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Deep Reading vs. Screen Reading

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9 views6 pages

Deep Reading vs. Screen Reading

Uploaded by

xiongxingyu999
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Hello, this is Six Minute English from BBC Learning English.

I'm

Phil. And I'm Georgie. For me, there's nothing like reading a book，I love

turning the pages and the smell of the [Link] nowadays, the fact is that

much of the time we read from electronic screens, not [Link], like

Georgie, I love books. I also find that too much screen time hurts my

eyes. But the availability of digital information means that I end up

reading from screens most days. So, apart from sore eyes, is this a

problem? Is reading from screens harmless, or could it be damaging us in

some way, such as reducing our attention span – the length of time that

someone can keep concentrated on what they are doing? That's what

we'll be discussing in this program, and of course, we'll be learning some

useful new vocabulary too Great. But first, it's time for my question.

Whether you prefer paper or screens, as humans we're now reading more

words than ever before. So how many words does the average person

read a day?
Quiz question

Is it

a) 50,000 words?

b) 100,000 words? or,

c) 200,000 words?

I'll guess it's 50,000 words a [Link], Georgie, we'll find out the correct

answer later in the programme. Of course, there's little doubt that any

kind of reading is good for [Link]'s Cressida Cowell, author of the how

to rain the discussion. Your Dragon' children's books, speaking with BBC

[Link] brings three magical powers – creativity, intelligence and

[Link] for the joy of it is one of the two key factors in a kid's

later economic success.

You're more likely to not be in prison, to vote, to own your own home.

All of these advantages and benefits happen as a result of literacy.

Cressida talks about the importance of reading for the joy of [Link] you
do an activity for the joy of it,you do it simply for the pleasure of doing

it,rather than as a way to gain something [Link] lists the many

benefits of reading for children,

including economic success in later [Link] many of these benefits

depend on a state known as 'deep reading',analysing a text to understand

its deeper [Link] in test after test, researchers have shown that

'deep reading' skills develop better when kids read from books.

Professor Maryanne Wolf is a teacher,and advocate for children's

literacy around the world. Here, she explains more about 'deep reading' to

BBC Ideas.

When we read at a surface level, we're just getting the [Link]

we read deeply, we use much more of our cerebral cortex. Deep reading

means that we make analogies, we make inferences, which allows us to

be truly critical,analytic, empathic human [Link] reality is, it's not


what, or how much, we read, but how we read, that's really [Link]

very volume is having negative effects because to absorb that much,

there's a propensity towards skimming. Professor Wolf's research shows

that reading from screens encourages reading at the surface level, quickly

and superficially looking at what can be easily [Link]

books, on the other hand, activates different areas of the brain,allowing a

reader to develop positive traits like empathy,and to understand the

deeper level of a book,including analogies and [Link] analogy is a

comparison between things that have similar [Link] example, you

might talk about the human heart using the analogy of a [Link]

inference is a guess, opinion,or conclusion that you make based on the

information you already have.

For example, seeing smoke in the distance, you would make an

inference
that there's [Link]'s these types of deeper, more subtle understanding that

we get from reading books. So, why is it that reading from screens doesn't

develop these skills in the same way?Well, the answer has to do with the

volume, the sheer number of words, pings and notifications that screens

bombard us with every [Link] of deep reading, this encourages

skimming – reading rapidly in order to get a general overview of

something.

I think it's time to reveal the answer to my question, Georgie. I asked you,

how many words does the average modern person read a day.

Quiz answer

And I guessed it was 50,000 [Link], you were half right. In

fact, the correct answer was double that, 100,000 words.

Vocabulary recap

Right, let's recap the vocabulary we've learned from this programme,
starting with 'attention span',the length of time that someone can stay

concentrated on one [Link] you do something for the joy of it, you do it

simply for the pleasure you get, rather than as a way to get something

[Link] phrase 'on the surface level', describes looking at something

quickly and superficially rather than trying to understand its full, deeper

meaning.

An analogy is a comparison between things that have similar features,

for example, a human heart and a pump,and an inference is a guess or

conclusion that you make based on the information you already have,

like inferring fire from seeing [Link] finally, skimming is reading

rapidly in order to get a general overview of the text being [Link]

again, our six minutes are up. Goodbye for now! Bye!

Common questions

Powered by AI

Deep reading enhances skills such as making analogies and inferences, as well as fostering critical, analytic, and empathetic thinking. These skills derive from the active engagement of the cerebral cortex while processing the deeper meaning of texts .

Professor Maryanne Wolf's research shows that books facilitate deeper engagement of the brain, activating areas responsible for analogy and inference, promoting critical and empathetic thinking. In contrast, reading on screens is often shallow due to skimming practices brought about by the volume of digital information and constant distractions .

The large volume of words read daily from screens can lead to skimming rather than deep reading, which encourages shallow understanding. The constant barrage of words and digital notifications discourages sustained focus and engagement with the material, undermining comprehension and critical analysis .

Deep reading activates much more of the cerebral cortex and involves making analogies and inferences, which enables critical, analytic, and empathetic thinking. This reading depth is crucial as it supports cognitive development and fosters qualities like creativity, intelligence, and empathy in children .

Reading from electronic screens can result in surface-level reading, which encourages skimming due to the volume and interruptions from digital pings and notifications. This reduces the development of deep reading skills that involve critical and analytical thinking. Unlike reading from paper books, which activates different areas of the brain for deeper understanding, screen reading tends to be more superficial .

Skimming, common in screen reading, involves rapid reading to grasp a general overview of text. This practice limits deep comprehension and critical analysis, contributing to a superficial engagement with material due to distractions and the high volume of content available digitally .

Cressida Cowell suggests that reading for pleasure is one of the two key factors in a child's later economic success. This form of reading promotes literacy, which correlates with not being in prison, participating in voting, and owning a home, thus linking literacy to economic and social advantages .

The average person reads about 100,000 words daily. This extensive word consumption can contribute to the propensity for skimming and superficial engagement with texts, impacting the ability to perform deep, analytic, and critical reading due to the distraction and overload from digital content .

Reading for joy involves engaging in reading purely for the pleasure it brings, without any ulterior motives such as gaining specific knowledge or achieving goals. This contrasts with reading for utilitarian reasons, where the primary focus is on obtaining information or results rather than enjoyment .

A key cognitive process facilitated by book reading is making inferences, which involves drawing conclusions from information already known. This process is less emphasized in screen reading due to the tendency for surface-level engagement and skimming, rather than deeply processing content .

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