Definition of Comprehensive Reading

The very name of the concept that we analyze provides a clear idea about its meaning, since a reading Comprehensive is, in short, the act of reading accompanied by a correct interpretation. For this reason pedagogical terminology sometimes uses the concept of reading comprehension.

What does reading entail?

We all know what reading means, because it is nothing more than interpreting some words properly. In other words, reading implies knowledge of the rudiments of language. We learn to read at approximately six years of age and during the school stage we gradually perfect this technique. Most people can read, but not everyone is able to adequately understand what they are reading. This apparent contradiction creates a problem in education and in society as a whole.

Comprehensive reading, an educational and social problem

Pedagogues, teachers and professors often comment that there are problems of understanding reader among the students. In this way, schoolchildren know how to read, they have a rough idea of ​​the content of a

text but they do not assimilate a part of the reading (words that they do not know, they ignore the use of the double meaning or the figurative sense, turns of the language that they do not dominate or cultured expressions that they do not understand). The total lack of understanding of a text is, indisputably, an educational problem.

Experts in pedagogical issues consider that poor comprehensive reading is due to factors diverse: the predominance of the image over the written word, the simplification of language in the context of new technologies or the reduced reading habits in society. In short, there is an educational and social problem with respect to comprehensive reading and solutions must be put in place.

Possible solutions to the problem

There is no definitive recipe to solve this phenomenon. However, some recommendations may be helpful. If a student has insufficient reading comprehension, it is possible to adopt some strategies:

1) consult the dictionary when the meaning of a word is not known,

2) approach reading as something playful and that can be fun,

3) encourage reading as a means to better understand the reality that surrounds us (if a student does not understand what he reads, he will have problems as an adult),

3) Recommend attractive books for schoolchildren and

4) stimulate the student to overcome difficulties in the process of learning (What is not understood at first can be understood without much effort).

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