Reflection on Chapters 4, 5, and 6

 

Chapters 4, 5, and 6 readings were highly informative as they gave the learner great explanations on how complex the processes of vocabulary development and development of sense in texts are. The discussion of these issues as a student and a future teacher was of great value to me to realize how students read texts and how we could assist them to be better readers and thinkers.

            The part of fourth Chapter that appealed to me in particular was the focus on vocabulary development since it demonstrated the level of interconnectivity that exists between vocabulary and comprehension. I always knew that vocabulary was significant yet the argument about morphism analysis and how knowledge of the word structure can aid the students to know the meaning of a word was enlightening. The method is at the same time more active than rote learning memorization and will allow students not just to learn new words but also comprehend their meanings in a real-life situation. I think that such measures should enable students to become less afraid of reading because they would feel that they have something that might enable them to solve words and phrases that they do not know.

            The fifth chapter broadened my knowledge in reading comprehension being not passive but dynamic in nature. I was glad that it focused on the aspect of fluency and the necessity to develop background knowledge. As a student I have always felt more comfortable reading when I was able to tie some new information to something familiar. The thesis that the students should incorporate different mental processes, including activation of prior knowledge and alteration of their knowledge as they read has helped to widen my thinking about how the reading comprehension process is accomplished. It is obvious that here teachers have a significant role to play in showing students how they can get through the process that would enable them to come up with strategies that ought to make reading more of a skillful act that is not a mere pursuit of a task.

            The sixth chapter was especially interesting regarding the practical tips it provided about the ways of improving the reading comprehension of students. The topic of questioning proved to be extremely helpful to me. Taking students more active in the text by question asking not only contains the assessment of understanding in their minds but also makes them think. The concept of developing various modes of thinking, namely literal, inferential and critical, was especially impressive. Being an educator, I understand that it will be highly beneficial not only to make students learn the superficial meaning of a given text but also to challenge them and make them learn the deeper levels, make their connections, and assess the material.

            On the whole, these chapters have enhanced my knowledge concerning the complexity of reading and understanding. They emphasize the significance of the so-called integrated approach, according to which the development of the vocabulary, the community of the word use as well as their active involvement have critical roles toward assisting the students in text construction. In the future, I will make an effort to apply these observations to my own teaching experience so that they could enable students to read not only but also to read with meaning and perception.