In April the Pew Internet Project in conjunction with the
National Commission on Writing released
Writing, Technology and Teens. One
of the important points this study made is that there is a reciprocal relationship between different
forms of media as electronic conventions seep, spring and even surge onto the printed page. The
question then becomes what is writing?
A parallel question is what does it mean to read text? A short history lesson reveals that the
definition has included:
the recitation of famous documents or poems,
being able to sound out words on a page,
the recognition of sight words,
the comprehension of novel text,
achieving fluency, and, more technically,
the ability to decode written language, etc.
(Pearson, 2001; Stahl & Miller, 1989; Wolf, 1988).
These different definitions serve to remind us that
the context is important. For example, as Wolf (1988) notes the historical context is important since
up until WWI and the introduction of technologies, knowing portions of the Gettysburg Address was
sufficient.
However, much of the concern about reading is more complex. It concerns genre (e.g., literary reading
vs. graphic novels), form (instruction manuals vs. email), duration (sustained vs. non-continuous),
purpose (e.g., functional vs. supplemental), motivation (e.g., voluntary vs. required) and medium
(print vs. electronic text). In application, this concern sometimes has the effect of adding a social
context when it values one type over another such as Austin before blogs.
Lastly, there are the outcome measures such as comprehension, retention or application in an authentic
activity that are central. That is, what is the effect of the text on the individual, what goal is
served, etc. And, as you may well ask, the goal of this post is to remind us that what it means to
read -- like what is means to write -- is complex. There just isn't a simple answer.
(For an amusing take on the history of reading, check out this Norwegian comedy show clip – with
English subtitles – of a
medieval help desk.)
References:
1. Pearson, P. David (2001). "Reading in the Twentieth Century" CIERA Archive Tech Report #01-
08. Ann Arbor, MI: CIERA.
2. Stahl, S.A., & Miller, P.D. (1989). Whole language and language experience approaches for
beginning reading: A quantitative synthesis. Review of Educational Research, 59, 87-116.
3. Wolf, D.P. (1998). Becoming Literate: One Reader Reading. Academic Connections, 1-4.