First, as a brief summary, this chapter basically sets the context for the rest of the book. Dr. Adler was a philosopher who taught at Columbia and the University of Chicago among others and this interest in philosophy definitely factors into his writing, as can be seen by the way he describes the 'act of reading'.
Thus, he defines reading in the following chapter sub-headings:
-active reading
-the goals of reading: reading for information & reading for understanding
-reading as learning: The difference btwn. learning by instruction & learning by discovery
-present & absent teachers
As a person who heretofore considered herself a 'non-reader' or perhaps more accurately as someone who simply doesn't enjoy reading, I'm actually excited to jump back into the game by picking up a copy of this classic book on how to read something in depth.
In short, I'm hoping this book delivers on its commitment of showing one how to become a "well-read" person as opposed to merely a "widely-read" caricature of savant. Degree of depth is definitely the distinction that applies here.
That said, here are my observations on the first chapter:
- Re: active reading
- Whereas I thought this meant writing with a pen to highlight important items, this concept refers to the active relationship between writer and reader where communication occurs, more or less . The more or less depends on the writer's skill and given the context of this book, the READER's skill to grasp the info.
- I like the distinction of reading for information vs. reading for understanding. I pretty much had viewed the two as the same thing. As opposed to reading for info (i.e. adding to the storage of knowledge one already has)... the focus of the book is on reading for understanding (i.e. reading at first incomprehensible ideas and progressing from a point of "understanding less" to "understanding more"...which results in elevating oneself above the level of knowledge they previously possessed)
- Reader's goal: to overcome the inequality in understanding to some degree, always approaching equality with the writer.
- As an ESL teacher, I "get" this point of Discovery vs. Instruction. However, as a grad student, I see the latter more often. That is to say that students in my program, myself included, seem to be spoon fed info and prefer to hear it via the interpretation of an instructor (hence "instruction") rather than interact with the info in a process of "discovery" via active reading.
- Of course, the author makes a different point than the one I just mentioned, thereby making a general statement about education. Basically, both instruction and discovery result in learning; however, discovery results in a more profound depth of learning. Adler goes further in a parallel definition of both terms: Instruction--> aided discovery and Discovery--> unaided discovery.
- Discovery: "the process of learning something by research, by investigation, or by reflection, without being taught.
- Basically, this reiterates the last point. Teachers can aid in discovery but then again, they can also be an intellectual crutch, since they'll most likely answer questions a student may have, lessening the degree of the "aha" in the discovery process.
- This point presents the premise for the rest of the book, that readers must learn how to make books teach them well, i.e. via active reading and the discovery process of learning...
I always thought active reading was not letting stray thoughts distract my brain...which usually happens while I'm reading on the train. I get distracted by someone's turrets or perfume (to cover the scent of a homeless person's body odor - of course, I don't know which is worse).
ReplyDeleteNow I know that active reading, in the course of discovery, is applying what your read to what you know. How cool! So simple, so obvious - yet I needed Mortimer to tell me how it's done!