Difficulty understanding reading can be excruciating. Fortunately, improving reading comprehension is not only relatively easy, but also fun! By changing where and how you read while continuing to improve your reading skills, your reading comprehension skills will significantly improve. Reading is also a very pleasant experience.
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Method 1 of 4: Understanding Reading Material
Step 1. Get rid of any intruder around you
The first step to improving your reading comprehension is to read in a place that makes it easier for you to concentrate. Remove any distractions and turn off electronics to prevent new distractions from appearing.
- Turn off the television and music playing in the room where you are reading. If you have a smartphone nearby, turn it off or set it to silent mode and then place it far away so that any notifications don't interfere with your reading time.
- If you can't get rid of all the distractions, just move on! Move to the library, study, or even the bathroom if that's where you can find peace and quiet.
- If you find it annoying, try listening to classical music or a soft rhythm instrument.
Step 2. When reading a book above your level, do it with other people who can help
These companions can be teachers, friends, or even parents. Whoever it is, read with someone you think knows better and you can talk to or ask questions about. They are able to help you if you have a problem and are ready to receive your questions during the reading activity.
- If the person helping you is a teacher, try asking them to write down some important reading comprehension questions. You can see these questions before you start reading and should be able to answer them after you finish reading.
- Summarize the reading material after reading and ask a companion to ask a number of questions about the content of the reading to test your understanding. If you can't answer the question, open a book to find the answer.
- If you're reading relatively difficult text, use online resources like Shmoop and Sparknotes to find summaries and reading comprehension questions.
Step 3. Read aloud
Reading aloud is a great way to "slow down" yourself while reading and give yourself more time to process what you've read, which will ultimately improve your understanding. Another advantage of slow reading is that you can see the words on the page (visual learning) and hear them spoken aloud (audio learning).
- If you think that listening to the passages in the text will help you understand them, don't hesitate to use audio books. Of course you want to read the book live while listening to the audio version. No problem, as long as this method can make it easier for you to understand the contents of the reading.
- For children who have difficulty understanding reading, as much as possible do not ask them to read aloud in front of other people. Instead, have them read aloud on their own to avoid stressful situations that could embarrass them.
- Use your finger, pencil, or notepad while pointing at the text you're reading aloud. That way, you can stay focused and be able to understand the reading better.
Step 4. Reread the text as needed to improve your understanding
Sometimes when we read, we finish a paragraph or page without being able to recall it. Relax, this is very common! When you experience it, feel free to reread it to refresh your memory and of course improve your understanding.
- If you didn't understand it the first time you read it, repeat slowly the second time around. Also make sure you understand before continuing to read on to the next section.
- Remember, if you don't understand or remember what you've read, you'll have more trouble as you get to the next chapter.
Method 2 of 4: Building Reading Ability
Step 1. Start with a book that is at or below your level
Your reading level should not make you frown hard but still challenge the brain. Instead of starting with a book that is very difficult to understand, first read a book that you enjoy and build on your basic reading comprehension.
- When you read a book at an appropriate level, you should have no trouble understanding the meaning of the words until you have to read it over and over again. If you have such difficulties, it means the book is above your reading level.
- If your book is in English, take the Oxford Bookworms test or the questions on the A2Z Home's Cool website to find out your reading level.
- If you're reading because of schoolwork and happen to be above your level, read as much as you can, but continue reading other books that are at your level. After all, reading such books will help you understand heavier readings.
Step 2. Improve your vocabulary collection for better reading comprehension
If you don't know the meaning of a word, it will be very difficult to improve your reading comprehension. Make a rough idea of your vocabulary level at this age and try to learn some word definitions 2 to 3 times a week.
- Read a book with a dictionary or near a computer. When you find a word you don't know the meaning of, look it up in a dictionary and write down the definition in a notebook. Well, it does take longer for your reading event, but that's okay, right?
- Read lots of books. Sometimes the definition of a word will be revealed when you understand the context of the sentence. The more you read, the more accurate your estimate of a word's definition will be based on its context.
- If your abilities are below the level they should be, start reading books that you really understand, then work your way up to a higher level. If you're at the right vocabulary level but want to level up, try reading a book above your level for more complex words.
Step 3. Read the book over and over again until it runs smoothly
Fluency is the ability to read and understand words automatically at a certain speed. To improve fluency, read the book 2 or even 3 times to introduce you to different words and phrases.
Method 3 of 4: Taking Notes While Reading
Step 1. Have paper near you to take notes
Taking notes, while tedious, is a great way to improve reading comprehension. If you read because of the demands of the lesson, try using a notebook. If you're reading because you're looking for something to entertain yourself, grab some paper when you think you'll need it to jot down a story.
- If possible, we recommend using a notebook instead of a laptop or other electronic device. Notebook writing is often associated with a deeper and richer understanding of the material being studied.
- If the book is yours, make notes at the margins of the page.
- Write down what you remember about each chapter, section, or even paragraph. If your reading comprehension is correct, all you need to do is take notes.
- Don't rewrite the novel. On the other hand, don't be so stingy about writing notes that you have difficulty following the chronology of the story at a certain point.
- Whenever a major event occurs, a new character appears, or some unique detail comes out, jot it down in your notebooks.
- Put notes together to make it easier for you to read. If you write them down on separate sheets, collect them in a binder and mark each story differently.
Step 2. Ask questions about the author's theme or intent
Getting into the habit of asking questions will help you improve reading comprehension by engaging in the story. You're describing what happened, and for that, you have to ask a number of questions with reasonable answers. Write down your questions in a notebook as well as the answers.
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Some hypothetical questions you should ask while reading and taking notes include:
- Did the first character leave the cat behind the door for some reason, or did the writer just fill in the gaps in the story?
- Why did the writer start his script at the funeral? Does the background of the book explain the main characters from the beginning of the story?
- What is the true relationship between these two characters? In front of the crowd, the two of them seemed to be enemies, but could it be that they actually loved each other?
- Ask these questions after completing each section or chapter and want to make a story reasoning. Guess what the answer will be. When the answer comes up, ask for story details that support the best explanation for the story.
Step 3. Use the 2 column method when taking notes
A great way to organize Ana's notes while reading is to divide the paper into 2 columns. In the left column, write down information and material that comes up while reading, including page numbers, summaries, and quotes, while in the right column you can write comments about what you read.
- You need to include information in the left column for 2 main reasons: first, if you want to look back on what you've read, you need to know where to read it, and second, you need to include this information in all citations you make.
- Most notes in the left column should summarize or paraphrase the main points of your reading. If you are directly quoting anything from the book, be sure to use quotation marks.
- The notes you make in the right column should reflect how you found what you read to relate to your own ideas or ideas you have discussed in class.
Method 4 of 4: Reading with Purpose
Step 1. Look at the important parts first instead of reading the book linearly
If you read factual information, such as textbooks or newspapers, use systematics to guide you. First, read sections such as the summary, introduction, and conclusion to get a feel for where the important information lies.
- Look for the main idea in each section you read, then “read around” that idea. The main idea often appears at the beginning or in the introduction to the section.
- You should use the table of contents, section headings, and headings to determine which ones you should read first.
Step 2. Read with the guide from the school
If you are reading for the sake of the demands of the lesson, guide yourself by reading information relevant to the lesson. Focus on what you need to learn and don't pay too much attention to the rest to get the best understanding of the material.
- If you want to take advantage of class guidance, look at the syllabus or lesson outline and pay attention to what the teacher emphasizes.
- Pay attention to homework assignments and quizzes to find out the types of information from reading that are usually tested at school.
Step 3. Take advantage of digital information
Choose specific keywords or phrases and search e-books, if possible, to find relevant literature. This method can be used to ensure that you are only reading material that is useful and that you are not wasting time or energy on irrelevant passages.
If you're not looking for the book's electronic content, you can also search for keywords or phrases in the index section and find the section that mentions it
Tips
- Use the SQ3R system (survey, question, read, recite, and review) when understanding the readings in the test. This method allows you to read efficiently to understand the reading that appears in the test.
- Write down words you don't know the meaning of or interesting phrases on each page. Maybe you want to check the meaning later and you never know when you can use the phrases.
- Try reading a lot of different things. Listen to exciting and fun readings, whether graphic novels or favorite magazines.
- Figure out the best way for you to understand your reading, whether it's locking yourself in your room or reading aloud. Try different approaches.
- For classic English books, try using Cliff's Notes. Many famous classics have received notes or guides. Use these notes as a supplement to help you understand difficult-to-read work.
- Visit the library as often as possible, either after school or during lunch. Try to visit the library a lot!
- Ask a question. If you have a reading assignment and don't understand anything you read, discuss it with classmates, teachers, or parents. If your reading is not an assignment, consider the possibility of finding discussion groups, both in real and virtual worlds.
- Read books above your reading level to challenge your brain and force yourself to learn new words.
- If you fall behind on a reading assignment, it's more practical to take a "high-level tour" of a chapter by reading the title, introduction, and first paragraph rather than combing through each word.
Warning
- If you use ideas from published notes or critiques each time you work on an assignment, understand the rules about citations and plagiarism. Don't fool your teacher by copying what has been written down.
- Reading difficulties often go unnoticed and are ignored. If you find yourself experiencing it, be diligent in practicing note-taking and develop study habits.
- Do not use Cliff's Notes or similar supplementary material as a substitute for reading assignments.
