Reading Skills

 

Reading is the process of extracting meaning from written or printed text. It involves decoding symbols, such as letters and words, and comprehending the information conveyed by these symbols. Reading is a complex cognitive skill that encompasses various sub-skills, including decoding, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension.

Types of Reading:

 

1. Skimming:

   - Description: Skimming involves quickly glancing over a text to get a sense of its structure, main ideas, and overall content without reading every word.

   - Example: Reading the headlines and subheadings of a newspaper to understand the main news stories without reading the entire articles.

 

2. Scanning:

   - Description: Scanning is a focused search for specific information or details within a text. It involves looking for keywords, phrases, or data.

   - Example: Searching for a particular name or date in a directory or scanning a document for numerical data.

 

3. Intensive Reading:

   - Description: Intensive reading involves a thorough and detailed examination of a text. The reader pays close attention to every word and sentence.

   - Example: Studying a complex academic article or a legal document to understand specific concepts, arguments, or details.

 

4. Extensive Reading:

   - Description: Extensive reading involves reading longer texts or a large volume of material with the goal of gaining a broad understanding.

   - Example: Reading a novel for pleasure or reading multiple articles on a topic to get a comprehensive overview.

 

5. Critical Reading:

   - Description: Critical reading involves analyzing and evaluating a text, considering its arguments, evidence, and the author's perspective.

   - Example: Reading a persuasive essay and critically assessing the validity of the author's claims and the strength of their supporting evidence.

 

6. Literal Reading:

   - Description: Literal reading focuses on understanding the explicit meaning of the text without interpreting underlying meanings or metaphors.

   - Example: Reading a set of instructions and following them step by step without inferring additional meanings.

 

7. Inferential Reading:

   - Description: Inferential reading involves drawing conclusions, making predictions, or forming interpretations based on the information presented in the text.

   - Example: Reading a story and making predictions about the characters' future actions based on their personalities and the plot.

 

8. Analytical Reading:

   - Description: Analytical reading involves breaking down a text into its components, examining its structure, and understanding the relationships between elements.

   - Example: Reading a poem and analyzing its rhyme scheme, meter, and symbolism to interpret its meaning.

 

9. Synthetic Reading:

   - Description: Synthetic reading involves integrating information from multiple sources or perspectives to form a cohesive understanding.

   - Example: Reading articles from different viewpoints on a current event and synthesizing the information to develop a well-rounded perspective.

 

10. Previewing:

    - Description: Previewing is a quick examination of a text before reading it in detail, providing an overview to prepare the reader for what to expect.

    - Example: Previewing a chapter by reading the headings, subheadings, and bolded text before diving into the content.

 

11. Post-Reading Reflection:

    - Description: After finishing a text, this involves reflecting on and summarizing the key points, evaluating the information, and considering personal reactions.

    - Example: Writing a book review that discusses the plot, characters, and one's overall impression after completing a novel.

 

Each type of reading serves a specific purpose, and individuals may employ different reading strategies based on their goals and the nature of the material they are engaging with.