Communication Skills

8.1.1.Reading skills

Introduction

Communication is sharing ideas in common.  sharing ideas involves receiving information and giving information.  Listening and reading are the most important methods  or receiving information.  All that we speak and write is primarily dependent on what we have heard or read.  However, commensurate importance is not attached to those skills and deliberate attempts to understand and improve these skills is seldom made.

Reading

It is matter of compulsion that we read as much as possible to became good speakers and good writers.  Reading is also a part of our professional responsibilities as teachers, scientists or reporters.  Reading is the key that unlocks the doors to all other subjects and to other doors beyond, throughout life.  It is, therefore, necessary that we improve our reading skills.

Reading is a complex mental process involving many different skills.  In this process our minds translate printed symbols into ideas which the writer is trying to communicate.  Inspite of the complex visual and mental activity the aim of reading is simple.  We read so that we may understand.  Our mind has to register meaning of the printed symbols.  This implies that comprehension is important in reading.  The other basic skill is speed.  It is the rate at which you can cover printed material through reading.  Reading speed can be measured as number of words per minute.

The average reader covers about 250 words per minute.  Very fast readers read 500 to 600 words per minute.  Occasionally there is a person who reads at the phenomenal rate of 1000 words per minute.  However, the capacity to read fast is valueless without maintaining levels of comprehension.  Both speed and comprehension needs to be developed.

One of the fundamental factors in efficient reading is the purpose of reading.  If the passage you are reading demands intensive and critical study, reading speed may get reduced.  On the other hand when you are reading familiar material only to isolate main ideas, reading speed may be much more.  skimming and scanning are also forms of reading.  In skimming the reader disregards all the details, examples, explanations etc. and gathers only the main theme.  Scanning involves locating specific information only and ignoring rest of the material.  This is done to find answers to specific questions.

Some of the habits that retard efficiency are finger tracing, motor reading and head movements.  Eye fixations also effect reading speed.  Conscious efforts and practices can help us to overcome these habits.  Reading environment, contents, vocabulary, quality and type of print also have an impact or reading rates.  These are to be kept in mind while writing and printing.

Reading skills enable readers to turn writing into meaning and achieve the goals of independence, comprehension, and fluency.

Definition

Reading skills are specific abilities which enable a reader

• to read the written form as meaningful language
• to read anything written with independence, comprehension and fluency, and
• to mentally interact with the message.

Kinds

Here are some kinds of reading skills:

• Word attack skills let the reader figure out new words.
• Comprehension skills help the reader predict the next word, phrase, or sentence quickly enough to speed recognition.
• Fluency skills help the readers see larger segments, phrases, and groups of words as wholes.
• Critical reading skills help the reader see the relationship of ideas and use these in reading with meaning and fluency.