Personal Model of Reading Theory

Callan Trainer

EDRD 7715

Dr. Ritchie

Personal Model of Reading Theory

            From a very early age, my parents read aloud to me. I was constantly being read to, whether the stories were about princesses, dolphins, Barbie dolls, or sports. I truly appreciate how my parents instilled the importance of reading in my life. Looking back, I can clearly see how reading is the foundation for all learning. Reading is not just reciting a series of words with symbols called letters; reading gives meaning to words and letters and gives people the ability to communicate with one another. I believe having more life experiences helps us become better readers. Reading is a large part of our world today.

            Typically, a child will begin the process of learning to read quite young. A child will begin to identify letters. Slowly but surely they learn how to say the letters and then attach the appropriate letters with a sound. After mastering the sounds, the child will move onto small words, then larger ones. Learning how to read is a process which is eventually applied to all other disciplines as it is the foundation of all learning. For example, in math, a child has to know how to read a math sentence to they may calculate to find an answer. In social studies, a child has to know how to read the caption of an old painting from 1776 so that they may apply meaning to the painting.  A child can be severely left behind in all subjects if he or she cannot read. Reading is also imperative for learning in other environments outside of school. Reading literally occurs throughout the activities of a day: in the workplace, during social activity, and during the everyday tasks necessary in everyday life. You read when you check your email, facebook, and twitter. You read when you are getting on the subway or bus to go to work. You read when you are on the road driving. You read when you skim the menu at the sandwich shop. You read when you are trying to find the bathroom in that sandwich shop. You read everywhere. Getting around in the world today involves reading, which is turn, helps you learn.

            Reading also requires attaching meaning to words and letters. If a person is not making a connection between the words, then the meaning is not very helpful.  I enjoy reading for pleasure. When I am reading a book, I have to read the actual words on the page and at the same time, figure out what message the author is trying to relay to his or her audience. It is quite incredible when you think about the process of reading and how complicated it truly is.

            I have found that the older I get, the more I seem to enjoy reading. I fully believe that having more life experiences make you a better reader. When you have personally experienced things that you read about, you can easily relate to those experiences. If someone is reading about flying on an airplane, but has only seen movies and pictures about it, then he might have a more difficult time relating to the reading. My dad works for Delta Air Lines so I’ve been flying my whole life, so it would be very easy for me to relate to a text about flying on an airplane. I would be able to easily imagine what the author is trying to portray because of my life experiences. The ultimate connection between a reader and text is when the reader can attach the senses to the text to create a feeling. When a reader has more life experiences, making that ultimate connection can be a little easier.

            Reading makes the world go round. It is the source of all learning. It gives meaning to the words on this page. It connects people to emotions and to one another. Even though the process can be difficult, it is essential to getting around easily in our society. The more you read, the more you learn. Reading takes place every day in a person’s life. There is no job that doesn’t require some sort of reading. Reading is everywhere and for everyone.