While browsing the books on my shelf in search of a leisurely winter evening read, each mini universe of ideas divided into chapters, introductions and appendices, my eyes landed on one title: Fly Tying Made Clear and Simple: An Easy to Follow All-color Guide. It was an interesting selection as, in pondering the concept of deep reading, images of weighty novels, cups of tea for sustenance and soft couch cushions filled my mind. This book was clearly more instructional in nature, and, as I looked over my collection more, I realized that quite a few of my acquisitions were of this type, all lined up and waiting to tell me what to do. In a carefully constructed yet conversational manner, the author, Skip Morris, shared many of the common pitfalls that a newbie fly tyer might encounter and endeavored to equip the intrepid learner with the tools necessary to head off those frustrations, while also welcoming the lessons that making mistakes offers. I think I was drawn to the manual for the same reasons I love cookbooks: a series of steps to follow with perhaps a sprinkle of history on the topic, and a tangible (perhaps edible) outcome! If I was to truly benefit from the fly tying manual though, I would need to slow down and dig into it, not just skim the table of contents and selected areas.
This digging, the purposeful effort known as deep reading is foundational for higher order learning skills. Beginning with the pursuit of an interest, deep reading is about taking the time to connect to the ideas, artistry, knowledge, wisdom and experience of another mind (writer/thinker). Also referred to as slow reading, it is a contemplative action, meant for exploration. It may involve marking up a text or taking notes as you go to better process the content. In this approach, ideas and stories are read and reread, visited and revisited, considered and reconsidered. But deep reading is not only about personal pleasure and intellectual development. As noted by Hall et al (2015), “deep reading has the unique capacity to teach human beings how best to create a narrative self, and, when coupled with focused conversation, how best to create a community for learning…where students and teachers can negotiate meaning together”. The skilled deep reader also notices when her mind starts to wander. Recognizing her distracted mind as a signal to take a break from reading, she provides herself with space for reflection- entry to the mental workroom where she can putter: analyzing, synthesizing and evaluating.
Deep reading asks us to intensify our attention, to leverage our reading and thinking skills simultaneously. We first have to decode words and sentences, then construct meaning through the landscape of sentences and paragraphs before expanding to how we might think critically about what we a reading, and develop or connect with new ideas beyond that. Whereas expert readers do all of this in seconds, new readers need to work deliberately to execute these moves and practice is critical to improvement. The exercise of deep reading invites the reader to enjoy and build relationships with books, understanding that they operate as a starting point for the imagination, they do not just warehouse facts. In this way, deep reading can help calm the stress and chaos of modern life. It is not, however, geared for convenient, efficient information gathering that the world we live in demands.
As such, deep reading is not prioritized in the attention-based economy of our almost paradoxically text-rich society nor within digital learning platforms and frameworks. Headlines, quotes and excerpts grab our attention and nudge our thinking, but taken alone, can easily result in shallow speculation. Nuanced opinions grow from digging into a text, although that practice takes a good deal of time. So how might a learner develop a sense of mindfulness with their own reading? Considering books themselves with their wide array of formats and styles is a useful place to start. Offering instruction, reference material, philosophies, entertainment, persuasion and more, the experience you have with a particular book depends on how you approach it. Think about your own intentions with a text. Are you needing to grab some information quickly? Are you ready to dive in for a good long read or do you only have 10 or 15 minutes to yourself? Is the selection something you found yourself or was it a recommendation–how might that affect the way you engage with the book? Are you working on a specific skill or actionable outcome? Would supplementing your reading with a digital resource be useful, or vice versa? Even after you have made your selection and have started reading, notating and discussing, do not worry about putting a text down and returning to it at a later time. The book will be there when you are ready.
Reference:
Hall, M. et al (2015). The power of deep reading and mindful literacy: An innovative approach in contemporary education. Retrieved from:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/278017481
Additional resources:
https://www.ascd.org/el/articles/the-importance-of-deep-reading
https://www.thoughtco.com/what-is-deep-reading-1690373
