Reading for Meaning
Understand that reading is about making meaning, not just saying words correctly — a text that can be decoded but not understood has not been read
What a learner can do afterwards
- Simple View of Reading (Gough & Tunmer)
- reading comprehension research on comprehension-decoding separation
The lesson
Reading is not just saying the words out loud. Reading means knowing what the words say.
Ben reads a sentence about a dog running fast. He says every word right. But when you ask him what happened, he does not know. Ben said the words. He did not read for meaning.
Zoe reads the same sentence. She says every word right too. Then she tells you the dog ran across the yard. Zoe understood what she read.
After you read, ask yourself: what just happened? If you cannot answer, try reading it again.
Reading means understanding what you read, not just saying the words.
Watch it
Where it sits
Learn first
8 questions wait behind this lesson, each with its answer explained. Every answer feeds the sky: stars light as they are learned, and dim when it is time to come back.