Mastering Reading Strategies for Deep Comprehension

Reading Strategies: Nature, Function, and the Learning Process

We can start by defining the word "strategy." For this, we will consider different authors.

Defining Reading Strategies

Valls' Perspective on Strategy

According to Valls, a strategy is useful to regulate the activity of individuals. It allows you to select, evaluate whether to persist or leave, and also implies self-direction and self-control. A strategy is an ordered procedure or set of actions aimed at achieving a goal in reading; it implies the presence of objectives to accomplish and a plan of action. Strategies are not innate; they are taught and learned, allowing problems to be analyzed and solutions provided.

Conditions for Understanding (Palincsar and Brown)

Palincsar and Brown speak of three conditions necessary to understand what is read:

1. Clarity and consistency.
2. The degree of prior knowledge.
3. Strategies.

According to these authors, the most appropriate strategies are those that:

• Help choose alternative paths when problems arise.
• Allow us to activate and provide background reading.
• Direct attention.
• Evaluate a text.
• Constantly check for understanding.
• Develop various interrogations.

Teaching Reading: Joint Construction and Phased Models

We must always take into account that teaching is a process of joint construction between the teacher and students, where the teacher acts as a guide.

Guided Reading Phases (Smith and Collins)

Smith and Collins suggest three phases for guided reading:

1. Modeling: The teacher reads aloud.
2. Student Participation: Led by the teacher until students become autonomous.
3. Silent Reading: The stage of independent reading.

Direct Instruction for Reading Comprehension

Another author speaks of direct instruction for reading comprehension, which has five stages:

1. Introduction: Explains the objectives.
2. Direct Teaching Example: The teacher explains the concept.
3. Teacher-directed application.
4. Practice.
5. Individual practice.

Fostering Active and Autonomous Readers

Teaching should ensure that students become active and autonomous readers. We must ensure they learn and are trained to use effective reading strategies in different contexts. To achieve this, the best approach is the reciprocal teaching model, where students share with other students, and they are all guided by the professor.

Planning Dimensions for Effective Instruction

In education, planning is important, and some authors give us four dimensions to follow:

1. Content: Include strategies that allow the reader to be active and productive.
2. Teaching Methods: Seeking the most appropriate situations.
3. Content and Sequence.
4. Social Organization: The organization of the classroom.

The Importance of Varied Texts

Do not forget the importance of texts, which should be varied:

• Narrative
• Descriptive
• Informative
• Predictive
• Causal

The strategies taught will help students understand these different types of texts.