The concepts of reading and writing

In this article, reading and writing are seen as two distinct, but related processes in the construction of meaning. We must note that, actually, the traditional, reductionist approach through which reading and writing used to be studied, falls into a distinct theoretical position than the one we are using here. In this model, we consider these two processes as simple coding and decoding activities, unrelated to the topic of conversation.

In this respect, the concept of reading has changed dramatically: previously, it was considered a serial pattern (ascending or descending), while now it is seen as an “interactive process”. From this point of view, reading is perceived as (Grabe, 1997) “a process that requires the reader to activate his abilities and knowledge, in order to interpret a text; through this process, textual structures and previous knowledge activate in the memory and coordinate the construction of meaning.” From an interactive perspective, for example, the reader should be able to turn back and clarify something that he doesn’t understand – an idea or a word – and he is also able to anticipate or make predictions about the text.

On the other hand, it is essential to take into account the fact that the relation between the topic and the text appears in the network of social interactions, which implies the interpretation and production of different text genres, each having specific purposes.