What if i don’t understand what i am reading? - Your reading voices

Painless Reading Comprehension - Darolyn “Lyn” Jones Ed.D. 2021

What if i don’t understand what i am reading?
Your reading voices

There are three steps in learning to read: decoding, fluency, and comprehension. First, you learn to decode or turn letters into words and recognize individual words. Then, you learn to recognize and read groups of words fluently in sentences and passages. Finally, you learn to make meaning of those sentences and passages. You understand or comprehend what you have read.

Did you know that there are three types of voices that speak to you while you are reading? No, you aren’t crazy! This happens to everyone. According to Cris Tovani in her book I Read It, but I Don’t Get It: Comprehension Strategies for Adolescent Readers, you hear the following voices when you read.

Reciting. You hear the reciting voice when you are only word calling or just mouthing the words. You really don’t understand what you are reading.

Conversation. You hear the conversation voice when you are having a conversation with what you are reading. Your conversation voice can be good or bad. If your voice is asking questions, arguing, agreeing, disagreeing, identifying, or inferring, then it’s helping you read.

Distracting. But if you are reading about the Boston Tea Party and start thinking about the big party you are going to on Friday night, then your conversation voice turns into the distracting voice. This voice pulls you away from what you are reading.4