Forming readers, forming citizens. Social impact of the development of reading comprehension

Abstract

This article reflects on the importance of training readers for the construction of citizenship; it poses questions such as: what do we mean by reading and formation of readers? what type of literacy impact the individual and society to fully exercised citizenship in a participatory and deliberative democracy? These questions are intended to show that the complex reality of the written language cannot be reduced to a simplistic, unilateral and elitist concept of reading instruction. Being literate involves the development of reading comprehension, to go deep into other possible worlds, to dig into reality to better understand it and to take a critical stand to what is said and meant in a text. (Lerner: 1996). Literacy includes reading and writing processes. Reflections on the links between literacy and civic education are presented with examples from the Dominican Republic.