The In-Depth Definition of Reading
The dictionary definition of the verb to read is, “To look at carefully so as to understand the meaning of (something written, printed, etc.): to read a book; to read music.” Though accurate and succinct, this definition doesn’t answer the question of just how we glean meaning from something written.
What is the full definition of reading?
Reading is probably something you do without giving much thought to the underlying processes going on in your head. It just seems like you see the words, they somehow enter your mind and sometimes, especially with well-crafted stories, they can evoke pictures or feelings. If you break it down, reading is a far more intricate and remarkable skill. You can divide the process of effective reading into seven key steps: Recognition, Assimilation, Comprehension, Understanding, Retention, Recall and Application.
Recognition
The definition of reading starts with Recognition. Obviously, in order to read you must recognise the characters of a language. This is the alphabet in Latin based languages. In other parts of the world and other cultures, different symbols are used such as Mandarin Chinese or Arabic script. When children are taught to read there are two main methods of teaching. The one currently most favoured by the UK Government and National Institute of Child Health and Human Development in the USA is phonics instruction. In ‘Synthetic Phonics’ you first learn this sounds associated with the 26 individual letters (‘a’ as in ‘cat’, ‘b’ as in ‘boat’) and then combinations of letters such as ‘ch’, ‘sh’, etc. In all there are 44 sounds in the English language. The next step is to blend these sounds to read words. English contains many irregular spellings where the phonics approach fails. These need to be learned separately. For example, ‘though’, ‘bough’, ‘rough’ and ‘cough’ all have different sounds. Some mnemonics are used for difficult words. The spelling of ‘Because’ can be recalled by the phrase ‘Big Elephants Can’t Always Use Small Entrances’.
The second approach for learning to read is the ‘Look Say’ method which teaches children to read words as whole units, rather than breaking them down. This is done with flash cards or words accompanying pictures. In the 1930s and 1940s ‘Look Say’ was the preferred method of teaching. By the 1950s it had fallen out of fashion in favour of the phonics-based approach. One advantage of phonics is that unfamiliar words can be deduced whereas with ‘Look Say’ the child is limited to reading books which only contain words he or she has already memorised. The merits of each system are still hotly debated.
Since children read out loud to the teacher, both have the upshot of converting printed symbols into speech. Eventually, even though reading silently, the sounds are ‘heard’ internally in a process called subvocalisation.
Assimilation
The second step of our definition is Assimilation. This is ‘taking in the words’ and is where Speed Reading techniques are mostly focused. To paraphrase ‘Star Trek’, “We are the Borg. Lower your shields and surrender your books. Resistance is futile!” They are the ultimate assimilators. With practise and the right techniques you can shoot through your reading list more efficiently than a phaser through butter.
There are many factors which affect your ability to assimilate.
Your physical wellbeing:
It is hard to read effectively if you are especially tired. Illness will dramatically reduce your reading speed and comprehension. It is always best to do the majority of your reading when you are physically at your best. If you are an early bird up with the lark then read first thing in the morning. If you’re more of a night owl then read in the evening.
Your environment for reading:
Pleasant surroundings are important. Reading should be as pleasurable as possible. Make your reading environment a room where you will enjoy spending time.
If you’re reading for good comprehension and speed, avoid reading in a comfy armchair, curled up on the sofa or in bed. These will be more conducive to sleep than study. It is advisable to read at a comfortable height desk with a firm, supporting chair promoting good posture.
Heat and Light:
Regulate the temperature of the room so that you are not cold but not so warm that is makes you sleepy. Most studies suggest somewhere between 21 to 25 degrees Celsius (70 to 77 degrees Fahrenheit) as the optimal temperature for productivity.
Insufficient illumination or too much brightness can cause eyestrain. Choose even light levels, preferably with natural daylight from a window. If you must use artificial lighting choose a ‘full spectrum’ light source. Halogen lamps can be good but get quite hot. Alternatively, use a 6500K LED bulb. Take care if using such lights before bedtime, especially if you are prone to insomnia. Blue wavelengths found in ‘daylight bulbs’ block the hormone melatonin that makes you feel drowsy. The same is the case with backlit digital devices. The best advice is to avoid screen use during the final hour before bed. Many tech companies provide night mode, which causes colours on your digital device to take on a more yellowish hue thereby reducing blue light. However, recent research has shown this to be ineffective in improving sleep.
Avoid Distractions:
Find somewhere where you can have peace and quiet. Try to minimise interruptions. Switch off your phone. As well as reducing distractions from others avoid distracting yourself by procrastinating and finding alternative activities instead of reading.
Your emotional state:
If you’re worrying about something whilst reading this will be a distraction, nagging at the back of your mind. It is a good idea to write down anything on your mind before a reading or study period. You need to be focused, relaxed but alert. Writing down issues allows your mind to put them to one side.
Comprehension
The third step of our definition is Comprehension. Reading without comprehending is largely pointless unless you simply want to mechanically recite a speech. You need to take in the information from the text and make sense of it.
By comprehension, I mean integration of the information within the book. For example, if you're reading a novel and certain characters, events and locations are introduced early in the book, then you need to comprehend these elements in order to make sense of the plot when they are referred to later. In a study book, concepts will often be introduced at the start of a section and then expanded in subsequent chapters. If you do not comprehend the concepts when introduced, you will struggle with the future references to them.
Speed reading techniques can help you to manage and improve comprehension. Contrary to popular belief, you can comprehend better when reading rapidly than you do when reading slowly. This is because blocks of words, assimilated quickly, link together to create meaning more easily than words read slowly in isolation.
Understanding
The fourth step is Understanding. This is often used interchangeably with the word ‘Comprehension’ but in our definition they have very distinct meanings. Whereas, comprehension deals with meaning within the confines of a single document or book, understanding goes much wider. It links together multiple sources, your existing knowledge and related concepts.
You can think of comprehension like a galaxy. This consists of billions of stars localised in a region of space by their mutual gravitation. Understanding could be like the entire universe. The Andromeda and Milky Way galaxies are moving toward each other due to gravitational attraction like two related texts.
Understanding is the beginning of true mastery of a subject from multiple points of view.
Retention
Our definition doesn’t stop there. The majority of time you want to be able to retain the essence and important details of what you read. Blindly asking Google, Alexa or Siri for the answer to a question and then promptly forgetting it is the opposite of Reading. It is far more beneficial to have associated information at your fingertips leading to informed decisions, thoughtful conversations, creativity and innovation. To do this you need to store information appropriately. This can be via an external filing system like a database, "knowledge-base or content management system. More usually, and ultimately more efficiently, key points should be retained in your memory.
You need to fillet out what’s important and relevant, summarise this and then store it. Mind Maps are the ideal tool for making sense of complicated information and stripping back to the essence. Once you have a clear picture there are many different systems to help you to memorise information but essentially they all rely on Imagination, Association and Location.
Recall
It doesn’t matter how much you retain if you can’t recall it when necessary. It’s like going into an exam, knowing that you know the answer, but unable to bring it to mind in the heat of the moment. The sixth step in our definition is hooking out the relevant details from our memories.
If information is correctly memorised it is easier to recall. You can strengthen memories by efficient spaced review.
Application
It could be argued that Application is outside of the definition as it’s what you do ‘after’ reading. Even so, it is the most important factor as this was your reason for reading. Information can be applied to a specific project. It can be the basis for lectures, new documents, discussions and meetings. The knowledge and accumulated wisdom contained in written documents can form the basis for lifelong learning and creativity. Whatever the desired outcome, it is always worthwhile keeping in mind the ultimate goal of you’re reading. This helps you to focus, maintain motivation and stay on track.
I hope I’ve demonstrated that reading is far more than just looking at a page and somehow magically sucking up meaning. It is an intricate and sophisticated combination of using the eyes and brain together.