Beccy: Thoughts on Reading, Language and Music

Lynness’s post and everyone’s responses to it gave me much delicious food for thought! I think I read pretty fast, but other than in grade school when you're told your reading grade-level, I’ve never been timed—like how many words/minute I can type. Have any of you? When I read fiction, especially something suspenseful or very compelling, my eyes take in several lines at once like Abby described. I read differently when I am reading non-fiction.

Is sub-vocalizing pronouncing the words mentally as you read—“hearing” each word in your mind? If so, I’m a sub-vocalizer for sure when I’m reading with learning as my specific intent; non-fiction reading such as the scriptures or The Art of Practicing, for example. It depends on my intent, though, because some parts of the scriptures I read more like a novel (the war chapters in the last part of Alma, for example).

For me, much of learning is fused with hearing. If I am given a list of seven unrelated words to memorize, I do it by sound, not by meaning or visualization. I often find I have unintentionally memorize scriptures because of their peculiar language and memorable sound (there are certainly better reasons to memorize them :).

Like Lulu and Rae, I love to read out loud (ask my kids) because I love the actual sound of the words. More specifically, I love human expression in spoken language. And, like all of us, I subconsciously judge people, or learn much about them by how they speak. I am delighted by accents, quirky speech impediments and colloquialisms. To my thinking, language—in an aural sense—is a form of music. For me, reading is taking in meaning from the music of language. Add to that the joy of imagination—no wonder we love it.

Aside from the sound of it, language captures so much of personality. I enjoyed acting in plays as a youth because I loved becoming a different person; talking differently than I talk and trying to convince listeners that the pretend emotions were genuine. When I read out loud to my kids I am just being a ham and indulging myself in that pleasure. My kids’ (when they were small, but Katie’s still) most requested picture book for me to read them is Eric Carle’s Polar Bear, Polar Bear What Do You Hear? because each animal has it’s own distinct voice and accent suggested to me by their appearance/type of animal. The more I exaggerate, the more we laugh.

Rae’s post about music and the brain led me to compare my mental process when writing words to writing music. When I write words, there is an idea I want to express, and I am accessing my vocabulary and emotions, trying to find words that capture the essence of my thoughts. Usually there is an initial “brain dump” and then lots of editing to clarify, capture subtle nuances, etc. When I write music (without lyrics), there is something to express, but I’m not sure what to call it. It’s some combination of idea, sound and emotion. There is an outpouring of musical mess as I try to convey the ‘idea,’ and then lots of highly-detail-oriented refining. I consider each note, constantly going from micro to macro to measure the value of the individual sound and its place in context. In writing prose or poetry, we do that with words, sentences, paragraphs, etc. It’s interesting to me that in both cases, the finished product is so much more than the sum of its parts. I suppose that is the essence of creation.

It’s lunch time and I’m still in my pajamas and slippers. I’m down with flu today and finishing Stradiveri’s Genius. I average about 3 nose-blows per page (on tissues, not the book). I’ll comment on that and my November book pick next post.

LULU

Lynness's words & November books

If you're curious about how I've headed this post, I just had an idea I wanted to ask everyone about. I've been starting to read our posts, then having to quickly scroll down to clarify whose post I'm reading. So I was thinking that maybe we could head the post with our names, and then put your post title in the actual post itself? It's really just something that would make it easier for me, but if no one else wants to do that, I don't mind! Just a small matter of convenience.

Like Abby & probably everybody else, I've been mulling over Lynness's words since I finished reading them. It started an interesting discussion with Phill, who, as odd as it may seem to us bookworms, does not read for pleasure. We were talking about why he doesn't care to read, and he was saying that [aside from his having something akin to dyslexia--he often gets ahead of himself and switches words or letters around] he has a very hard time visualizing (and retaining) what he's reading. For him, it really is a chore. When he does read, he likes to read self-help or church books. So for him, reading is very practical. He has to feel that it's productive for him, in other ways than imagination. An interesting thing to note, though, is that he really likes for me to read to him. And, like Aunt Rae, I love to read aloud....the sound of well-written words is as beautiful to me as the sound of well-written music. (If not more.) And when I'm reading to Phill, he's hardly picky at all regarding the genre. He doesn't actually care for mysteries, because he figures them out on the second page. And he can't stand so-called "chick lit". (Which is fine, because, generally speaking, neither can I.) I have read aloud to him The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver (Rae, I'm jealous that you met her. I read her books slowly because I dread the moment when I've read all of them, and there are no more left.), Left to Tell by Immaculee Ilibagiza, and portions of a few others. It's something we both really enjoy! He seems to be visualizing just fine when he's hearing the words, as opposed to looking at them. I tend to be mostly an auditory and visual learner--I remember best the words I've read when I read them out loud to myself. Kate and Maddie used to walk into the room and just stand at the door and listen as I read to myself (for school studying purposes) in various voices and personalities, and then they would burst out laughing when I paused, which always startled me. On the same note, but in a different measure (sorry, that was cheesy....couldn't resist), I know that I subvocalize when I read. But when I get really into the book, I either stop subvocalizing, or I just don't notice that I'm doing it anymore. I read fast when I like what I'm reading. *By the way, Lynness, I really enjoyed your post, especially when you wrote about reading the scriptures as a family, and how that has benefited all of you! I'm happy you're "here".*

I have picked a book for November already. I found a book award for foreign fiction authors, the name of which I don't know. But I'm sure you can find what I'm talking about if you google "foreign authors of fiction". My book choice is Vienna by Eva Menasse (translated from German by Anthea Bell). Its description was short, since it was listed amongst a few other awarded books: "a part-Jewish family's adventures during the second world war and its aftermath in Vienna and England." There was also a book listed that is a fictional account of Marie Curie--if anyone is interested, its name and author are: The Story of Blanche and Marie by Per Olov Enquist (translated from Swedish by Tina Nunnally). Now, since I've listed all I know about these two books, if anyone has anything to say about them--be it good or bad--feel free to let me know!

Subvocalizing & Whole Language

I've been thinking about Lynness' post about words and reading too! Eric and I have talked about this a lot lately. In January he read a book about speed reading and is now very good at it. Like Matt, Eric uses it all the time for school but he also speed reads when he's reading for pleasure.

I haven't felt the need to change how I read, yet. I read fast and I know I subvocalize, just not all the time. Like Rae, I don't mouth the words. Quite often I notice when I'm subvocalizing. But I've found that it doesn't happen when I'm really drawn into a book (that is to say, I don't notice if I'm subvocalizing...although I'm probably still doing it). If I'm reading something that takes more effort, then I'm more likely to notice it. The other day I was noticing that when I read a line of text, I subvocalized the first half and then the second half was taken in at a glance. I think my brain gets tired of waiting and moves on. Sometimes I notice that as I read my mind will skip ahead and try to read a few lines if I'm subvocalizing a different line and then those two parts of my brain meet halfway. It's kind of strange and sometimes disconcerting.

Lynness, does Nathan speed-read when he's reading for leisure? I'd be interested in knowing if he feels like it's changed how he reads. I am curious and sometimes think about learning to speed read just to turn off that "subvocalizing monitor" in my head. But I wonder what things it might change.

I can relate to Rae & Lynness in many of the things they've said about when and how they read. I read everywhere too. I read a large-print version of The Daughter of Time a couple of weeks ago because it was all they had at the library and accidentally discovered that large-print books work great for reading while doing dishes! Lately I've even been reading while singing bedtime songs to Heidi. I wonder if that's an exercise in not subvocalizing? Can you subvocalize if you're singing at the same time? Sometimes it feels like I still am and other times I can tell I'm not.

I love shutting out the world when I read but I rarely do it. I did it all the time before having kids. Now I don't do it simply out of necessity. On occasion I'm able to indulge and really escape into a book when they're with Eric or asleep.

As I've been thinking about this, I've been thinking about how so many of us feel driven to read. It's so compelling that at times I struggle to balance my priorities. Any thoughts on how all of you balance this out, or attempt to?

Thots on "Words on Words"

I have been thinking for a couple of days now about Lynness' post re words and reading. I've even chatted with Ivan and Bill re the mechanics of our reading. I think that Lynness and my reading mechanics must be very different as I pretty much do everything she does not.

I realized, when I thought about it, that I do subvocalize a lot, depending on what I am reading. I almost always do it with nonfiction and in descriptive fiction. But in narrative fiction, I have a sort of "play" in my head and the words are instantaneously spoken by the characters. In spite of this, I am a fast reader. I never mouth the words and really don't think I subvocalize every word. I think I have been more aware of it since her post...almost annoyingly so!

I rarely shut out the world when I read and, in fact, love to multi-task when reading i.e. listen to music or television (news mostly or sports). I am always aware of my surroundings. Ivan, on the other hand, needs to shut himself out in order to hear the "narrator" in his mind. Bill can completely tune the world out for long periods of time.

I love to read nonfiction aloud and often do when no one else is in the house. I love to hear the words roll off my tongue. I rarely read fiction out loud. I especially love to read the scriptures out loud. I find it helps me to comprehend and remember what I have read. Again, I think it's the words that I love more than the actual reading process.

I learned to read partly in Preston, Idaho (I don't remember phonics there) and in Buffalo, New York. In NY the focus was entirely on phonics and dipthongs. I have been told that I read well because of that teaching focus. I have never had difficulty with spelling, although I still have some troublesome words that always plague me. Bill learned without phonics in California and often guesses at words when we read the scriptures out loud as a family. He wasn't encouraged apparently (I wasn't there...) to sound out any words, and so as he learns a new word, he simply memorizes it and adds it to his repertoire. He does comprehend quite well, but sometimes has to slow down and really pay attention to read aloud. Ivan is pretty much the same way...a fast reader when he is interested in something but not necessarily a confident reader out loud. He loves words, however, and enjoys using odd or old ones in conversation. His mind is like a steel trap and he remembers most of what he reads. I have to write things down to remember them. I visually remember where particular words or quotes are on a page and can tell you the basic plot or point of what I have read, but not necessarily all of the details...unless I was enthralled with the book.

Sometimes I feel the pressure to read. Because I list and annotate every book I read (annually), I start to pay more attention to the numbers than the material. Over a lifetime of reading, I average a book a week. However, the last six years or so, it has been two books a week, usually one nonfiction and one fiction. I am always reading five or six books at a time. When I feel the pressure to read, I settle my mind down and find something that I really want to savor. I purposely slow myself down and enjoy the process of reading itself.

I never wanted to take speed reading because I always felt I read fast enough already and if I read any faster it would change my whole purpose in reading...the focus would be on the speed rather than on the reading. I know that Matt took a class in college and used the technique for reading his textbooks. He rarely used it for anything else though.

I really think this is interesting. I don't know that I have ever examined my own reading mechanics before. Thank, Lynness, for opening the topic. I would be interested to know how the rest of you read and why you think that is.

Happy reading!

Words on words

I've been thinking a lot about reading in general lately, what with
getting emails about the book blog, Isaiah starting kindergarten, etc..
I give a high priority in my own life to the written word. I'd rather
read a book than listen to it on CD, I'd rather read a book than watch a
movie most of the time, I love to sleep, but usually end up reading
instead of sleeping when I'm in the middle of a good book, I read while
nursing and while cooking, and I've been known to read at red lights.
I've always been this way: when I did the Book-It program in elementary
school (a free personal pizza from Pizza Hut every month that you reach
your reading goal), I always met my goal and I didn't (still don't) even
like pizza- I always gave it to my sister!
Many of my friends who like to read do not understand this all-consuming
desire. But then, I know others who do not like to read at all, which I
do not understand. Why is this? Talking and thinking it over, I'm
wondering if how one reads makes a big difference. When Nathan took a
speed-reading course at BYU he was taught to un-learn how he read. The
biggest challenge was to stop subvocalizing. It was at that point that I
realized why I read so fast: I have never subvocalized. It was a
revelation to me that other people actually said each word in their mind
as they read silently! No wonder it takes so long! No wonder it's
frustrating!
My mother has always read aloud to us, from the time we were babies
through college. She didn't read only books at our level either. She
read the entire "Little House" series to me, starting when I was a baby.
She read "Bambi"- not the Disney version. She read "Added Upon." She
read the Book of Mormon. When I would come home from college, she would
still read to all four of us. I learned to read before I went to
kindergarten. I learned phonics there (flat tire, flat tire, sssss,
ssssss, sssssss) but I believe I read the way I do because of her
reading to me. The 'whole language' approach to reading is currently out
of style, and I do not think that you can effectively teach reading
without some phonics; but I think maybe recognizing words as a whole,
not breaking them down into syllables and sounding them out, has a place
in reading. I believe this is how I learned to read and why I do not
subvocalize. I recognize word shapes (for example, the word good is
shaped like this: ┌─┘- this may not show up right, we'll see). I have
read that it is harder to read when THINGS ARE WRITTEN IN ALL CAPS.
There are fewer curves and less variability of letter height. Word
shapes are harder to recognize.
There are a few problems with the way I read. I do not recognize many
proper nouns as familiar word shapes, so I gloss over them, remembering
perhaps the first letter. Thus, I can get lost when characters are
talking about other characters, since I have not attached a particular
name to plot events. I have to go back and look where a character was
introduced to remember what I need to know about them. Even worse is
that I dislike reading aloud. It seems so slow and tedious to me, yet I
know my children need it. I would love to provide them with the same
love of books I have. I certainly model reading to them, as 'they' say I
am supposed to, but I know I should read more to them as well. I do read
aloud to them consistently in one area: the scriptures.
We always read the Book of Mormon together as a family growing up. The
first time I read it myself was when I was challenged in Primary at 7
years old to be an ACAD kid: A Chapter A Day. I decided I would go one
better: I would read 5 chapters a day. I did- I read the entire Book of
Mormon in about 7 weeks that way- all except for one night when I was
too tired. I cried myself to sleep that night, knowing I wouldn't get
the ACAD award. My mom knew how much effort I had put into it and
promised a sleep-over when I was done, which I got before my 8th
birthday. A couple of years ago when President Hinckley challenged the
church to read the Book of Mormon before the end of the year, we took
him up on the challenge. Remembering that I had started reading the
scriptures at a young age and believing Isaiah ready to start, we
stopped listening to the Book of Mormon Stories tapes and started the
REAL thing. He was a few months over 3 years old. We read a few verses
every night. Around the end of last year or the beginning of this one,
Isaiah asked to take his turn reading verses aloud. We let him. He can
often read his verses entirely on his own now. We have just finished the
Book of Mormon and are starting over. Isaiah's teacher told me at a
meeting this week that she wants the school reading specialist to test
him and hopes to have him go to a first grade class at reading time. He
is ahead of every other kid in his class. I believe it's because of
reading the scriptures aloud.
Back to the beginning. Many of us who are avid, even voracious, readers
read because we have strong positive associations with reading. But I
believe it is also because we are good and fast at it. Perhaps you are
like me in that when I read, I shut out the world. Nathan knows that
when I'm reading and he wants to talk he has to get my attention and
make me put the book down first. My family knows I'm no good if I've got
my nose in a book. A favorite story of my dad's is me reading on the way
home from church, closing the book in the driveway, and asking the very
same question that had sparked a discussion that lasted the whole way
home- which I had completely missed, thus one of my nicknames:
"Oblivious". Were I a betting person, I'd wager that most of us in this
book blog read the way I do- not subvocalizing, dragging our eyes down
the pages and letting our minds catch up. Am I right?

Well that was an extremely long first post, and Isaiah is getting fed up
with mom typing and not playing. Love you all, Lynness