Deep Reading

Course description

Take your reading skills to the next level with this course on ‘deep reading’. Find out how to select and apply techniques appropriate to the purpose of reading each particular text. In addition, you will learn how to apply the metacognitive process consciously and practise a skilled approach to comprehending and constructing meaning from text. Also called ‘slow reading’, this deep approach will enrich and enhance your reading experience.

When was the last time you indulged in reading something with undivided attention and a profound understanding? Reading is something we practise in various forms, the purpose ranging from the academic to personal, but rarely with the deliberate focus that deep reading brings to the table. It is a level attained through understanding the construction of meaning and access to strategies tailored to the process, all of which can be enriching. When a reader simply focuses on decoding the words, the result is superficial reading. On the other hand, deep reading requires insight into the three phases of reading. You begin by setting a meaningful purpose for reading a particular text, establishing prior knowledge and then using appropriate strategies to analyze the meaning. This process strengthens the foundation upon which you construct new knowledge by bringing together the information in the text and the reader’s contribution.

As you progress through the course, you will examine strategies you can apply in the process's pre-, during- and post-reading stages. You will explore the characteristics of three specific reading approaches - the bottom-up, top-down and interactive approaches - and be able to select the specific approach best suited to your purpose. You will understand how constant prediction and confirming constitute a core process of deep reading, which in turn is central to metacognition. Skimming, scanning, mapping, vocabulary building, underlining and highlighting and summarization are all fundamental skills you will learn to apply to your reading. Finally, you will discover how to identify bias and metaphor in texts, both of which can complicate reading and have a negative effect on your interpretation.

By the end of this course, you will understand how deep reading goes far beyond the type of superficial reading that results from a narrow emphasis on comprehension of the writer’s input. We prepare you to approach reading with a purposeful meaning-making process that values your personal contribution as a reader. If you want to strengthen your reading skills, whether for academic, professional or personal development, this course in deep reading is designed to empower you to reach your goal. Sign up now and start your journey today.