ESTRATEGIAS DE COMPRENSIÓN LECTORA: Antes, durante y después de la lectura

Main ideas and lessons conveyed

• Reading comprehension is described as a mental process in which a reader:
  • constructs meaning and attributes sense to a text
  • understands and interprets by combining:
    • the reader’s prior knowledge
    • the ideas presented in the text
• Deep comprehension requires multiple skills, including:
  • recognizing themes
  • mastering language and vocabulary
  • understanding text types
  • knowing reading objectives
  • linking ideas from the text to reading-related life experiences
• The depth of comprehension depends on:
  • prior knowledge
  • habitual reading practice
• The video recommends a three-stage methodology for meaningful reading:
  • Before reading
  • During reading
  • After reading
• An example text (identified as argumentative) is used to show how the stages work in practice.
• Key message: developing a reading habit leads to growth of intellectual and personal qualities, while neglect results in intellectual ignorance.

Methodology: Three stages of reading comprehension

1) Before reading (objective: recognize the purpose of reading)

• Purpose check: Why read?
• Activate prior knowledge: What do we already know about this text?
• Form predictive questions based on:
  • the title
• Paratextual analysis:
  • if the reader knows information about the author, they can predict:
    • the topic likely presented
• Focus: prepare to understand the text’s ideas.

Additional preparatory step mentioned for comprehension

• Identify:
  • the type of text
  • the central theme
  • the main ideas
• Underline (highlight) the main ideas and relevant information.

2) During reading (active comprehension and idea extraction)

Readers should:

• understand
• deduce
• extract their own ideas

The text presents reading as “nourishment” that helps develop qualities such as:

• imagination
• attention
• intelligence
• will
• memory

The video links comprehension growth to:

• habit (similar to raising and guiding a child)
• reinforcement through schools and libraries

In the example:

• reading “nourishes the intellect”
• ignorance is portrayed as the result of:
  • lack of reading habit
  • lack of ability to comprehend texts

3) After reading (analysis and synthesis)

Synthesis strategies

• Summarize the text using:
  • main ideas
  • central theme
• Ask interpretive questions
• Critically evaluate the text by:
  • expressing an opinion
  • justifying that opinion

In the example, the reader should also identify:

• the text’s argumentative purpose (to convince a viewpoint)
• the author’s critique of negligence/carelessness that prevents people from developing as readers

Interpret figurative language

• “nourishment” = the importance of fostering the reading habit and the intellectual refinement gained through it
• “child” = someone who needs training/guidance

Final takeaway

Reading across before/during/after enables meaningful, deep comprehension and strengthens the reading habit.

Speakers / sources featured

• Professor Paolo Astorga (presenter/voice of the video)