Reading Across the Content Areas

Is there such a thing as reading that DOESN'T encompass some content area?

There really are only two reasons to read. Even outside of the classroom, people read for pleasure, or to learn something. So, when we read to glean information or learn something, the vocabulary, the textual organization, including page layout, use of graphics, and type set of the words all reflect a genre, or area of learning.

So, too, with reading for pleasure...a romance novel, a thriller, science fiction...each has its own manner of writing which appeals to its audience. The author's word use impacts the tone, mood, and creates the author's voice in a piece.

Back to the classroom, most of the time, students read for information. But, even in different classrooms, the skills necessary to understand the print students are exposed to may vary. In social studies texts, students need to have an understanding of headings, key words (which may be clearly linked to the content of social studies), may need to use the information presented in chart form, or photo captions to fully understand the topic. Whereas, in a science classroom, the same student may also need to understand key words, but moreso how they relate to key concepts, such as gravity, or volume, in order to have a full knowledge of the content.

So, how do we address that reading may be different for different content areas? How can educators encourage readers to dig deep until they have a fuller understanding of material in content area classes? Your insight makes all the difference!