Teaching Reading Perspectives

Teaching Reading Perspectives

Introduction

Reading methods represent common pedagogical plans for attaining objectives and goals in the learning course. Many times in history a number of main methods has conquered classroom learning and are still dominant today. These methods and perspectives include modernist perspective, transactional perspective, critical perspective, fundamental reading method , integrated language arts, language experience method, and literature based method. Whatever method the teacher acquires, each vital factor of reading has to be taught.

Modernist Perspective

According to modernist perspective, the text itself carries the meaning (Eagleton, 1996). The modern reading perspective is referred to as an independent model in which reading ability is associated with comprehensive skills set that readers utilize in the reading of text fro the purpose of understanding the meaning that text carries. In modernist perspective, reading is considered as psychological, cognitive process separated from all the services that are inherent in political, cultural or social institutions.

The modernist perspective is created on this idea that:

The meaning that text carries can easily be uncovered by proper text analysis.

The comprehension is an outcome of cognitive procedures.

Only the skilled readers can have access to the main idea of the text.

Text reading can be examined for correctness.

The practices within the modernist perspective emphasize more on how to read, and according to this perspective reading is the ability of decoding text.

Transactional Perspective

According to transactional perspective, meaning is created in the transaction between specific reader and specific text. Readers take their previous experiences and knowledge to put up with the event of reading and meaning is created in the transaction between text and reader. From this perspective both reader and text are significantly important. In transactional perspective, reading is viewed as creation of meaning in cognitive, internal space of the specific reader in transaction with a specific text.

According to transactional perspective, the central role is played by the reader. From this perspective, the literature of the children is viewed as “means of knowing” and this literature is used to assist children in making relations with people around them. Children become familiar with story language; they learn about the features of social and natural world and find out perceptions within their own identities and personalities.

The practices under this perception focus more on sharing personal interpretations in groups of readers for proper understanding of the specific text. These practices involve workshops or group discussions.

Critical Perspective

Within critical perspective reading is viewed as social exercise of creating meaning that cannot be divorced from political, historical and cultural context within which it comes about. Reading exercises related to critical perspective are aimed to help readers and educators to understand the collection of meanings that are present at the time of transaction between text, context and reader. From critical perspective, the reading instructions emphasizes more on assisting readers to make them understand the construction of different meanings and how they are located by several interpretations and readings.

Fundamental Reading Perspective

Contemporary fundamental reading process is a noticeable approach to reading instructions of the classroom. Teachers who conventionally make of use ...