IMPORTANCE OF READING COMPREHENSION IN SECOND LANGUAGE LEARNING
Fry (1965, p. 24) writes the following words about comprehension:
It is very difficult to define comprehension. Reduced to its simplest elements we might say that comprehension is a part of the communication process of getting the thoughts that were in the author’s mind into the reader’s mind. This is a difficult process because it involves the transmission of an idea through several imperfect media. For example, the author must have a clear idea in his mind, then reduce this idea to written language; this will be printed; and finally the reader looks at the printed word and forms an idea.
Reading can be thought of as being on two levels at once. First of all the reader should get the objective information i.e. facts. According to Fry (1965, p. 26) these facts require little interpretation or judgment. Then on a higher level, the reader should be able to get subjective information, i.e. the tone and the mood of the story, unstated ideas or the overall information. “It might only hint at other situations with which the reader is supposed to be familiar. Or the reader might be expected to generalize from the specific facts given, in order to get a main idea …” (p. 27).
Authors may not state the main purpose of a piece of writing. It is for the reader to bring his background knowledge and thinking ability to get the main idea. “Readers who can only read facts and nothing more can never be called good readers.” On the other hand, readers who can get the facts seldom get the subjective points (ibid.). While teaching reading comprehension, the teacher must always keep in mind that the goal is to understand what the author meant (p. 26).
Davis (2008) writes that undoubtedly students of any language need to be able to read in that language. However, it is not very clear what is exactly meant by reading. Native speakers read a big deal of material each day depending largely on their motivation for reading. Reading in a foreign language is a very useful and relatively painless way to improve the command over the target language. When students already have a thorough understanding of the basic structure and vocabulary of the language, they are able to tackle and enjoy authentic texts on subjects of their interest.
The benefits of reading widely and relatively long texts are enormous for students with a relatively high level of proficiency in the language. They have different needs and different problems from those which they faced at lower educational levels. As they have already studied the vast majority of structures and ways of expressing meaning in English, these students need to be well familiar with the intricacies of these structures, rather than learning ever more. Through reading they can have better understanding of “the subtleties and shades of meaning carried by the use of a particular choice of words in a particular context.” Grammatical Structures and vocabulary can be learned easily through reading a lot. While students are about to complete their formal study of the “structural elements of English”, vocabulary will continue growing (ibid.).
Hussain (2005, p.110) writes that a person who comprehends English language has the following capabilities:
He can read at normal speed. He is able to understand “the lexical and the structural meanings of the words, phrases and sentences.” He can “take in complete phrases or groups of words at once and when reading aloud, use appropriate sounds, juncture, stress and intonation pattern.” He can guess the meaning of unfamiliar words while reading a text. If he is unable to guess the meaning of an unfamiliar word, he can find out it in a dictionary. He can skip unnecessary information while skimming. He is able to read silently without moving his lips. He is able to differentiate between opinion and facts. He can locate the topic sentence in a paragraph. He can make a summary of important points. He can distinguish between various moods of the writer. He can recognize the meanings of various graphic signals such as punctuation marks, etc.
Aebersold and Field (1997, p. 15) write that reading is what happens when people look at a text and assign meaning to the written symbols in that text. The text and the reader are two physical entities necessary for the reading process to begin. It is, however, the interaction between the text and the reader that constitutes actual reading.
The “attainment of simple reading” is not the quest. An insight, compassion, open – mindedness and tolerance must be developed. So many of young readers are interested only in fast – paced thrillers, which leave little room for reflection. Such readers when asked to read a classic agitate with loud groans (Pervez, 2008, p. 21).
Buzen (1997, pp. 33 – 34), on the other hand, defines reading as a process involving following seven steps:
Recognition i.e. the knowledge of the alphabetical symbols. This step takes place the instant before the physical reading begins. Assimilation – by which light is reflected from the word received by the eye and transmitted, via the optic nerve, to the brain. Intra – integration – a process equivalent to the basic comprehension, referring to the linking of all parts of the information being read with all other appropriate parts. Extra – integration i.e. bringing of previous knowledge to the material being read and making appropriate connections, analyzing, appreciating, selecting and reading. Retention i.e. the basic storage of information. Recall i.e. being able to get back from the storage whenever and whatever is needed. Communication i.e. the use to which the information is immediately or eventually put.
Reading is indeed very important in learning a foreign language. To give reading its due importance in Pakistani system of language learning, it is a dire need of time to understand the importance of reading in second language learning with particular to learning English as a second language. Language skills are usually grouped as receptive skills i.e. reading and listening, and productive skills i.e. speaking and writing. “People who use a language have a number of sub – skills within each of the four main skills.” (Lucantoni, 2001, p. 4)
The basic purpose of reading in first language learning is somehow different from that of second language learning. “In FL [Foreign Language] learning, reading is often used for purposes which are different from those found in mother – tongue. The most typical use of reading in a foreign language class is to teach the language itself.” In this way, vocabulary, structures and other things can be learnt through reading in a foreign language and to extend command over that particular language (Nuttall, 1982, p. 19).
Elley & Manghubai (1983) write that the effect of differences between learning of mother language and second language, in formal education, can be eliminated by means of a reading program based on the use of an abundance of high – interest illustrated story books and that high – interest story reading has an important role to play in second language learning. The pupils which, in their study, were exposed to wider reading progressed in reading and listening comprehension at
