Types of readers - Reading attitudes and patterns

Painless Reading Comprehension - Darolyn “Lyn” Jones Ed.D. 2016

Types of readers
Reading attitudes and patterns

According to Kylene Beers and Barbara Samuels in their book Into Focus: Understanding and Creating Middle School Readers, there are two types of readers: avid and reluctant. Someone who is avid at something does it often because he or she likes to. For example, most of my students admit they are avid users of Facebook, Instragram, and Snapchat. Avid readers like to read and read often. Avid readers read not because they have to but because they like to. That doesn’t mean an avid reader loves everything that is read. But, an avid reader is a good reader because he or she practices!1

Then there is the reluctant reader. The reluctant reader is the most complex and difficult to define. If someone is reluctant to do something, it may be because he or she doesn’t want to, doesn’t like to, or simply can’t. For example, someone may be a reluctant dancer because she doesn’t like to dance. She can dance if she has to, but she would rather be playing basketball or video games. Someone may be a reluctant tennis player because he hasn’t had enough practice, isn’t skilled enough at the game, and doesn’t want to look foolish. Someone may be a reluctant swimmer because she can’t swim and doesn’t want to drown!

Step 1: What kind of reader are you?

Take some time to think about the answers to the following questions. First, decide if you are an avid or reluctant reader; then, answer the questions below!

Do you like to read? Would you say you are an avid reader? Why? What do you like to read? For example, do you read science fiction, fantasy, graphic novels, poetry, historical fiction, contemporary fiction, series books like Suzanne Collins’ Hunger Games, or the Divergent book series, magazines like Sports Illustrated, popular blog posts on Tumblr, or online social news from BuzzFeed? How many books do you read in a week or a month? Why do you like reading? Is it because it is an escape or because you learn new things or a combination of factors? Do you read every chance you get, like in class and at home or just when you have total free time? Does reading come pretty easy for you? Even avid readers don’t like everything they read. What do you not like to read and why?

If you are a reluctant reader and you don’t want to read, is it because you don’t like to read or because you have trouble reading, or is it a combination of both? Are there some things that you don’t like to read? Why don’t you like to read them? Do you have problems understanding some things when you read them? Why? Explain what gets in the way of understanding what you read.

Step 2: Check your attitude!

Now that you have identified what kind of reader you are, how do you think you got there? How did you become avid or reluctant? The following questions will help you recall your reading history and your attitude about reading. Write down your answers to the questions below:

Think of two reading memories.

✵ Everyone was read to when they were younger, either at home or in early elementary school. Tell me about your favorite story or a favorite person who read to you.

✵ Now, think about when you were in grade 3, 4, or 5 and you were expected to read more on your own. Was reading easy or harder?

✵ What made it easy? What made it harder? Was the reading interesting or boring? Did you like reading more than you do now? Why or why not?

Step 3: How do you read? When you read, are you alert and awake, napping, or drooling?

✵ When you read, are you alert? In other words, do you know and understand completely what you read the first time you read it and every time you read?

✵ When you read, are you awake? In other words, when you read something and are confused, do you know there is a problem so you back up and fix it and figure it out?

✵ When you read, do you nap? In other words, when you read something and are confused, do you know you don’t get it but you don’t know how to fix it?

✵ When you read, do you drool? In other words, when you read and are confused, do you just keep reading and have no idea what you have read?

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Probably you read all these ways. You may start out bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, then you are just awake, then your head gets heavy and you nap, and finally there is a pool of drool on your book. It may also depend on what you are reading. If you are reading about your favorite basketball player, then you may be alert. If you are reading something you don’t like, you may be drooling. When you are reading, you need to be aware of when you are alert and awake, napping, and drooling.

To be a successful reader and understand what you are reading, you need to be awake and alert. You need to keep what you read in your head!

If you nap or drool while you practice reading, you won’t improve your reading skills. The same is true for anything you practice. If you nap or drool through your piano lessons or karate lessons, you won’t get any better at playing or kicking.