Reading is fundamentally a dynamic cognitive process that goes far beyond simply decoding words on a page. It is an active engagement with text, requiring the reader to perform various mental operations.
The Cognitive Engagements of Reading
Reading involves a sophisticated set of thinking strategies that readers employ to construct meaning. According to Gear (2006), reading encompasses several key mental activities. These strategies allow readers to interact deeply with the text, understanding its nuances and overall message.
Here are the core cognitive processes involved in reading, as outlined in the reference:
| Thinking Process | Description |
|---|---|
| Making Connections | Linking information in the text to prior knowledge, experiences, or other texts. |
| Asking Questions | Pondering about the text before, during, and after reading to clarify meaning or explore ideas. |
| Visualizing | Creating mental images based on descriptions and events in the text. |
| Determining Importance | Identifying the main ideas, key details, and significant information. |
| Drawing Inferences | Using text clues and background knowledge to understand what is not explicitly stated. |
| Analyzing | Examining parts of the text, such as characters, plot, or structure, to understand how they contribute to the whole. |
| Synthesizing | Combining new information from the text with existing knowledge to form a new understanding or perspective. |
| Monitoring Comprehension | Being aware of one's own understanding while reading and knowing when meaning breaks down, and applying fix-up strategies. |
These activities are not isolated but often occur simultaneously or sequentially as a reader navigates a text.
Reading as Metacognition
Good readers are not just performing these tasks; they are also metacognitive. This means they are aware of their own thinking while they read. They actively use these strategies, think about how they are using them, and can articulate these processes. This conscious application and reflection helps them discuss the text effectively and significantly enhances their understanding and the meaning they derive from what they read.
For example, a metacognitive reader might stop and say, "I'm visualizing the setting the author described to help me understand the mood," or "I need to reread this paragraph because I realized I wasn't making connections between this new information and what I already know."
In essence, reading is a thinking process because it requires constant cognitive effort to decode, interpret, analyze, and integrate information, managed by the reader's awareness of their own understanding.
