MECHANICS AND TYPES OF READING

We normally read' because

a) We want information for some purpose, or because we are curious to know about
some topic, the answer to a question, or the solution to a problem
b) We need instructions in order to perform some task in our work or in our daily life (we
want to know how an appliance works or we are interested in a new recipe for baking a
cake, we have to fill in forms)
c) We want to keep in touch with friends through letters, or understand official
correspondence.
d) We want to know when or where something will take place or what is available (we
consult timetables, programmes, announcements, notices, and menus, or we read
advertisements).
e) We want to know what is happening or has happened (newspapers, magazines,
reports).
f) We want to play a new game, do a puzzle, act in a play, or do some other activity
which is pleasant, amusing and enjoyable.
g) We seek enjoyment or excitement (short stories, novels, songs, and poems).

The term 'reading' thus embraces a wide variety of tasks, activities, skills, and mental
processes.

Reading also occurs at different levels. A child may read easy materials fluently and
without help. She/he may also read more difficult materials, calling for concentration and
special effort. She/he may read materials which requires outside help such as
instruction by the teacher.

In considering the reading process, first we have to distinguish between two quite
separate activities: reading for meaning (or 'silent reading') and reading aloud.

Reading aloud involves looking at a text, understanding it, and also saying it. It is a
much more difficult activity than reading silently because our attention is divided
between reading and speaking. We often stumble and make mistakes when reading
aloud in our own language, and reading aloud in another language is even more
difficult. Moreover it slows down the reading process. It may even affect comprehension
to a certain extent unless you read a text after several rehearsals’
 Types of Reading
Within the category of silent reading, one encounters
intensive and extensive reading. Intensive reading is used to teach or practice specific
reading strategies or skills. The text is treated as an end in itself.  Extensive reading on
the other hand, involves reading of large quantities of material, directly and fluently.  It is
treated as a means to an end. It may include reading simply for pleasure or reading
technical, scientific or professional material. This later type of text, more academic, may
involve two specific types of reading, scanning for key details or skimming for
the essential meaning.  

Scanning: for a specific focus - The technique you use when you're looking up a
name in the phone book: you move your eye quickly over the page to find particular
words or phrases that are relevant to the task you're doing.

It's useful to scan parts of texts to see if they're going to be useful to you:
 the introduction or preface of a book
 the first or last paragraphs of chapters
 the concluding chapter of a book.

Skimming: for getting the gist of something

The technique you use when you're going through a newspaper or magazine: you read
quickly to get the main points, and skip over the detail. It's useful to skim:
 to preview a passage before you read it in detail
 to refresh your understanding of a passage after you've read it in detail.
Use skimming when you're trying to decide if a book in the library or bookshop is right
for you.

Intensive Reading
Intensive Reading, sometimes called "Narrow Reading". It may involve students reading
selections by the same author or several texts about the same topic. When this occurs,
content and grammatical structures repeat themselves and students get many
opportunities to understand the meanings of the text. The success of "Narrow Reading"
on improving reading comprehension is based on the premise that the more familiar the
reader is with the text, either due to the subject matter or having read other works by the
same author, the more comprehension is promoted.

Characteristics:
 usually classroom based 
 reader is intensely involved in looking  inside the text 
 students focus on linguistic or semantic details of a reading 
 students focus on surface structure details such as grammar and discourse
markers
 students identify key vocabulary
 students may draw pictures to aid them (such as in problem solving)
 texts are read carefully and thoroughly, again and again 
 aim is to build more language knowledge rather than simply practice the skill of
reading 
 seen more commonly than extensive reading in classrooms
When it is used

 when the objective of reading is to achieve full understanding of: 

           - logical argument 

           - rhetorical pattern of text 
           - emotional, symbolic or social attitudes and purposes of the author 
           - linguistic means to an end

  for study of content material that are difficult 

Advantages

 It provides a base to study structure, vocabulary and idioms.

 It provides a base for students to develop a greater control of language
 It provides for a check on the degree of comprehension for individual
students

Disadvantages

 There is little actual practice of reading because of the small amount of

text.
 In a class with multi-reading abilities, students may not be able to read
at their own level because everyone in the class is reading the same
material.
 The text may or may not interest the reader because it was chosen by
the teacher.
 There is little chance to learn language patterns due to the small
amount of text.
 Because exercises and assessment usually follow intensive reading,
students may come to associate reading with testing and not pleasure.

Extensive Reading
Extensive reading is carried out to achieve a general understanding of a text.
The aims of extensive reading are to build reader confidence and enjoyment.
Extensive reading is always done for the comprehension of main ideas, not for
specific details.

Characteristics:

1. Students read as much as possible.

2. A variety of materials on a range of topics is available. 
3. Students select what they want to read .
4. The purposes of reading are usually related to pleasure, information and
general understanding.
5. Reading is its own reward.
 6. Reading materials are well within the linguistic competence of the
students in terms of vocabulary and grammar.
7. Reading is individual and silent.
8. Reading speed  is usually faster than slower. 
9. Teachers orient students to the goals of the program.

Advantages

 The students may: - develop a "reading habit" and gain more

confidence in reading 
 Improve their attitude towards reading and become more motivated to
read.
 Feel more autonomous over  their own learning and more likely to take
more initiative and become more " independent readers"
 Increase reading comprehension 
 Improve overall language competence 
 Be more prepared for further academic courses

Challenges:

 An Extensive Reading program may be costly and time-consuming to

set up if materials are not already available
 Students need to have easy access to texts within their language
proficiency level. An Extensive Reading program is easiest to establish when
the students have a high level of second language proficiency. For
intermediate levels, students require a specialized library within their language
proficiency range. They need texts they can read without great use of a
dictionary
 Students who come from a culture in which literacy is not valued may be
unwilling to participate in pleasure reading or may not get support at home.
 Some teachers’ feel that time spent on Extensive Reading will take
away from time that could be spent on learning language skills. Others will
argue that Extensive Reading provides a "richer context" for practice.