"Slow Reading"

huntermaggiel
Jul 27, 2015
3 min read

Though fiction can be incredibly complex and nuanced, nonfiction texts are typically more complex and challenging for middle school students. There may not be a relatable narrator, several disparate facts may be discussed, and different media (i.e. charts, quotes, photographs) may be important to understanding the content. For this reason, it is imperative that students learn to not just skim nonfiction, but to slowly and intentionally work through it. Benson (2003) believed this to be an inherent part of nonfiction reading. Nonfiction reading requires an "efferent stance," or focsuing on what is "carried away or retained after reading" (Benson, 2003, p. 14). Because of this, nonfiction readers must read slowly, reread, and pay attention to specific pieces of information (Benson, 2003).

It is especially important to keep middle grade learners in mind when talking about “slow reading.” It is likely that in today’s world, middle school students do much of their nonfiction reading via the internet in the form of blog posts, news clips, or online magazine articles. Carr (2008) worried that so much time surfing the internet has actually changed mental habits and altered the way that we read. Studies at the time of his writing revealed that most people skim and “bounce” between sites or activities (Carr, 2008). Online readers spend less time reading and more time scanning and decoding (Carr, 2008). Though no studies have yet been conducted on the possible effects this may have on reading in young people, it is worth noting that our students may not be used to focusing and ruminating on long or complex texts.

Bauerlein (2011) was also concerned about these reading habits, and questioned whether students were learning how to really read and interact with complex texts. He identified three necessary habits for students to develop: a willingness to probe, the capacity for uninterrupted thinking, and a receptivity to deep thinking (Bauerlein, 2011). The second of these is actually something that can be cultivated and taught in the classroom. Fair and Combs (2011) referred to this as “fluency,” and recognized that it is a key component to becoming a mature reader.

“Fluency” is, at its most basic, when a reader is able to accurately and automatically recognize words at a reasonable pace (Fair & Combs, 2011). It is when students move from decoding to comprehending, and it is the mark of a mature reader. Fair and Combs (2011) proposed that students need to be taught that “fluency” does not mean linear reading. Some texts call for moving around the page, and some texts require readers to apply “fix-up” strategies when necessary (Fair & Combs, 2011, p. 226). Inevitably, even a mature reader will misunderstand a point, lose focus, need multiple re-reads to glean detail, or need to re-read a previous paragraph to make sense of a new one. Fluency is not the lack of these moments, but rather the ability to work through these moments in order to comprehend a text. Fluency may be an easily developed skill for some, but some students require intentional practice of slowing down and working through the difficult moments.

Fair and Combs (2011) suggested that to develop fluency, students will need to observe teachers modelling these “fix-up” strategies, and will need to apply them independently. Students also need more time to silently and independently read, as fluency is hindered by popular “round robin” or “popcorn” style reading. Bauerlein (2011) called for “unbroken and unbothered focus” (The Capacity for Uninterrupted Thinking section, para. 5), and Newkirk (2010) promoted “downshifting” and “dwelling in the texts” (The High Speed Reading Blur section, para. 2 & 3).

If the goal is to push students towards becoming independent readers of nonfiction, teachers must encourage good reading habits. One important habit may be simply slowing down and taking the necessary time to process the text. Skimming, though helpful in some situations, is not an appropriate approach to complete nonfiction comprehension.

References Bauerlein, M. (2011). Too dumb for complex texts?. Educational Leadership, 68(5), 28-33 Benson, V. (2003). Informing literacy: A new paradigm for assessing nonfiction. New England Reading Association Journal, 39(1), 13-20. Carr, N. (2008). Is Google making us stupid? The Atlantic Monthly. Retrieved from http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2008/07/is-google-making-us-stupid/306868/ Fair, G. C., & Combs, D. (2011). Nudging fledgling teen readers from the nest: From round robin to real reading. Clearing House: A Journal Of Educational Strategies, Issues And Ideas, 84(5), 224-230. Newkirk, T. (2010). The case for slow reading. Educational Leadership, 67(6), 6-11.