Lunchtime: Understanding the Beginner’s Journey through a Phenomenological Lens | Danielle Porter
This discussion explores the phenomenology of reading, shifting the focus from mechanical skill-building to the lived experience of the reader. We will examine the cognitive journey from the frustration of early decoding to the “flow” of advanced comprehension, emphasizing how readers actively construct meaning through their interaction with a text.
Through a participatory simulation of the decoding process, we will experience the obstacles faced by emerging or struggling readers. The goal is to develop greater empathy for the learner’s perspective and identify practical ways to support literacy through a more patient, present approach.
Danielle Porter
Danielle is an Americorps Member with LVI in support of the Jump Start program.
Her academic background consists of exploring the lived experience of individuals and how one perceives their own experience.
In her observation of the Jump Start program, she focuses on how incarcerated and system-impacted youth experience authority, safety, and presence. Her approach integrates trauma-informed practice with philosophical inquiry, emphasizing non-transactional engagement and embodied relational modeling.