Can Being Mindful of Emotions During Reading Improve Comprehension?

Photo Credit: Dyslexia Assessments

 How mindful are you of your emotions when you read? According to new research, tracking and analyzing Moment-To-Moment (M2M) emotions could give insight into when reading comprehension breaks down, resumes, or flows continuously. The research, conducted by Arthur C. Graesser and Sidney D'Mello, was published in the November 2012 issue of The Reading Teacher, a publication of the International Reading Association. The name of the article is Moment-To-Moment Emotions During Reading.

According to the research, M2M emotions focus on either the "persistence or changes in emotions every few seconds" versus the long-term status of everyday emotions. M2M emotions are not static, rather they are extremely dynamic as a reader interacts with a reading task or text. In fact, for their studies, Graesser and D'Mello poll emotions every 20 seconds using a variety of people and tools to classify the emotions. Think about that. They track every 20 seconds. Incredible!

The study highlights four emotions: boredom, frustration, confusion and flow (engagement). In tracking these fluctuating emotions, the researchers attempt to pinpoint the exact moment when each one kicks in. They also track how a reader transitions from one emotion to emotion. Apparently, there are two transition cycles: Beneficial (flow > confusion > delight in having cleared the confusion) and Harmful (boredom > frustration > disengagement). The article offers well-known interventions to help readers who consistently remain in the Harmful cycle.

The ultimate goal with reading and reading instruction is to develop readers who read metacognitively and who become mindful of their changing emotions while they read. I found this article so interesting because it looks at common problem through a new lens: Why do some readers struggle while others don't? While the emotions Graesser and D'Mello set forth aren't new - teachers know that boredom, frustration, and confusion during reading are common, interconnected feelings for struggling readers - the pinpoint approach is refreshing. I can't wait to see more research from this area of study. And I imagine now that this topic is "top of mind" that I'll be more mindful of what I'm feeling as I read.

I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Thanks for reading ... it keeps your Mind Full of Literacy!