What Good Readers Do

Good readers engage in an active process when they read, which leads to greater content knowledge, vocabulary and intellectual growth (Konza, 2011). Active readers also continually ask questions of the text and search for answers within it (Singer, 1981, as cited in Scull, 2010). Therefore, understanding what good readers do before, during and after reading can give us insight into activities we need to engage students in to improve the strategies they use to comprehend (Scull, 2010).

Teaching ideas for before, during and after reading

Before Reading

Introduce topic of text and explore children’s experiences of it.
Make predictions based on illustrations and title.
Explore possible connections between similar texts.
Introduce any key vocabulary in the text.
Discuss comprehension strategies that may be useful for the text.
Assist students to make connections to what they already know and begin to connect it to the text. This prior knowledge is key to children’s ability to make predictions.

(Scull, 2010: Konza, 2011).

During reading:

Read without too much interruption so that children can understand the flow of the story.
Emphasise new vocabulary,
Stop during reading to allow children to question and make new predictions.
Point out details in the illustrations so that children can begin to understand the importance of illustrations.
By continuing discussion it allows children to understand reading, how to tackle it and which strategies will improve understanding.

(Scull, 2010: Konza, 2011).

After reading:

The teacher should initiate discussion to understand students insights. This allows students to engage as a skilled co-participant in the meaning making process.
Encourage children to look for key words and summarisation strategies.
Link content of the text to students knowledge.
Provide opportunity for students to retell the story in different forms.
Discuss alternate endings.
Use glossary, dictionary and thesaurus.

(Scull, 2010: Konza, 2011).

So... what are some things that good readers do?

Konza (2011) discusses:

Good readers are purposeful – they know why they are reading and can use strategies depending on the type of text they are reading.
Good readers understand the purpose of the text – they know that the writer uses literary devices to affect the readers response to the text.
Good readers monitor their comprehension – they check their understanding as they read, relate to prior knowledge, evaluate, ask questions and find answers. They are also able to visualise the text in their mind.
Good readers adjust their comprehension strategies – they will adjust strategies to ensure they continue to understand and make meaning.

Duke & Pearson (2002) add to this list with their ideas on what good readers do when they read:

Good readers look over the text before they read, identifying details about structure and sections relevant to their purpose.
Good readers make frequent predictions as they read.
Good readers read selectively – noting what to read carefully and what to skim over.
Good readers constantly construct, revise and question the meanings they make as they read.
Good readers integrate prior knowledge.
For good readers, comprehension is satisfying and productive.