Comments on: The changing nature of reading

By: Mine NURLU

Mine NURLU — Sat, 30 May 2009 16:09:00 +0000

Having read both the article and the comments above, I agree with my colleagues on the fact that the nature of reading has changed. Not all but most of the students no longer have been crazy about reading. Most of them prefer on-line reading which is faster, without deep thinking. As far as I observe my students, only a few of them read much, twenty books a month. In order to motivate them to read more we have organized awards for those who read more in a month.However, this worked for most of them but some students have still been uninterested, mostly the ones who spends much time on the net. Keeping this fact in mind, I should indicate that we should create a mixture of methods for students to engage in all sorts of texts by bringing them into connection with printed texts via online tools so that we will address to both type of readers.

By: mustafa uysal

mustafa uysal — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 18:41:55 +0000

I agree that the nature of reading is changing as time passes. This stems from that the aims and needs of the students are changing.In my classes I observe that students do reading uncounciously and quicly.They don’t concantrate on the text on the whole ; instead they prefer to read the first or the last sentences or paragraphs because they are thougt and taught that main idea is found in the first or the last sentences or paragraphs.I think students have the right to do so because in the exams for high school or university this method is used in the questions related to passages whether in English or Turkish.Students focus on the first or the last paragraphs while they are passing the other parts quicly as the time limited in the exams.To sum up, I think that students tend to generalize this and it becomes tediuos for them to read an article, a book ,a magazine for several pages.Reading to skim becomes the only method for students ;as a result they don’t want to read a story or a novel taking too much time.

By: derya

derya — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 09:07:29 +0000

In fact, the students are not made aware of reading strategies while they are learning “reading” skill in their first language. Then, expecting the students to use these strategies while reading in second language is an unrealistic aim. Mostly, most students already use reading strategies unconsciously, but to have students acquire and us the reading strategies consciously may help them to become more eager and systematic readers.

By: Rasim ASLAKCI

Rasim ASLAKCI — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 08:12:41 +0000

“As teenagers’ scores on standardized reading tests have declined or stagnated, some argue that the hours spent prowling the Internet are the enemy of reading — diminishing literacy, wrecking attention spans and destroying a precious common culture that exists only through the reading of books.

But others say the Internet has created a new kind of reading, one that schools and society should not discount. The Web inspires a teenager like Nadia, who might otherwise spend most of her leisure time watching television, to read and write.”

That is really true,I THİNK THAT READİNG İS REALLY SO İMPORTANT FOR OUR development.But day by day,with the technologic tools,the numbers of reader is reduce. For instance,I always want to read something but I haven’t read that I want yet.Beacuse,I am so bussy during the day and I have any spare time for reading something.When I go to my home I only want to sleep because I know tomorrow is hard day and I must be strong for next day.

By: selime

selime — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 15:34:47 +0000

Getting students to read their textbooks is hard. Getting them to read books just for the sheer pleasure of reading is especially harder since kids just don’t seem to be interested in reading these days. Gone are the days when kids curled up with a nice little book when it was too hot to play outside. Today, students spend any free time they have watching TV, going to the mall, tinkering with their mobile phones or playing video games.
The fact that students reap great benefits from reading cannot be doubted or questioned. It is for this reason that teachers must instill in students a real love for reading and groom them into becoming lifelong readers.

By: pinar

pinar — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 18:39:11 +0000

ı agree with the idea that internet has created a new kind of readin.ın Turkey we try to make the students read few pages in a book in our lessons for fifteen minutes at the beginning of the lessons but they don’t want to read.I urge them to read but it doesn’t work.nowadays there is a study in our school.We want our students to study Englisn on net.many of them are happy to read and study on net.they progress in using many different new english words.I also love reading on net.ı read many short stories thanks to the net.ı can find easily what ı want to learn.

By: Janice Friesen

Janice Friesen — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 12:51:15 +0000

Carolyn,

I think this may be THE issue of education now. What is literacy anymore? I really like the two quotes you chose which show BOTH sides of the issue. It ties in with “multi-tasking”. Can kids really do it or are they just doing more things poorly.

Lately I have been reading and thinking about the right brain more. The tie in is that the right brain that Daniel Pink says is becoming more and more important is the side of the brain that needs TIME and sees the WHOLE picture. I think probably that leisurely deep thinking and has something to do with the right brain. If so, we are missing something by not helping kids develop that as well.

Janice

By: opit

opit — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 16:26:45 +0000

I spend a lot of time chasing comment threads and links between weblogs. The web itself has become an information processing tool with search an imposing adjunct to information exchange.
What little I have watched my kids get up to on Facebook ( I haven’t taken the plunge ) and quips I have received from social communities makes me think that often the appointed evaluators of successful information transfer have their virtual ‘hands’ full keeping track of the real evolution of information processing as a community project. I know teachers/librarians have a wonderful and growing access to Web 2.0. Keeping ahead of the gestalt is tough.
Have a look at this for an example of what I mean
http://www.internetnews.com/webcontent/article.php/3769056/Sarah+Palin+Vetting+the+Potential+Veep+WebWide.htm

By: Carolyn Foote

Carolyn Foote — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 13:45:59 +0000

Patrick,

What you say–”Just as it is appropriate to look at how we read now, it is equally fitting that we look at how we ask our students to conduct research” is very true. We need to be mindfully thinking about what we are doing as far as how we are teaching/scaffolding the research process.

I find it varies from assignments like “just go google it” to assignments that are using a mixture of old/new tools and methods, to assignments that are structured around tools of the past and rigid structures.

and Jackie, what you said here is spot on–
“And I think the answer is time. Creating situations where students must take the time to study their patchwork of information, think about it, go back and read the surrounding context more thoroughly etc.”

I think this is one of the most neglected pieces in research as it happens in schools. Often, the element of time is not built into the project–which automatically makes it less authentic. In real life, our research and thinking evolves over time.

We need to provide some “gap time” in a process for that ‘back burner’ thinking. And you are right that sometimes that may mean doing a little less as far as “coverage” but allowing for more depth.

There has got to be a balance between break-neck ‘coverage’ of content and time for reflection and deep understanding, I think.

And I do think the transformative nature of online access is that coverage becomes a little less important, and the ability to piece things together, evaluate, and reflect becomes much more important to how our students function in the world.

By: Paul C

Paul C — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 01:51:55 +0000

Another:
Mixing focused reading with student collaboration and writing – a dynamic process of all three skills.

Great post and reference to article.