Reading and Not Reading in Professional Practice
In: Qualitative social work: research and practice, Band 3, Heft 3, S. 297-311
ISSN: 1741-3117
This article explores the use of reading and why it may be difficult to read in professional practice. The article uses narrative and autobiographical methodology, drawing on personal journals as a source of evidence. It presents a critical career review which outlines the author's own reading history and illustrates some barriers and obstacles in reading for social work. Drawing on media theory and the literature of health and social care, the article considers the process of reading and the relationship between readers and texts, reviewing problems arising in reading for professional practice and skills required. It suggests that a strong oral culture exists in practice settings in the UK and that this partly explains the undeveloped reading culture. Difficulties for practitioners in knowing what to read and in accessing texts are also highlighted. The growth of electronic media offers opportunities to overcome these problems but requires skills which appear to be relatively undeveloped.
