The Reading Process

1. Discuss the difference in aesthetic reading and efferent reading. Do you have a preference for one or the other? Which do you employ the most? I feel that aesthetic reading is reading for pleasure and efferent reading is reading to gain or take away information from the text. I have a preference for aesthetic reading because I pay more attention to the details of the text while I am painting pictures in my mind of the different things that are going on the reading. I found that I enjoy reading better when I am reading aesthetically. But sometimes I do enjoy efferent reading when I am learning something that is interesting to me like certain statistics or something that I can relate to personally.
   
   2. Discuss the five stages of the reading process providing examples of each. Pre-reading is going through the text and looking at pictures or getting background information about the book. An example of this would be to have students look at the pictures and guess what they think the book would be about. Reading is going through the text and reading the book through shared, guided, independent, buddy, or reading aloud to the class. An example of this would be the teacher having a jumbo sized book on a chart board and reading the book to the class. Responding to the reading is having the students share their opinions and ideas about the book. An example of this would be having the students write in journal or a think, pair, share activity. Exploring the reading is the act of going back through the reading to get a deeper understanding of the work. An example of this would be going back through the book and finding new vocabulary words that the students might not understand. Applying refers to the student’s further building on their experience with the book. An example of this would be to have different centers set up geared toward students using knowledge from the book to complete different activities.
   
   3. What factors are important in developing capable readers? It is important that capable readers have a good sense of word definition, fluency when reading, broad range of vocabulary, and have a good understanding of the reading.
   
   4. Often, students participate in reading through different means. What ways are there to read and how could the students use the reading process in the classroom? There are a lot of different ways to read from aesthetic, efferent, buddy, shared, guided, independent, and reading aloud. The students can use the reading process in class to strengthen reading skills and to also practice reading. They can also use the reading process to strengthen comprehension abilities and writing skills.