What is a good reader?

Most people think that a good reader is some one that reads all the time or someone that reads very quickly, and they are correct, that person is a good reader. However, the variety of material that they read is just as, if not more important than how fast or often they read. For instance, I love science fiction/ fantasy and drama. Hey, don't judge! And I would consider myself a very good reader by traditional standards. Now, If you were to give me a book explaining the political structure of the government of Zimbabwe, I would be less likely to comprehend what I was reading. Comprehension comes from our own prior knowledge and this knowledge is acquired not only by what we experience personally, but what we read as well. Comprehension of what we read is what truly dictates our ability to read. Reading strategies are useful, yes, but if you are reading a subject matter that is unfamiliar to you than it might as well have been written in another language.  So to answer the question, "What makes a good reader?", a good reader first and foremost is created and developed through reading a wide variety of material. As well as using reading strategies to build skills and reading often.

 In hopes to, "bridge that gap" so to speak, for the students in my class I would incorporate reading material that would cross curriculum and expose students to information that they might not have otherwise been exposed to. I would assign literature circles or research projects that included historical fiction, math scholar or artist biographies, science-fiction,etc. To develop there skills as readers I would have students assume roles while in literature circles and give them reading guide to fill out while reading for a research project. This tasks in addition to simply reading the books will increase their reading and comprehension abilities and develop meta cognition of how they are reading and comprehending.