Why should we analyze academic reading strategies?

Our society takes basic literacy skills for granted. Much of our culture relies on the ability to read (and write) and take part in the communication that reading allows.

Imagine for a few moments that this wasn’t the case. The following video demonstrates what life is like, when half of adult society is excluded from the ability to read.

Visit the TED website to view the full transcript of Boushnak’s talk.

This video references how these women’s lives changed, or were in the process of changing, because they gained the ability to read. Take a few moments and reflect on what you’re able to do now, because you can read. What daily activities of yours rely on this skill?

Now, consider what you would like to be able to do, that your current reading ability doesn’t allow for right now. What benefits will stronger reading habits bring you in the next few years?

Learning Outcomes

• Analyze various types of reading material
• Analyze general reading strategies
• Analyze reading strategies for specialized texts
• Analyze vocabulary usage
• Analyze thesis ideas of texts
• Analyze supporting claims of texts
• Analyze use of logic and structure in texts
• Analyze summary skills for reading comprehension