By studying Reading, we can extract and construct meaning through interaction and involvement with written language and other media.

Perspectives

Janet Duitsman Cornelius in the book “When I Can Read My Title Clear”: Literacy, Slavery, and Religion in the Antebellum South (1991) investigates the meaning of literacy, the ability to read, to the enslaved in the United States in the nineteenth century. As Frederick Douglass eloquently expresses, enslaved individuals like himself were typically forbidden to learn to read for it was understood that Reading leads to exposure to ideas, which leads to thinking, and thinking leads to a belief in human rights and potential resistance against those who would take those rights away. Nineteenth-century America is not the only time and place that access to Reading has been used as a weapon for preserving hierarchies. After all, even the Bible contains stories of the enslaved escaping or rebelling. As Cornelius tells us, many “risked discovery, death, and dismemberment to learn to read and write” (p. 4). The intense desire to read that Douglass conveys, especially after the slaveholder forbade him from doing so, is fundamental to the shaping of his identity. Cornelius comments, “While scholars of literacy recognize literacy’s usefulness as a medium of social control and industrial training, the majority still agree that the basic result of literacy has been and is one of liberation” (p.2). That people have risked their lives to learn to read in the face of oppressors trying to prevent it is something to consider as we think about the significance of Reading.

Concepts to Consider

Reading is more than the act of making out individual words. It is also about the meaning of those words, especially in the deliberate way a writer composes and orders them. Skilled readers “reflect on what they’ve read by interacting with the text and asking questions while they read” and “focus on what is essential in the text, retaining the information they need” (“The Impact of Reading Comprehension on Learning,” 2022). Reading is as much an act of communication as writing is (see Writing in chapter 4.5). The reader is the person with whom the writer is connecting. If the writer has the responsibility to be as clear and effective as possible, then a reader has the responsibility to meet the writer halfway and extract what meaning they can and construct  their own.

Reading strategies are not restricted to written communication but can also be used with other forms of media, such as images. Each type of writing and media may need a different Reading strategy or strategies depending on how complex its composition and purpose – and the goals of the reader in the first place. Academic articles, for example, tend to be very dense, but, at the same time, they generally have a logical structure that can help a reader understand their context and conclusions. By practicing Reading, we can improve our understanding of any type of writing or media, regardless of the level of complexity.

There are benefits to learning Reading skills beyond being able to participate in literacy and communication. In compiling research on the benefits of strong Reading skills, Elizabeth Escar (2022) found that they contribute to the following:

• development of higher academic self-confidence
• improved writing skills (see Writing in chapter 4.5)
• developing critical thinking and analytical skills (see Critical Thinking in chapter 5)
• promoting mental stimulation and growth
• improved problem-solving skills (see Procedural and Logical Thinking in chapter 5)
• increasing empathy and understanding (see Diverse Perspectives in chapter 5)
• improving memory and recall
• enhancing concentration and focus

This is quite a list! Escar sums up these benefits by stating that “[a]dults who improve their reading comprehension skills [are] more productive at work, communicate effectively, and lead a quality life,” which means Reading affects every aspect of our lives. Note also how Reading skills interact with other types of general education learning (noted in the parentheses above). Indeed, Escar calls Reading the “foundation for all other academic skills.”

Reading and Good, Necessary Trouble

On January 30, 2023, Tom Jefferson, et. al., published “Physical interventions to interrupt or reduce the spread of respiratory viruses” on the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. Almost immediately, this study was used by COVID-deniers and anti-regulationists as evidence that masks do not work in preventing the spread of COVID-19. The lead researcher even interviewed with Maryanne Demasi and stated that there is “still no evidence that masks are effective during a pandemic.” Reading only the news articles about the interview or the review reveal just a part of the story, however. In this case, like many others, it is important to return to the original review and ancillary materials and use reading strategies to parse out exactly what this study did conclude.

First, we need to understand the context of the study and take a look at the authors. Jefferson has a history of questioning the severity of COVID-19 and the need for mitigation measures. On April 9, 2020, he co-wrote an article “COVID-19 deaths compared with ‘Swine Flu’” that essentially relegated the pandemic to a long seasonal outbreak. This could speak to author intent and bias.

Second, we should read the article itself. The authors’ conclusions state, “There is uncertainty about the effects of face masks.” This statement, however, is an example of why we should not only read conclusions of studies, but rather the full article, especially methodologies and limitations in scientific papers. The authors admit, “The high risk of bias in the trials, variation in outcome measurement, and relatively low adherence with the interventions during the studies hampers drawing firm conclusions.” What this implies is that the results of the study are highly in question based on the inadequacies of the methodologies. “Low adherence” indicates that participants in the tests did not consistently wear the masks that were being studied.

Third, we should read responses to the study to provide further context. Karla Soares-Weiser is the Editor-in-Chief of the Cochrane Library. On March 10, 2023, she published a statement on the Cochrane site about this review. She states in the first sentence that it “would be accurate to say that the review examined whether interventions to promote mask wearing help to slow the spread of respiratory viruses, and that the results were inconclusive.” She continues to apologize that the “wording [in the Plain Language Summary] was open to misinterpretation” and states that the Library takes  “responsibility for not making the wording clearer from the outset” (this issue is also a matter of effective Writing – see chapter 4.5).

What can this situation tell us about Reading?

• We should read the original work ourselves rather than relying on someone else’s interpretation.
• Context plays an important role in full reading comprehension (see Information Literacy in chapter 4.1).
• Understanding the genre of reading and how it is structured can help with interpretation (for instance, here, recognizing to look for methodologies and limitations in scientific readings and not focusing just on conclusions or the abstract).
• Using skills from other contexts can be beneficial (here, see Scientific Inquiry and Analysis in chapter 5.9).

It also tells us how important Reading is in social and health issues, such as the efficacy and necessity of masking for personal and public wellness during the pandemic.

Discussion 4.3

• If you have already taken a course with a primary focus on Reading, think about what you were asked to do and what you learned. If you have not already taken a Reading course, think about the types of courses you could take.
• In what ways did or might the idea(s) or example(s) discussed above apply in such a course?
• What other ideas or examples would you add to the discussion?