Lesson 7:

Understanding and Interpreting Content

The reason people read new material is to learn new information. We read for enjoyment, for information, and sometimes because we are required to read (e.g, for school, work, etc.). If you understand what you read, learning is easier. A process that you use to make sense of new information is called a strategy. It is the way your brain operates to make sense of new things.

• How do you understand what you are reading or viewing?

• What strategies do you use to help you make sense of what you are experiencing?

Everyone has his or her own way of understanding new information. Think about what you do when you see a picture you have never seen before. What goes through your mind? What do you say? A common response might be "What is that?" or "I think it looks like a ..." When people learn new information, they always rely on what they already know. When you read something you have not read before, your mind does the same thing as it does when it sees a new picture or a new object: "What does this mean?" or "This is similar to the story about ...."

In this lesson, you will learn some strategies to help you understand what you see and read.