Global reading is an approach to reading instruction that focuses on exposing students to a wide variety of text types while simultaneously developing their key reading strategies and comprehension skills. It's designed to help students not just decode words, but to truly understand and engage with the material.
Core Elements of Global Reading
Here’s a breakdown of the key aspects:
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Diverse Text Types: Global reading emphasizes exposure to different types of texts. This could include:
- Narratives (stories, novels)
- Expository Texts (textbooks, articles)
- Persuasive Texts (editorials, advertisements)
- Poetry
- Informational Graphics
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Developing Reading Strategies: The approach focuses on building essential reading skills, such as:
- Predicting: Anticipating what might happen next in the text.
- Summarizing: Identifying the main ideas in a passage.
- Questioning: Asking critical questions about the text.
- Clarifying: Addressing confusion by looking back at the text or using resources.
- Making Connections: Relating the text to prior knowledge or personal experiences.
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Comprehension Skills: A central goal of global reading is to ensure students fully understand what they read. This involves:
- Literal Comprehension: Understanding the explicit information in the text.
- Inferential Comprehension: Drawing conclusions based on what is implied but not directly stated.
- Critical Comprehension: Evaluating the author's purpose, bias, and the reliability of the information.
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Personal Response: Global reading encourages students to have their own reactions and opinions about the text. It’s not just about understanding the content; it's about reflecting on it and forming a personal connection. This often involves activities such as:
- Journaling
- Class discussions
- Creative writing or projects
Why Global Reading Matters
The main objective, as the provided reference states, is that through global reading, "students learn to analyze, understand and make a personal response to what they have read." This goes beyond surface level understanding and promotes a deeper engagement with any text.
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Text Variety | Exposure to diverse types of written material |
| Strategy Development | Emphasis on building key reading skills |
| Comprehension Focus | Attention to literal, inferential and critical understanding |
| Personal Connection | Encouraging students to form individual responses to what they read |
In essence, global reading aims to create well-rounded, critically thinking readers who can navigate different texts and engage with them on multiple levels.
