12 Processes in Reading

About Sarah Blake LaRose

Sarah Blake LaRose teaches Biblical Hebrew and Greek at Anderson University School of Theology and Christian Ministry in Anderson, Indiana. She is one of three blind academic scholars who received the Jacob Bolotin Award from the National Federation of the Blind in 2016 in recognition of innovative work in the field of access to biblical language texts and tools for people who are blind. In addition to her work as a professor, she provides braille transcription services specializing in ancient languages. Her research interests concern the intersection of disability, poverty, and biblical studies.

There are twelve thinking processes involved in reading (Harley, Henderson, and Truan, 1979). They are:

  1. to discover the main theme with supportive ideas
  2. to recognize a sequence of events or developments
  3. to predict Outcomes and anticipate reactions
  4. to retain details from material of high concept density
  5. to recognize stated or implied cause and effect
  6. to recognize pivotal words that are cues to sequence, contrast, cause, and effect
  7. to distinguish between fact and Opinion
  8. to appreciate shades of meaning expressed by various words
  9. to assess values and exercise judgment
  10. to evaluate the source of information
  11. to adjust the pattern of listening and thinking to the type of material and to the listening purpose
  12. to select and summarize material pertinent to the listening
    purpose

These processes are essential to building an understanding of what is being read. Reading activities should help the child develop skills in using these processes.

Harley, R.K., Henderson, F.M. and Truan, M.B. (1979). The Teaching of braille reading. Springfield: Charles C Thomas.