Overview
This lecture explains the three levels of reading comprehension—literal, inferential, and critical—and provides strategies for effectively understanding any important text.
Three Levels of Comprehension
- Comprehension happens in three steps: literal, inferential, and critical.
- Each level should be approached with a separate, focused reading for best understanding.
Literal Comprehension
- Focuses on identifying basic characteristics and explicit information in the text.
- Involves finding out the type, format, author, recipient, and function of the text.
- Example: Noticing a vaccination campaign poster is for flu and pneumococcus, created by a government agency for the public.
Inferential Comprehension
- Requires relating the text to your own knowledge and experiences to make inferences.
- Goes beyond the obvious, drawing conclusions not directly stated.
- Example: Inferring the campaign happens in winter because flu and pneumonia cases rise then.
Critical Comprehension
- Involves analyzing, judging, and forming opinions about the text and its components.
- Encourages applying what you learned from the text to your own life.
- Example: Deciding to get vaccinated after critically evaluating the information.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Literal Comprehension — Understanding the direct, explicit information in a text.
- Inferential Comprehension — Making logical guesses based on information and prior knowledge.
- Critical Comprehension — Evaluating, judging, and applying information from a text.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Identify the three levels of comprehension when reading any text.
- Reread the text as many times as necessary, focusing on a different comprehension level each time.
- Practice these skills to improve understanding of complex texts.