Final answer:
Decoding abilities involve using knowledge of prefixes, roots, and suffixes to understand new words in a text, and it is a critical part of reading comprehension skills in college students. These abilities, coupled with an analysis of diction and engaging with the text critically, help readers to connect concepts and generalize information across different domains.
Step-by-step explanation:
When a student encounters new terms in a text and uses their knowledge of prefixes, roots, and suffixes to infer the meaning of these terms, they apply what is known as decoding abilities. Decoding is the process by which a reader translates written words into sounds and derives meaning from them. This involves a range of comprehension skills, including the ability to understand context, make predictions, and consult outside sources when necessary. Moreover, readers should engage with the text by looking deeply at word choice, a skill known as diction analysis, which can reveal subtler layers of meaning and contribute to deeper understanding.
Drawing upon prior knowledge does not only aid in decoding; it also fosters connections across different domains and helps to generalize new information, aligning with standard 7.2 of educational benchmarks. When readers engage critically with a text, they use various reading comprehension strategies and decoding skills to construct meaning from the text. This critical engagement involves understanding the rhetorical situation, the author's word choice, and the nuances within the text that help readers make inferences and predictions. This level of reading comprehension leads to more effective reading, writing, and critical thinking skills. Comprehension skills thus serve as the foundation for decoding abilities, which, combined with contextual understanding and inferential proficiency, lead to a robust and critical engagement with text across diverse subjects.