crucial Aspects of Reading:
· Readers do not read by decoding alphabets. Rather they read by integrating meaning from the context. These contextual clues function in an integrated way. For example: “Our school has good quality t.....”. Definitely as a reader we may supply this word as teacher and not truck or trumpet. This happens because it is not only the phonetic clue that we use i.e. ‘t’ rather we make meaning from the context and this is what we need to model to young learners. They need to learn how to use contextual clues like picture clues, phonetic clues or look at the meaning of the text. This is key to good reading and needs repeated exposure and modeling by an educator or a parent.
· A reader also uses comprehension strategies while reading . For example : ‘ A new paradigm in education talks of an active role of a learner.’ A person who reads the word ‘paradigm’ for the first time does not get stuck with the word. S/he reads on and comes back again and tries to substitute a temporary word meaning like viewpoint/ theory/ perspective etc. to make sense. Some readers might try to recall the previous read piece where s/he might have encountered this word. Thus these strategies like reading on, omission, substitution, connect with previous knowledge are some comprehension strategies which readers employ.
Strategy selection is also determined by the purpose set for reading . If a reader is reading a text to get an overview of the text s/he will use strategies like skimming, scanning the text and shall focus attention on title, subtitles, diagrams etc. However the strategy differs when a reader is reading to extract key information, thus s/he shall use boldfacing, underlining, inserting comments, note taking etc. Thus setting a purpose for reading is also crucial.
Ironically, it’s amazing the way children are taught to attack new words by splitting them into syllables and through right pronunciation or encouraged to use a dictionary rather than integrate meaning from the context. In most cases children are either unaware of the purpose of reading or the purpose is set by an educator. More children engage in defining the purpose on their own, more shall be their motivation to read.
A reader in Smith’s words supplies non- visual information to the text. For example:
‘ At the interbank foreign exchange market , the rupee opened higher at 42.9350/9550 a dollar and was trapped in a narrow range of 42.93 and 42.98 before ending at 42.93/94, up by 3.50 paise from Thursday’s close of 42.9650/9750’.
It is difficult to understand the meaning of the text cited above, though we might be able to decode it fluently. Meaning making only happens when a brief about the share market and economy is supplied to us enabling us to make some connect with the text. Similar background building is important when children begin to read. Thus meaning lies in the interaction between the textual information and the information stored in the reader’s mind. Smith rightly said “ The more non visual information you have when you read, the less visual information you need and vice versa.”Thus it becomes important for an educator to build and activate child’s background information. Let’s look at some of the ways of doing so:
· Talk : Giving opportunity to children to talk about the topic they are about to read helps in activating background information.
· Know your learners: It’s important to know the learners background so that an educator can make connect while teaching. While talking about Dusshera in North India, a sensitive educator could ask a Bengali child in his/her class to share about Durga Puja celebrated at the same time. Nurturing diversity widens the background information of children. Besides this giving freedom to express about a topic either through dance, drama, poetry, role play, writing, builds the background information of children and also caters to different kinds of learners.
· Brainstorming : A technique of putting down all responses by children related to the topic on the board. Such a visual organizer helps to collate information that children have about the topic.
A sensitive and observant educator can use many other ways of building background information by narrating a story, playing a song, an instrument that relates to the theme. There can be multiple entry points and variety is what keeps the classroom alive.
{By Meeta Mohanty, Currently employed as an editor for children books. Has taught in both mainstream and alternative schools}.
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