I'm actually writing this article because of a question a friend asked me the other day. "I try so hard to read for hours and at the end, i can only remember but a few things, whats wrong! What can i do?" I could tell and feel the despair in her voice, so i decided to do some research and post it here for others who may be having problems with reading and understanding or others who just want to brush up on their reading skills.
Here are a few tips.
DON'T S
1. Never try to read when you're tired, stressed,angry or in any of those hyper emotional state. Fact is, you might succeed in getting a few words in but generally it would never stick. Its like trying to pass through a tiny door wit a lot of luggage. It would never fit until you decide to calm down. Take a deep breath, go for a walk, calm down, the books definitely aint going anywhere and would be there and easier when you're sober.
2. Majority of students tend to see reading as stress. Yea! One gigantic task. You can't really help it. Its normal but certainly there's a way out. You really don't have to finish chapter 1 if its just too complicated. Move on to chapter 2, there's a possibility that it'll give you more insight and when you finally get back to chapter 1.it'll be so easy and far more understandable. Read at your own pace. Its not a race. Don't feel pressurized or setting a deadline, the problem with setting a deadline is you probably might meet your deadline but it mostly wouldn't stick after that.
3.DON'T read in noisy environments. We both know its a waste of time. If your room or classroom is as noisy as a danceclub by all means move out. Somethings are just plain impossible, reading in a clubhouse is definitely one of them. You sure can find a place where u feel calm and easy. Thats the best place 'd like to read. It could be the library, or even a church with no congregation of course. It could be an empty classroom or that spot where only you know.
4. An hungry man is an angry man!. Thats a saying i was born with. Never try to read on an empty stomach. There really any much explanation about this. You'd agree its self explanatory. The brain requires energy in the form of glucose to perform that task of decoding and storing those informations you're trying to put in it. Least u could do is give it some fuel. hunger makes u edgy and from step 1, you'd know it doesn't mostly work.
5. Sleep! This is important. Always try to get some sleep before putting in those hours into the books. Sleep refreshes the brain. Its like a system reboot. Makes it all ready for a new round of activities.
6. Music: a couple of us tend to find Music as a reading aid just as it can also be a distraction. If it works for you. By all means, continue but if it doesn't, do drop the earphones before picking up those papers.
7. Reading and comprehension: Its one thing to read and yet another to comprehend or understand what you're reading. We all tend to read different materials differently because our goal of reading in each case is different. Reading a newspaper is different from reading a school's text. Reading a news paper is passive and light reading while a school text is active and focused. Try to be focused and take note of the first and last sentences in a paragraph because usually that embodies the main point of the paragraph.
8. Make use of Memory aids!: Memory aids like mnemonics help a great deal in memorizing keypoints, list etc. For example, the first mnemonic i ever learnt was for the characteristic of living things summed up in MR NIGER D. Where M stands for movement, respiration, nutrition, irritability, growth, excretion, respiration and death. I learnt that more than 10years ago and still it sticks. Relate your concepts to other things and it'll be easier to memorize.
9. Visualize! : The mind is a powerful and indispensable tool. The ability to picture things, points, concept, and graphs makes it more easy to comprehend. Picture the concept, relate it to wat u already know,if its an organism picture it. Relate the characteristic to it. See it in your mind's eye. If its a concept or a law. Get the basic idea, relate it to what u already know. Its easier to remember and reproduce it this way.
10. Be yourself! Do what works for you. Make use of footnotes, jot down important points. Underline difficult concept and read more about it. Study the diagrams and graphs. Use the index at the back of the book. see reading as an enjoyable process and it will be. Like i'll always say it doesn't matter the method with which you read provided you get those grade legitimately and if you must read, read smart.HAPPY READING!
Pls leave a comment on how best you read and share with your friends on facebook. You never can tell which of them would find this important. Thanks for reading.
1. Never try to read when you're tired, stressed,angry or in any of those hyper emotional state. Fact is, you might succeed in getting a few words in but generally it would never stick. Its like trying to pass through a tiny door wit a lot of luggage. It would never fit until you decide to calm down. Take a deep breath, go for a walk, calm down, the books definitely aint going anywhere and would be there and easier when you're sober.
2. Majority of students tend to see reading as stress. Yea! One gigantic task. You can't really help it. Its normal but certainly there's a way out. You really don't have to finish chapter 1 if its just too complicated. Move on to chapter 2, there's a possibility that it'll give you more insight and when you finally get back to chapter 1.it'll be so easy and far more understandable. Read at your own pace. Its not a race. Don't feel pressurized or setting a deadline, the problem with setting a deadline is you probably might meet your deadline but it mostly wouldn't stick after that.
3.DON'T read in noisy environments. We both know its a waste of time. If your room or classroom is as noisy as a danceclub by all means move out. Somethings are just plain impossible, reading in a clubhouse is definitely one of them. You sure can find a place where u feel calm and easy. Thats the best place 'd like to read. It could be the library, or even a church with no congregation of course. It could be an empty classroom or that spot where only you know.
4. An hungry man is an angry man!. Thats a saying i was born with. Never try to read on an empty stomach. There really any much explanation about this. You'd agree its self explanatory. The brain requires energy in the form of glucose to perform that task of decoding and storing those informations you're trying to put in it. Least u could do is give it some fuel. hunger makes u edgy and from step 1, you'd know it doesn't mostly work.
5. Sleep! This is important. Always try to get some sleep before putting in those hours into the books. Sleep refreshes the brain. Its like a system reboot. Makes it all ready for a new round of activities.
6. Music: a couple of us tend to find Music as a reading aid just as it can also be a distraction. If it works for you. By all means, continue but if it doesn't, do drop the earphones before picking up those papers.
7. Reading and comprehension: Its one thing to read and yet another to comprehend or understand what you're reading. We all tend to read different materials differently because our goal of reading in each case is different. Reading a newspaper is different from reading a school's text. Reading a news paper is passive and light reading while a school text is active and focused. Try to be focused and take note of the first and last sentences in a paragraph because usually that embodies the main point of the paragraph.
8. Make use of Memory aids!: Memory aids like mnemonics help a great deal in memorizing keypoints, list etc. For example, the first mnemonic i ever learnt was for the characteristic of living things summed up in MR NIGER D. Where M stands for movement, respiration, nutrition, irritability, growth, excretion, respiration and death. I learnt that more than 10years ago and still it sticks. Relate your concepts to other things and it'll be easier to memorize.
9. Visualize! : The mind is a powerful and indispensable tool. The ability to picture things, points, concept, and graphs makes it more easy to comprehend. Picture the concept, relate it to wat u already know,if its an organism picture it. Relate the characteristic to it. See it in your mind's eye. If its a concept or a law. Get the basic idea, relate it to what u already know. Its easier to remember and reproduce it this way.
10. Be yourself! Do what works for you. Make use of footnotes, jot down important points. Underline difficult concept and read more about it. Study the diagrams and graphs. Use the index at the back of the book. see reading as an enjoyable process and it will be. Like i'll always say it doesn't matter the method with which you read provided you get those grade legitimately and if you must read, read smart.HAPPY READING!
Pls leave a comment on how best you read and share with your friends on facebook. You never can tell which of them would find this important. Thanks for reading.
