Reading as a Multi-Layer activity: Training Strategies at Text Level

In the science of reading, both theoretical models and diagnostic/remedial applications usually – and often implicitly – refer to reading aloud. Rarely is silent reading taken into consideration, unless the research focuses on a reading comprehension task. Yet in adult life reading is in most contexts a silent activity, and competent readers instinctively adapt their reading behaviour to their different goals and needs (i.e. skimming a text for quick information, close reading, scanning for accurate analysis, etc.). This research is based on the assumption that reading is an everyday life activity aimed at the comprehension (and often a certain level of memorization) of texts. From this perspective, a global dimension substitutes for local analysis, with textual and pragmatic implications. Against this theoretical background, the study focuses on a training course, named SuperReading, which promotes a strategic reading behaviour working on different psychological and linguistic components. The paper will illustrate the main aspects of the course and the results obtained by a population of 130 participants, both typical and dyslexic readers. An A-B design research has been carried out, with the administration of reading texts pre- and post-course. Data obtained for reading time, comprehension and reading effectiveness (a parameter combining the two) show significant improvements in both groups, with dyslexic readers outperforming at the end of the course their typical counterparts at the beginning. Furthermore, the performance of participants to SuperReading in standardized reading texts before and after attendance indicates that the training modifies their reading behaviour.