READING
The generous reader
shaped by goals they have identifi ed for Furthermore, if, as has been documented, The good news is that we know a good
reading the text, and may also refl ect what young readers spend most of their time deal about how to prepare the generous
they anticipate to be challenging about reading narrative texts (ie stories), they will reader. Hence, this essay ends as it
the text (ie complex or unfamiliar ideas, not be prepared for the demands of reading began, with a focus on attitude. We need
vocabulary that may be unfamiliar, support factual text when they move through school. to demonstrate our commitment to the
features such as maps and graphs that Factual texts pose unique challenges; unlike preparation of generous readers through
require interpretation). Discussion-based stories, which have a fairly predictable our choices of instructional programmes,
approaches to text comprehension are structure (setting, characters, plot), they curricula, preparation of teachers, and
distinguished from the typical “elicitation, refl ect a variety of structures (eg cause national assessments.
response evaluation” pattern in that: –effect, problem/solution, chronology).
●
The discussion features open questions About the author
that invite multiple responses.
●
The teacher’s responses are dependent
Students of all ages need
Annemarie Sullivan Palincsar is the Jean
and Charles Walgreen Professor of Reading
on the students’ contributions to the to be taught frequently that and Literacy and a teacher educator at the
discussion.
●
reading is about making
University of Michigan in the US. She is an
There is a preponderance of student, instructional researcher with a particular
rather than teacher, talk.
meaning with text
interest in children who struggle with
Discussion-based approaches offer their academic learning.
own set of challenges; teachers must be As students enter secondary school, they
knowledgeable about the content of the need to learn not only how to interpret a
text; thoughtful about the kinds of questions broad range of factual texts, but also how
Further reading
that are likely to lead to deep understanding to read texts from particular disciplinary
Applebee AN, Langer JA, Nystrand M &
of ideas, and capable of adjusting to perspectives. For example, historical texts
Gamoran A, (2003) Discussion-based
students’ needs and challenges as the represent different authors’ interpretations
Approaches to Developing Understanding:
discussion unfolds. of world events, which have been
Classroom Instruction and Student
constructed from an array of primary and
Performance in Middle and High School
Interesting reading matter secondary documents; students need to
English, American Educational Research
Thus far, we have suggested that successful learn how to recognise the perspective
Journal, 40(3), 685–730.
comprehension is the result of a productive from which the text was written, and how to
disposition toward reading, and instructional evaluate its credibility by experiencing the
August D & Hakuta K, (1997) Improving
opportunities to learn how to read for process of comparing secondary sources
School for Language Minority Children.
meaning. But there is more. with primary documents. Similarly, learning
A Research Agenda, Washington DC:
Think, for a moment, about the verbal to comprehend science texts is learning to
National Academy Press.
interactions we have with others; we are more understand how scientists make evidence-
Mangual A, (1996) A History of Reading,
likely to have positive and fruitful interactions based claims.
Toronto: Alfred A. Knopf.
with people when there is suffi cient overlap Generosity on the part of the readers
between the vocabulary, dialect, grammar, is also a result of the interest they have National Early Literacy Panel, (In press)
and frames of reference that they and we use. in the content of the text. Readers are Developing Early Literacy: Report of the
The same is true of reading. If teachers are to willing to struggle to comprehend text if National Early Literacy Panel – A Scientifi c
promote generosity on the part of readers, they are reading sources that they have Synthesis of Early Literacy Development
two things must happen simultaneously. chosen because of their interest in the and Implications for Intervention,
First, teachers need to attend to the match topic, the genre, or the author. This means Washington, DC: National Institute for
between the reader and the text, and, second, that teachers should seek to provide Literacy.
teachers need to attend to building the oral opportunities for students to choose texts
National Reading Panel, (2000) Teaching
language skills of their students so that they they wish to read.
Children to Read: An Evidence-based
can successfully extend the range of texts So far, no mention has been made of
Assessment of the Scientifi c Research
they can comprehend. the stingy reader; this is the reader who
Literature on Reading and its Implications
Vocabulary knowledge, in particular, is a engages in only a superficial reading of the
for Reading Instruction: Reports of the
key predictor of the ability to comprehend. text and is able to respond to questions
Subgroups (00-4754), Washington, DC:
In the current climate of testing, it is that measure recall of information,
National Institute of Child Health and
regrettable that opportunities for oral but appears unable to draw inferences
Human Development.
language exchanges, vocabulary learning, from the text, critique the ideas in the
and knowledge building that take place text, compare them with ideas from Snow CE, (2002) Reading for
when students are engaged in rich content other sources, evaluate the underlying Understanding: Toward an R&D Program
learning (for example, through the study argument in a text, and synthesise in Reading Comprehension, Santa Monica,
of science and humanities), have been information presented in the prose with CA: RAND.
squeezed out by the attention that has been information that is presented in graphics.
Snow CE, Burns MS & Griffi n P (eds),
given to lower-level skills that are readily Unfortunately, too many students are
(1998) Preventing Reading Diffi culties in
assessed. The reading comprehension stingy readers, and are not well prepared
Young Children: Report of the Committee
of children with English as an Additional to comprehend and learn from texts in a
on the Prevention of Reading Diffi culties in
Language is especially compromised if they manner that reflects their real-world uses
Young Children, Washington, DC: National
do not receive opportunities to participate in in a knowledge-economy, with its complex
Academy Press.
rich oral language experiences. demands for civic literacy.
spring 2009 Better: Evidence-based Education 9
Better Spr09 pp08-09 Generous Reader.indd 9 20/4/09 09:15:34
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