Chapter 2: Teaching the Reading and Writing Processes

As a more advanced adult reader, I do not think that I go through all of the steps and features of the reading process, nor do I go through them in the order of steps presented in the book. I do, however, take part in each stage in some form that best suits the purpose of my reading.
In the prereading stage, for example, I definitely set a purpose for my reading; I either read for pleasure (usually over the summer) or for information (usually during the school year). The other prereading activities I participate in depend on my purpose. I do agree with the point that Tompkins makes that setting a purpose directly affects the comprehension of the selection by guiding the reading towards a particular focus.
I think that processes I go through as I read and respond to text combine and overlap. For example, I may take notes if I am reading for school, but I do this for comprehension goals that I have set in the prereading stage. In addition, in my notes I also respond to what I am reading by questioning what I am reading or making connections to other knowledge I have. This may also be considered part of the applying stage Tompkins discusses, although for school, it is often required that I apply what I have read in some particular way after I have done the reading.
This chapter did help me to pinpoint some of the strategies I use when I am reading, but the information seems more geared towards reading in school. When I was a younger student, I am sure I was encouraged by teachers to explore each of the different parts of the reading process, and that is how I have come to create my individual reading process, one that I know works for me.