Socially responsible book publishing and reading comprehension strategies

Socially responsible book publishing in neoliberal capitalist economy is characterized by production for the market and for the sake of profit. A group of consumers of publishing goods, who at the same time, consume and produce, are referred to as readers. In the process of reading, reading comprehension strategies are in the hands of a reader, his or hers cultural, educational and intellectual development and socially responsible book publishing is built upon knowledge of reading comprehension strategies. Besides automatic processes of word recognition, successful reading also requires continuous supervision of the degree of understanding of what was read as well as regulation of the process of reading in the direction of set goals and through usage of reading comprehension strategies. Reading comprehension strategies are processes the reader uses in order to deeply understand the text. The main characteristic of reading strategies is that they are used deliberately and consciously and that they are under reader’s control. This paper will introduce the 4-Pronged Comprehension Strategy Framework (McNamara, 2007.), which will help represent main characteristics of main reading strategies, their interaction and dynamic. The 4-Pronged Comprehension Strategy Framework consists of Monitoring Comprehension and Reading strategies in the center of the framework and four categories of strategies that comprise the prongs of the framework, including: a) Preparing to read, b) Interpreting Words, Sentences and Ideas in Text, c) Going beyond the Text and d) Organizing, Restructuring, and Synthesizing Information in the Text. This paper provides guidelines for socially responsible book publishing, which are based on knowledge about reading comprehension strategies. The book publisher who aids the reader to develop and self- actualize through usage of known elements of reading comprehension strategies when producing a book, is considered to be socially responsible book publisher.