There is so much content to cover when thinking about the pedagogy of reading that there’s no way I could possibly succeed in one blog post. So before I begin, I must concede defeat (not a very promising start!). With that said, I want to ask the most basic of questions: What IS reading? If we are going to create a balanced approach to reading instruction, we must identify what a successful reader is able to accomplish, and that means identifying exactly WHAT reading is.

Reading is not a knee-jerk reaction to identifiable symbols. It is much more complex than that and must be structured accordingly. Often reading instruction consists of choral reading, fluency, and the ability to identify details and main ideas.

Rather, I belive that reading is an event within a specific time and place. This event is the intersection between a reader and an author, a text, a linguistic code, a time, a historical understanding, prior knowledge, and situated perspective. Ten people will read the same text and NO TWO will experience the same event. This is the awesome part about reading. Likewise, one person can read the same text ten times, and NO TWO occurrences will completely correspond.

This makes the development of a coherent curriculum very difficult, but it also opens it up to a wide array of possibilities. However, there are certain things we can plan to make each literary event as successful as possible: pre-reading, reading, responding, exploring, and applying.

Pre-reading is as important (if not more so) than any other aspect of the event. Effective pre-reading situations activate children’s prior knowledge and “prime” them for the reading itself. They construct an understanding of context and experience, a frame that will be used to analyze the text. Without this framework, comprehension can be sacrificed. It is during this pre-reading session that students begin to develop a sense of purpose, and identify areas of personal meaning. This helps relevant information “trigger” these areas so that further connections can be created.

An effective pre-reading activity renders the actual stage of reading to be more than decoding symbols on a page. If the pre-reading is effective, than the reading consists of identifying meaningful information and building webs of knowledge. There are five main types of reading instruction, each with its own pros and cons: independent reading, buddy reading, guided reading, shared reading, and reading aloud to students. Independent reading, the most authentic experience, has the disadvantage of being hard to structure and assess. Likewise, reading aloud to student (at the other end of the spectrum) can be inauthentic and unmotivating. Effective reading instruction blends these approaches to give students a wide range of experiences and advantages.

Responding is sometimes the hardest aspect of reading instruction to elicit, especially among students who aren’t used to deconstructing and making meaning of a text. It is where students share connections and explore meanings. Whether in private (logs and journals) or public (discussions) forums, readers actively negotiate and expand their understanding of a text and its rhetorical situation. It also provides an immediate opportunity to clarify any misunderstandings.

Exploring was always my favorite aspect of any reading lesson, both as a student and a teacher. It is here that students critically analyze a text. HOW do they know what they know? What support does the text lend their understanding of a situation? How can they defend their understanding and reasoning of this situation? This is also the time for the teacher to provide explicit instruction on strategies and textual elements that should be focused on, and is a prime opportunity for effective modeling.

Finally, the students apply their knowledge. This could take the form of any number of events. Projects are created, involving reading, writing, talk and drama, art, research, debate, or community activism. This is an opportunity to challenge students into high-level thinking situations. It is also a great place to instill motivation. If students are presented with authentic and meaningful problems and situations as a result of reading, not only will comprehension increase, engagement will as well. Without these opportunities, the entire reading event becomes valuless and pedantic.