Definition of Critical Reading

In schools and educational centers children learn to read, to write, operations math and a series of knowledge of all kinds of subjects. Without a doubt, each area of ​​knowledge is important. But reading has a special relevance because it affects any subject. Whether in mathematics, history, or natural Sciences reading must be used as a means of acquiring an adequate understanding of the contents.

Reading is a skill intellectual that most children achieve after a period of training. Over time, reading becomes more complex; incorporating a broader and more specialized vocabulary.

It could be said that most of the population can read, but not everyone understands what they read. To do this, a critical reading is necessary. This consists of a deep understanding of the text or document being read. To get it is
A high degree of maturity and training is necessary.

The critical reader is one who dialogues with the text. He knows how to interpret all the information in a fluent way. Critical reading also implies that the reader

debate with the words. There is a attitude critical in his activity and does not limit himself to putting words together. This critical attitude requires many previous readings. Analytical ability is key when it comes to carrying out a critical reading.

A text can have a complex structure. The content of it sometimes has a double meaning. There are word games, Latin or other language expressions, popular registers, quotes and, ultimately, the words in a text have multiple approaches. Consequently, if we want to be skilled at reading, it must be critical, capable of questioning the content. Do not forget that the writer has a purpose in his message (to inform, comment, debate, analyze... ) and the reader has to grasp what the true intention is. It could be the case that a non-critical reading leads the reader to conclusions that are opposite to those of the text.

When a critical reading is not carried out, there is an evident impoverishment of the reading. For this reason, we talk about the phenomenon of functional illiteracy, that is, people who can read but are not able to correctly assimilate the meaning of texts.

Topics in Critical Reading