5 Reading Comprehension Strategies That Will Improve Your Understanding
Reading is a fundamental skill that we develop in our early schooling years. However, just because we can read doesn’t mean we can comprehend the text in front of us. Poor reading comprehension can hinder our academic and professional performance. That’s why it’s crucial to learn how to improve our reading comprehension. In this article, we’ll go over five reading comprehension strategies that will help you read and understand texts with ease.
1. Preview the Text
Before you dive into reading, preview the text by scanning the headings, subheadings, and the first and last paragraphs. This will give you an idea of what to expect and allow you to anticipate the author’s main points. Previewing the text helps you set a purpose for reading and primes your mind for better comprehension.
2. Activate Your Prior Knowledge
Our comprehension is rooted in what we already know. The more we know about a topic, the easier it is to understand a new text about it. Before you read, activate your prior knowledge by asking yourself what you already know about the topic. This can be in the form of personal experience, related books or articles, historical context, or pop culture references. Activating your prior knowledge primes your mind to connect new information with what you already know, making it easier to comprehend.
3. Take Notes
Taking notes can help you summarize the text, understand key concepts, and remember important details. While reading, jot down notes in the margins or on a separate piece of paper. Record main ideas, important quotes, and questions you have. Writing things down keeps you engaged in the text and helps you retain more information. It also gives you a resource to revisit later if you need to refresh your memory.
4. Ask Questions
Asking questions while reading can help you develop a deeper understanding of the text. Ask yourself questions like: “What is the author’s main point?” “What evidence supports this point?” “What are the implications of this information?” “How does this information connect with what I already know?” Answering these questions forces you to think critically about the text and makes your comprehension more meaningful.
5. Summarize the Text
After finishing the text, summarize what you’ve read in your own words. This not only helps you remember what you’ve read but also forces you to distill the text’s key ideas into a concise form. Summarizing the text helps you see the big picture and connect the text’s main points.
Conclusion
Improving your reading comprehension takes time and effort, but the payoff is worth it. By previewing the text, activating your prior knowledge, taking notes, asking questions, and summarizing the text, you can increase your understanding and make reading a more enjoyable experience. Try applying these strategies next time you read and see how much more you can comprehend.
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