In this blog post, we will look at specific methods for utilizing higher-order thinking as a key strategy for improving reading skills, focusing on adjusting the reading process and utilizing background knowledge.
Metacognition includes the ability to use self-regulatory mechanisms that ensure the achievement of a task. Using self-regulatory mechanisms means checking oneself for problem solving or evaluating one’s own actions. One of the metacognitive processes that uses these self-regulatory mechanisms is cognitive adjustment. Cognitive adjustment plays an important role in various areas, such as the adjustment of the reading process. People who are good at adjusting the reading process are good readers.
Adjusting the reading process is an essential element of successful reading. This includes adjusting reading behavior according to the purpose of reading, activating background knowledge, utilizing contextual information and logical structures, checking the accuracy of understanding, and responding to misunderstandings. Good readers take reading behaviors appropriate to their reading purpose, such as adjusting their reading speed appropriately according to their purpose. For example, if the purpose is to acquire information, they pay attention to details, while if the purpose is to gain an overall understanding, they focus on grasping the overall flow.
In addition, even if they have the same level of background knowledge as readers with poor reading skills, good readers have a different ability to utilize that knowledge in the reading process. It is difficult to expect a sophisticated understanding of the content of a text, which is a meaningful construct, without connecting it to the reader’s own background knowledge. Background knowledge is an important factor in understanding the content of a text, enabling a deeper understanding by connecting new information with existing knowledge.
The use of contextual information and logical structure also affects the understanding of text content. Excellent readers use contextual information during the reading process to infer the meaning of words and sentences and gain a deep understanding of the content based on the logical structure of the text. For example, when they encounter an unfamiliar word, they can infer its meaning from the context or predict the development of events based on the flow of the text. When checking their level of comprehension, good readers apply different criteria depending on the purpose of reading. If they determine that they have failed to understand the content, they use other appropriate strategies to solve the problem.
If the purpose of reading is to construct the meaning of the text as a whole, reading should be done accordingly. For example, when reading a literary work, it is important to understand the theme and the author’s intention, and when reading an academic paper, it is important to understand the main arguments and supporting evidence. However, readers with poor reading skills perceive reading as a process of decoding letters and focus on decoding, thereby reading without regard to the purpose of reading and failing to properly perform cognitive adjustments during the reading process.
Choosing reading strategies that are appropriate for the purpose of reading means having excellent reading skills that utilize higher-order cognition. Reading skills that utilize higher-order cognition go beyond simply reading and understanding text to include the ability to analyze and critically evaluate information. Therefore, if you gain a lot of experience in adjusting the reading comprehension process according to the purpose of reading, you will be able to develop reading skills that utilize higher-order cognition. These skills play an important role not only in academics but also in everyday life and greatly contribute to growth as a lifelong learner.
