Reading refers to the process of comprehending a series of symbols that are in a written format. One can draw the intended meaning from them. In the academic context, it is a fundamental process through which students absorb knowledge, with their eyes and their understanding. The symbols include a combination of alphabets, spaces, and punctuation marks. In this process, one can obtain a detailed understanding from words, sentences, and paragraphs.
Students often carry out reading silently to themselves or aloud. As a receptive skill, it helps students in receiving information. However, this is a complex process and also involves the art of speaking pronunciation. Therefore, it is a productive skill. Through reading, one can both receive and transmit information.
Readers deploy a variety of strategies for reading, to decode or translate certain symbols into visual representations. This ensures a seamless comprehension process. The words that students read are integrated into the existing knowledge framework, called schema.
For instance, if someone states that he needs more time for reading, the word ‘reading’ refers to the art of comprehending meaning from the text. In schools, teachers use both traditional (going to the library to get a book) and modern techniques (reserving a book online) for this purpose. It forms one of the basic actions to acquire knowledge in the academic context.
