Reading is the active process of understanding print and graphic texts. Reading is a thinking process. Effective readers know that when they read, what they read is supposed to make sense. They monitor their understanding, and when they lose the meaning of what they are reading, they often unconsciously select and use a reading strategy (such as rereading or asking questions) that will help them reconnect with the meaning of the text. Reading skills and strategies can be taught explicitly while students are learning subject-specific content through authentic reading tasks. Effective readers use strategies to understand what they read before, during, and after reading.
Students can be taught to be strategic and effective readers. Struggling readers benefit from a variety of instructional approaches that demonstrate reading skills as subject content is taught. Direct teaching, thinking aloud, modelling, discussion, and small-group support are only a few of the approaches teachers use to help students become more strategic and effective readers in different contexts.
Read also: Strategies for Reading
