The Nature of Reading


a.      Definition of Reading
Related to the better understanding of reading, the researcher presents some basic theories about reading suggested by some experts. According to Rayner and Pollatsek in Lee (2003: 3), reading is the ability to extract visual information from the page and comprehend the meaning of the text. Kennedy (1981: 5) defines reading as the ability of an individual to recognize a visual form, associate the form with a sound and /or meaning acquired in the past, and, on the basis of the past experience, understand and interpret its meaning. In line with them, Wallace (1996: 4) states that reading as interpreting means reacting to a written text as a piece of communication.
Meanwhile, Davies (1995: 1) proposes that reading is private; it is mental, or cognitive process that involves a reader in trying to follow a response to a message from a writer who is distant in space and in time. It is also stated by Tiwari (2005: 88) that reading is an interactive process that goes on between the reader and the text, resulting in comprehension. The reader uses knowledge, skill, and strategies to determine the meaning from the text. Grellet (1992: 8) says that reading is an active skill. It involves guesssing, predicting, checking, and asking oneself question.
In addition, Bernhardt in Murcia (2001: 154) defines reading as an interactive, sociocognitive process which includes a text, a reader, and social context where the reading activity takes places.
From the explanations above, it can be concluded that reading is an active skill which includes a text, a reader, and social context in which a reader responds the message from the writer by understanding, comprehending, and interpreting the meaning from a text in a piece of communication using knowledge, skill, and strategies.

*Please mention this blog site if you quote those theories above:)

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