Reading is an integral part of learning. Online students must consume lots of written information to succeed. With so much to read, how can you ensure you understand and retain what you read? What are some strategies to improve your comprehension skills?
Here are four tips to improve your reading comprehension and retain knowledge better.
1. Know Your Learning Style
Your learning style represents how you learn new information. Knowing what it is allows you to tailor your reading strategies to your proclivities. This eliminates a one-size-fits-all approach and puts you in control of your learning experience.
If you’re a visual learner, written information as well as charts, graphs, and visual aids will boost your understanding and memory. Auditory learners will understand more if a listen to recordings of lectures, audiobooks, and other reading materials. Kinesthetic learners, on the other hand, do better when they are able to move their bodies, so listening to recordings of lectures or audiobooks while walking may help with retention.
How do you identify your learning style? A good starting point is to observe your reactions and interactions with different educational materials. Pay attention to how you prefer to process information. Do you like listening to lectures or using visual aids? Do you find it difficult to concentrate if you’re not moving your body? Knowing your preferences can help you determine your dominant learning style.
2. Have a Goal
Reading with a goal increases focus by giving you a clear purpose and direction. When you know what you want to accomplish with your reading, you are less likely to get distracted or lose interest. Reading goals vary based on your situation should, leading to different approaches for different types of material.
For instance, when reading a textbook for a class, your primary objective might be to understand key concepts and apply them to assignments or exams. For a research paper, on the other hand, the goal transforms into a critical evaluation of the approach and findings of the report. If you are reading a novel for enjoyment, your objective shifts to immersing yourself in the plot and forming an emotional connection with the characters.
Reading with a goal enriches your reading experience. When you have a specific objective, you are more actively engaged with the material and can make meaningful connections to your existing knowledge. Recognizing diverse reading goals is crucial, as it enables you to tailor your reading strategy and ensures that your approach aligns with your reading objectives.
3. Preview Your Reading Material
Previewing your reading material is a key step in understanding it. By quickly skimming through it, you get a general idea of what’s inside, particularly if there are headers or visual aids accompanying the text. This helps you identify the sections that are important for your goals so you can pay less attention to the ones that aren’t.
A quick look also acts as a roadmap for your learning, showing how the material is organized. Plus, previewing helps you spot important details, like highlighted ideas, which can steer your reading and note-taking in the right direction.
4. Reflect and Connect
After you finish reading, it’s good to think about what you’ve learned. Ask yourself, how does this new information connect to what you already know? Can you use this information in real life? Analyzing what you’ve read helps you understand it better than just memorizing the basic facts.
Try asking yourself questions to help you dive deeper into the lessons and insights from your reading. What are the key takeaways? What are the most important ideas or themes that stood out to you? How does this relate to your existing knowledge or experiences? Does it challenge, support, or expand upon your previous understanding?
Can you apply these ideas to your daily life or future learning? How will this information be useful in real-world situations or in other learning contexts? What questions do you still have after reading? What merits further exploration or clarification? How does this reading change your perspective on the topic?
Conclusion
Reading comprehension is essential to your success. By understanding your learning style, setting clear goals, previewing your reading material, and engaging in reflective thinking, you’ll be able to improve your reading comprehension and retention. Remember, effective reading is connecting meaningfully with the information. It’s a process that aligns with your learning style and goals. Use these tips for more efficient and enjoyable reading.