How to Improve Your Reading Skills
Three Parts:Preparing for readingImplementing the basics of reading improvementAdvancing your reading skills
Many people have trouble with reading. Reading is hard for some people and it can take time. Reading is a process of the brain where you look at symbols on a page, and your mind sees the patterns of characters and understands the meaning in them. If you develop good reading skills, it'll be very helpful to your future. Aren't your school teachers always saying 'Read more books!'? Here are a few steps and tips to get started.
Part 1 of 3: Preparing for reading
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1Find something to read. Examples include a children's book, a newspaper article, a short story, or something on wikiHow.
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2Go to the library and pick up lots of books. Pick books depending on your reading level, no matter what your age.
- Choose interesting and easily read books such as comic books, as well as reading books containing formal words. Reading is about enjoying the experience too.
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3Find a place to read where you can concentrate. This may be someplace secret where no one will bother you, or simply your home at a time when it is quiet.
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4Schedule a routine time to read. Do this at least for the times you have nothing else to do, such as when you're on the bus. That way, a good book only entertains you but can also can help you learn to read faster.
Part 2 of 3: Implementing the basics of reading improvement
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1Begin your reading by looking at the pictures, or listening to the music to get a feel for what you are going to be reading about.
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2Start with titles, names, or other larger print items that you may know or ever thought about.
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3Read the page carefully. Don't rush, take your time. Most people think that skimming the page(skimming means to just scan the whole page and hardly take in a couple of words)is a way of fast reading, but this is definitely not true.
- Go through the details to comprehend the text as you read it. Have an idea what you're reading about, not just reading and forgetting or failing to grasp the contents.
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4Sound out each letter as best you can and you will notice they form some sort of word. Some letters fit together. For example, "th" is not pronounced as t + h, but rather as one unit. This is called a 'phoneme'.
- Pay attention to the stresses in words.
- Listen to audio books and follow the text at the same time. This can aid good pronunciation and word recognition.
Part 3 of 3: Advancing your reading skills
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1Read as much as you are able. When you start getting bored or need a break, take one. Reading should be fun and enjoyable, don't force it. After your break, return to where you were, and continue.
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2Reread the material. It is okay to reread something if you do not understand it fully the first time.
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3Use context clues to find out a word's meaning. Context clues are when a person figures out the meaning of a word by seeing how the word was used in a sentence. For example, you were reading the following sentence and wanted to know what 'pessimist' means: My mother is always happy and optimistic, the total opposite of my brother, the pessimist. So from the sentence, you can gather that 'pessimist' means the opposite of happy, so pessimist means being moody and angry. Good, experienced readers always use context clues! If you find a word that you're totally stumped on, use the dictionary! If you want to save time and the hassle of turning pages, go to the online dictionary.
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4Memorize a text. Read that portion out in front of a mirror, out loud. Memorizing can improve your confidence with reading.
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5Reread. If you don't understand what you are reading, read over the sentence(s) again. Try reading the words out loud to yourself. If you still don't understand something, ask a good reader nearby to explain the sentence(s) to you, or simply pick up a book that is easier to read and more appropriate to your reading level. Feel free to use your finger as a pointer. It will keep your eyes focused on the line you are reading, improving your understanding.
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6Keep reading. Try to read as much as you can on your free time. Reading will help you in lots of ways; your vocabulary will become larger and more sophisticated and you will notice your grades change for the better in school. Have fun reading
Tips
- Read out loudly to make sure that you are concentrating properly and reading every word.
- Have a good interest in the book you are reading.
- Be calm and, take a deep breath for a few seconds before you start to read.
- While most people disagree with this, most things you need to know are in books. Therefore it is wise when you are comfortable reading general material to increase your reading speed as soon as possible. A good guide to this is Wade E. Cutler'sTriple Your Reading Speed.
- Standing works better for some people. Some read while walking on a treadmill or a track, exercising both the body and mind!
- To get the most comprehension, avoid lying down while reading. While reading in bed can help you relax and fall asleep, you can retain more information by having a good posture while reading. For example, sitting straight up and keeping your feet flat on the floor can increase your alertness.
- Don't stress while reading. People usually stress about not being able to remember what they last read and don't focus on what they are reading at the moment. So take a deep breath and don't stress!
- Don't try to get every words in the sentence. Just take it easy and read. Also, find a good place for yourself to relax while reading. To make yourself more comfortable and concentrate on your reading. You could bring yourself something to eat and drink so you won't be hungry or feeling bored while you're reading.
Warnings
- Sitting in one position for a long time can make you sleepy or even injured. Make sure you stretch before and during reading to keep awake and comfortable.
- Make sure you read something you enjoy, reading books you don't enjoy may turn you away from reading more.
- Reading in the dark can give you a headache, so ensure that you have sufficient lighting before reading.
- Reading is addictive. With a little commitment everyday you may find yourself in other times, places and worlds that you have never dreamed.
Things You'll Need
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Reading material: book, magazine, song lyrics, newspaper, etc. Try to pick something interesting, otherwise you will most likely be using your reading material for a pillow.
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Table or other place to put your reading material. This could also be your lap.
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Comfortable place to sit. Find a quiet place without distraction.