Newsletter of the Canadian Association for the Study of Language and Learning

Volume 24, Number 1, Spring 2007

Sayyed Mohsen Fatemi

University of British Columbia, University of Phoenix, City University, Antioch University and Upper Iowa University

smfatemi@hotmail.com or sayyedmohsen.fatemi@ubc.ca

In Search of a Model: Reading as Swimming

Reading as swimming
Reading is like swimming. It is a conscious and voluntary act, which involves a composite of many factors. When reader takes upon himself or herself to read a text, he/she starts an act, which bristles with multifarious elements and constituents.

Applications
Here we look at the analogy of swimming and try to apply the findings. The swimmer (the reader) can swim (read) just to find some thing, something for which he/she has begun swimming (Efferent reading, Rosenblatt). The swimmer, however, may swim and, in doing this, he “fixes his attention on the actual experience he is living through”(Aesthetic reading-Rosenblatt). The activities that the swimmer (the reader) does in relation to the swimming (reading) determines the distinction on what kind of swimming (reading) takes place in relation to the water (Text). (Efferent or Aesthetic –Rosenblatt).

The experience
The swimmer (the reader) can swim (read) and experience the rapture and enjoyment of swimming (reading) not because of what will happen after swimming (reading) and what will be the end result (product) but because of the fact that swimming (reading) itself can be a delectable and pleasurable experience with an enjoyment, rara avis and exquisite, in its kind (Bleich). The swimmer (reader) can not swim (read) by obeying the “emphatic classroom demands” on how to swim (read) without actually being engaged in the act of swimming (reading) (Meek, Dias).

The swimmer (reader) needs to experience swimming (reading) by swimming (reading) not by going through the prefabricated categories that others have placed for swimming (reading). Engagement is important (Dias).

Of course the background knowledge of swimming (reading) is significant and the type of water (Text), its depth, and its characteristics generate openness and constraint on how to swim (read) (Rosenblatt). But here is the point: No one can swim (read) for you, you need to experience it yourself (Rosenblatt).

The swimming (reading) is “an event occurring at a particular time in a particular environment at a particular moment in the life history” of the swimmer (reader)(Rosenblatt). The swimmer (reader) can celebrate this event by truly engaging in the process and in the very act of swimming (reading). (Rosenblatt). A transaction happens between the swimmer (reader) and the water (text). (Rosenblatt).

The swimmer (reader) can not passively swim (read) in the water (text). Passive swimming (reading) will smother the swimmer (reader) [Meek]. Water (text) is activated by the swimmer (reader) as the swimmer (reader) starts the very act of swimming (reading). [Rosenblatt].

Swimming (reading) is not just a response to a stimulus; it entails an ongoing process, something beyond the mere responding to a stimulus. [Rosenblatt]. Not every one swims (reader) in the exact way as the other/another swimmer (reader) does.

One may have a quick swimming (reading), with a very fast speed (efferent reading) but that is entirely different from swimming in depth; and living by swimming (Aesthetic reading)[Rosenblatt].

The more prolific a swimmer (reader), the more brilliant and profound swimming (reading). [Applebee, Fusco, Parnell). The way the swimmer (reader) swims (reads), can be related to the swimmer’s (reader’s) assertiveness, aggressiveness and ego strength [Bleich].

Teaching
The coach (teacher) needs to understand that being imposing and controlling and emphasizing adamant techniques on how to swim will not enhance the richness of swimming (reading) and the interpretation of swimmers (readers response) [Applebee, Meek, Dias, Michalack]. On the contrary, when the swimmer (reader) is given freedom of action by the coach (teacher), he/she can take responsibility on how to freely swim (reader), some thing which will give the swimmer (reader) a good feeling in the entire act of swimming  (reading) and will produce an effective interpretation (reader’s response) after the completion of swimming (reading). [Doerr, McClure, Straw].

Experiencing the experience
Again the swimmer’s abilities (reader’s cognitive factors) play an important role on the manner of swimming (reading) and on the swimmer’s recount of swimming (reader’s response). [Petrossky, Burnbury,Cullinan, Harwood, & Galda]. The coach (teacher) needs to seriously take in to account the existence of the said factors. (Cognitive and social).

The type of coaching (curriculum and teaching) and the kind or constituents of the water for swimming (text) can have an effect on the swimmer’s swimming (reader’s reading) and his/her subsequent recount of the swimming (reading)[Dias, Ambrulevich].   The goal is not just to get in to the water (traveling without arriving, Thomson), but to experience the empowering enjoyment of swimming (reading) in the most sublime form. [Rosenblatt, Dias, Bleich, Meek, Thomson, Beach].

Perspectives
The very act of swimming (reading) may be discussed in the context of diffferent perspectives. Some may only lay emphasis on ‘water’ (text)[New Criticism], others may underscore “systems and structure of constituents of ‘water’ [the norms, conventions, and mental processes that account for meaning]. {Culler} [Structuralism]. There are also some others who may underline neither ‘the swimmer’ (reader) nor the ‘water’ (text), and question the established interpretations and formulations on swimming (reading) as a system [post-structuralism].

The dialectics of the experiencer and the experience
The interaction of the swimmer (reader) with water (text) is a remarkably conspicuous point [Reader-response Criticism]. Water is not known until the swimming starts {Text is incomplete until it is read). Each swimmer (reader) brings some thing to the water (text) that gives a new facet to the water (completes the text) and that makes each swimming (reading) different. What the swimmer (reader) brings to the water (text) is discussed in different ways. Some say that what swimmer (reader) brings to the water (text) is not under his control, it is quite unconscious [Jacques Lacan and Norman Holland].

Others say that it is the ‘language’ that makes up the conscious mind of swimmer (reader)[Poststructuralist critics]. Some others say that oceans or pools (authors) always leave some thing hidden, cryptic and clandestine (unsaid, or unexplained), and they thus invite swimmers (readers) to fill the resulting spaces with their special acts of swimming (imaginative constructs). Many equally valid recounts of swimming (many equally valid interpretations of a work) are possible. [Iser].

Each time a swimmer (reader) swims in the water (reads the text), the swimmer( reader) experiences the freshness, vivacity and livelihood of water (text). The water (text) reveals a new dimension for the swimmer (reader) in each act of swimming (reading).      The movement of the swimmer (reader) can start from ‘immature’ response to ‘mature’ and ‘developed’ response as a progression from a stage of ‘unconscious enjoyment’ in which ‘the swimmer’ (the reader) knows what he likes but doesn’t know why; through a stage of self –conscious appreciation to a stage of ‘conscious delight’ [Early]. The coach (teacher) needs to notice the significance of removing a narrow-minded attitude in teaching how to swim (read). Swimming (reading) is inextricably tied to “a quality of relaxed absorption”[Knights].

Constructing, Deconstructing and Reconstructing the Experience
It is in the magnificent act of swimming (reading) that the swimmer (reader) identifies with water (text) and lets his /her unconscious take over for a while without fear that he/she will lose control or not return. [Moffet, Kubie]. The water (text) becomes meaningless without the swimmer (reader) and the swimmer (reader) loses meaning without being connected and linked to the water (text) [Monologism]. This ultimately delineates the interaction between the swimmer (reader) and the ocean [sea, pool, etc] (author) by virtue of water (text) [Bakhtin, dialogism]. Of course, the coach (teacher) can offer techniques that can help swimmer (reader) “accepts responsibility for” his/her “encounters” with water (text). [Dias, Haynoe].

Different theorists may single out a particular aspect of the process of swimming (reading) and represent different angles that illuminate particular aspect of the swimmer (reader), water (text) and the transaction.

Swimmer’s knowledge of water (text) is the focus of one perspective [Textual perspective]. The other perspective looks at the influence of social context on the swimmer/water {reader/text} transaction. [Social perspective].

The nature of swimmer’s (reader’s) engagement or experiences with water (text) is the focus of another perspective. [Experiential perspective]. Here, the swimmer (reader) identifies with characteristics of water (characters of text). Swimmer’s (reader’s) subconscious or cognitive processes and how those processes vary according to both unique individual personality and developmental level is the center piece of another perspective. [Psychological perspective]. Finally, Swimmers’ cultural roles, attitudes, and values, as well the larger cultural historical context, shape the responses. [Cultural perspective].

Each of these perspectives illuminates only a particular facet of the swimmer/ water (reader/text) transaction. Their common point, however, is that they are all focussing on the same process: How swimmers (readers) create moves (meanings). [Beach].

The coach (teacher) needs to apply the five above-mentioned perspectives to plan activities for eliciting responses form swimmers (readers). The first and foremost prerequisite of swimming (reading) consist in a readiness which starts with a genuine composure, relaxation and equanimity (Knights).

References

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