Contextual preparation to improve reading is known as prereading.
The stage that precedes the actual reading of a text is called pre-reading . It is a process that is based on the analysis of various issues linked to the material to be read in order to then make the most of the reading instance.
Spontaneous or structured
It is common for pre-reading to be carried out spontaneously, without the person stopping to think about the steps they are following or their objectives. However, it is possible to develop pre-reading in a conscious and structured way to enhance the subsequent benefits that will be obtained through reading.
In the gray area at both extremes we find many people who may or may not practice pre-reading, as well as do so frequently or sporadically and with methods learned or created by themselves. When it comes to reading a new work, we do not always have the same degree of enthusiasm or need: buying the most recent title by our favorite author is not the same as reading a required text for school.
It is interesting to note that reading used to be considered a passive cognitive process. However, in recent times, the reader has come to be seen as an active agent who is responsible for searching for meaning in what he reads, making pre-reading essential.
Main features
Many times pre-reading begins with a brief investigation about the author of the text . Knowing who the creator of the document is, in what period he lived or if he is contemporary, where he was born, etc., contributes to understanding the context in which the work was written.
Pre-reading also typically includes what is known as scanning . This action consists of studying the cover and back cover of the book , looking at the index and the names of the chapters and turning the pages to see if they have photographs or graphics. Thus the reader prepares to advance safely.
In some cases, pre-reading includes examining and defining the purpose of the reading . By knowing why it will be read, you can build hypotheses about the text and optimize comprehension.
Benefits
Before addressing the benefits of pre-reading, we must keep in mind that the person who approaches a book to assume the role of reader may also be a writer, professional or teacher in the field that the text deals with, among many other possibilities. Reading for pleasure, for the love of literature, leads us to endless works, which can deal with many different topics , even some that are difficult for the reader to understand. When viewed as a learning or deepening method, the experience is different.
Pre-reading can also help you find the right book.
Let's start then with the reader who does not seek a specific goal beyond the enjoyment of a good book . Titles that deal with neuroscience, caring for the environment, the relationship with oneself, etc., can pass through your hands, and all of them will leave you with something unique, new concepts and points of view that will make you reflect. Pre-reading, in your case, can help you investigate the more technical aspects, which perhaps you would not be able to understand if you faced them without preparation.
Professionals, for their part, who choose books to delve deeper into the topics they need for their work and studies, approach pre-reading in a different way, and also obtain different benefits. In your case, there are not so many concepts that are going to be unknown or difficult to understand, but pre-reading can save you time if it helps you discard in advance those sources that do not fit your search criteria .