the reading process

GERALDINE NORRIS: WWW.LINKINGTOLITERACY.COM

THE READING PROCESSThe vital steps to really understanding what you read


PREDICT What sort of text is this? What is it going to be about? What might happen?


ACTIVATE PRIOR KNOWLEDGE Do I know anything about this type of

text? What do I already know about the

subject?


VISUALISE Form pictures in your head about what

you are reading. Run a little “mind movie” as you read.


MAKE CONNECTIONS While you are reading make links with

things you already know, similar situations or personal experiences.


MAKE INFERENCES Use the clues in the text that the writer

has given you to work out things you might not know.


EXAMPLES OF MAKING AN INFERENCE The hirsute man looked like he hadn’t brushed his long

hair or bushy beard for a week. When the group of friends who hadn’t seen each other for

several years got together, the gathering was a very genial one.

Jason walked down the road with his head low and his shoulders sagging.

“No you can’t go to the movies tonight,” she snapped.


SELF-MONITOR As you read keep yourself “in the zone”. Use all your decoding strategies such as

chunking, re-reading, reading on and back.


ASK QUESTIONS

As you read ask mental questions such as: Were your predictions correct? What is happening? Who is involved? What facts are you learning? Is it fact or opinion?


SUMMARISE What are the main points of what you are

reading? As you read keep check of the important

events, facts or ideas.


SYNTHESISE What are you going to do with what you

have just read? Do you have to make notes, answer

questions or give an oral summary? What can you do with your new

knowledge?


IMPORTANT! The reading process is not linear – you can’t use it as a

sequential order Your brain is dipping into each part of the process all the

time before, during and after reading The object is train your brain to use the process

automatically

the reading process

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reading process

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type of text

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activation of prior

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