Simple Reminders to Help Support Comprehension
Reading is a key activity for learning, whether you are reading a novel, play, academic text, a text book or instructions from the Internet, kindle or a paper book. Often, the pages and pages of text can seem overwhelming. The great news is there are many ways to read different types of text. Fiction and nonfiction may be read in differing ways for best comprehension and understanding. One important concept is that it is okay to read the information a few times to understand. There are differing speeds of reading, depending on the purpose of your reading.
As a speed reader myself, people are often amazed that I still read a text two to three times, or more! (I can now actually read a text three times and it is still faster than my speed reading it once, prior to learning to speed read.) I often read it firstly at a fast rate as an overview, to alert my brain to the information and key words. The second reading is usually at my slower comprehension rate. If I still need clarity, or am unsure about what I have read, I may read it again, perhaps at an even faster rate as I look for more clarity.
If reading often seems a struggle or a chore, give some of these hacks a whirl and see how you go.
Reading Fiction:
• Chunk it Down: Read small sections at a time. You may choose to read one to two pages or one chapter at a time. Do what is manageable.
• Read the ‘About the Author’ and the ‘Acknowledgements:’ Reading these sections give you a sense of the author’s background and perspective.
• Set a Timer: Read for a certain time and either make notes or take a break.
• Find a reason to Read the Information: Maybe it is a question you have been asked, or you are looking for certain information. You do not have to read everything when reading an academic text.
• Reading for Meaning, Not Memorisation: This means you do not have to read every word. Words such as the, in, a, is are used for grammatical sense, and are not usually required for understanding.
Make Notes: If you know you are going to be asked about the plot, setting, characters, etc., create a mind map or list of ideas as you go or at the end of a section of reading.
• Listen to the Audio Book: If reading is a challenge, download the audio book and listen while you are walking, cycling, riding public transport or doing mundane jobs such as hanging out the washing or washing the car. You might be amazed at how much you take in from an audio book. I have a huge library of them on my phone and play them while I’m driving.
• Avoid the Movie Version: Most movie cuts of a novel are condensed down, changed and do not have the same impact as the book. The book will go into far more detail which you are likely to need for an essay or exam.
Reading Nonfiction:
Create Interest: By scanning the contents and index pages, you can quickly create an interest in the text. This will give you an overview of what you are going to read and you can even dive straight into the interesting parts first. You do not usually have to read the information in order.
Read the ‘About the Author’ and the ‘Acknowledgements:’ Reading these sections give you a sense of the author’s background and perspective.
Set a Timer: Read for a certain time and either make notes or take a break.
Find a reason to Read the Information: Maybe it is a question you have been asked, or you are looking for certain information. You do not have to read everything when reading an academic text.