Introduction to Reading Objectives

Relevance of the Theme

Reading is one of the main human skills, and as such, needs to be understood in various dimensions. In the study of the Portuguese language, in particular, reading is the gateway to the construction of knowledge, the development of critical thinking, and appropriate expression in various contexts. Therefore, understanding and applying the objectives of reading are essential, as they guide the reader in their choices and approaches to a text.

Contextualization

In a world where we are constantly bombarded with information, it is vital to understand not only what we read, but also why we read. Each reading has a purpose, whether it is to inform, entertain, persuade, or instruct. In the Portuguese curriculum, specifically in the first year of High School, the introduction to reading objectives is precisely inserted, as it is the starting point for developing depth and fluency in text comprehension. Mastering these concepts will open the doors to a learning journey that involves everything from interpreting literary works to analyzing journalistic or scientific texts.

Thus, embark on this journey to unravel the mysteries that reading holds in its objectives!

Theoretical Development

Components

• Differentiation of Textual Genres: To understand the objectives of reading, it is crucial to distinguish textual genres. That is, it is important to recognize the purpose of the text in front of you. The same informative text, for example, may have different objectives if it is in a newspaper (to inform), a pamphlet (to persuade), or a manual (to instruct). In the study of the Portuguese language, the main textual genres to be identified are: narrative, descriptive, argumentative, expository, and instructional.

• Informative Objective: This is the most direct reading objective and most commonly associated with journalistic texts, encyclopedias, dictionaries, etc. The purpose is to acquire new knowledge about a particular subject. To identify this objective, pay attention to concise, clear, and objective language, and the presence of data, facts, and concrete information.

• Expressive or Aesthetic Objective: Present in literary works, poetry, music, among others, this objective seeks to stimulate the reader's reflection, sensitivity, or imagination. The language is more subjective, often agile, and full of stylistic resources.

• Argumentative Objective: Common in opinion texts, debates, political speeches, among others, this objective aims to convince the reader about a point of view or an idea. The language is persuasive, marked by the presence of logical and emotional arguments.

• Instructional Objective: Present in manuals, guides, recipes, among others, aims to guide the reader to perform an action correctly. The language is clear, direct, and often enumerative.

Key Terms

• Textual Intentionality: Refers to the author's intention in producing the text. It is what will guide the reader in identifying the objectives of reading. Textual intentionality can be informative, expressive, argumentative, or instructional.

• Textual Coherence: It is about the logic and harmony of the text. A text is considered coherent when its information is sequentially and causatively linked. Understanding textual coherence is essential for identifying the reading objective.

• Pragmatic Coherence: Besides the internal logic of the text, there is also an external logic, which is the relationship that the text establishes with the context in which it is inserted. Pragmatic coherence helps in understanding the reading objective.

Examples and Cases

• Example of Informative Objective: A text like "Everything you need to know about the Middle Ages" in an encyclopedia or a specialized website, has the informative objective, as it seeks to transmit to the reader a set of knowledge about a particular subject.

• Example of Expressive or Aesthetic Objective: A poem by Carlos Drummond de Andrade, such as "In the middle of the road", has the expressive or aesthetic objective to provoke feelings and reflections in the reader, not necessarily concerned with the direct transmission of information.

• Example of Argumentative Objective: An opinion article on whether or not to ban the sale of sodas in schools has the argumentative objective, as it seeks to convince the reader about a specific point of view.

• Example of Instructional Objective: A cake recipe has the instructional objective to guide the reader to perform an action, which in this case is to prepare a cake.

Detailed Summary

Relevant Points

• The Language and its Objectives: Understanding the language as a tool for communication and expression of ideas and feelings leads us to the understanding of the objectives of reading. Every time we set out to read, we have an objective in mind. In the study of the Portuguese subject, there are a variety of possible reading objectives, such as to inform, entertain, persuade, or instruct.

• Differentiation of Textual Genres: Textual genres are the vehicles through which the objectives of reading are achieved. The same content, when presented in different genres, reaches diverse reading objectives. The ability to recognize the various textual genres and understand what the reading objective is in each of them is an important milestone in reading competence.

• Key Terms: Textual Intentionality, Textual Coherence, Pragmatic Coherence: Mastery of these key terms is indispensable for understanding, analyzing, and interpreting texts. Textual intentionality is the guiding thread of the text, it is what allows the reader to identify the reading objective. Textual and pragmatic coherence are the aspects that ensure the unity and meaning of the text, respectively.

• Practical Examples: The analysis and interpretation of practical examples of texts with different reading objectives, such as informative, expressive, argumentative, and instructional texts, reinforce the theoretical understanding, making it more concrete and applicable.

Conclusions

• Reading as an intentional act: Reading is an intentional act and its objectives can vary depending on the reader, the text, and the context. Identifying and understanding the objectives of reading is a complex but fundamental process in the learning process and in the acquisition of knowledge.

• The importance of textual genres: Textual genres are crucial tools in defining the objectives of reading. The ability to differentiate and understand textual genres opens up a range of reading possibilities and assists in the interpretation of more varied texts.

• Key terms as guides in textual interpretation: The key terms - textual intentionality, textual coherence, and pragmatic coherence - are fundamental guides in the interpretation of texts. Mastery of these concepts improves the understanding and critique of the texts read.

Exercises

1. Identification of Textual Genres: Given a set of texts, classify them into their respective textual genres and justify your classification.

2. Analysis of Reading Objectives: From an argumentative text, identify the central opinion of the author and the arguments used to persuade the reader. Then, discuss whether the reading objective was achieved.

3. Textual and Pragmatic Coherence: Read a text of your choice and point out examples of how textual and pragmatic coherence are present and contribute to the meaning of the text.