7 Reading Comprehension Strategies That Every Student Needs to Know
Reading comprehension is an essential skill that every student should develop to excel in their academic pursuits. It enables them to understand and analyze the information they come across in various texts, including books, articles, and research papers. While some students struggle with comprehension, others find it easier to grasp new concepts. However, with the right strategies, every student can improve their comprehension skills significantly. In this article, we will explore seven effective reading comprehension strategies that every student needs to know.
1. Activate Prior Knowledge
Before diving into a new text, students need to activate their prior knowledge of the topic. This strategy helps them to relate ideas in the text to what they already know, making it easier to understand and remember the information. For instance, if a student is about to read a text on the American Revolution, they can recall any prior knowledge they have on the topic, such as the key events, dates, and major figures.
2. Visualize
Visualization involves creating mental images of the concepts presented in the text. By visualizing the information, the student can retain it better and understand it more deeply. For instance, if the text describes a specific experiment, the student can visualize the steps involved in the experiment, the apparatus used, and the results obtained.
3. Ask Questions
Asking questions is another effective strategy that can improve reading comprehension. Students should ask themselves questions about the text as they read to help them interpret the information better. For instance, they can ask questions like “What is the author trying to say?” or “How does this information relate to the thesis?”
4. Summarize
Summarizing is a crucial skill that students need in order to identify and retain the most important information in a text. Students should summarize each paragraph or section in the text to ensure they have a clear understanding of the concepts presented. This strategy can also help them to stay focused and retain the information better.
5. Compare and Contrast
Comparison and contrast involve identifying similarities and differences between two or more concepts. This strategy can help students to develop a deeper understanding of the text by highlighting the relationships between the ideas presented. For instance, students can compare and contrast two characters in a novel or two theories in a research paper.
6. Use Context Clues
Context clues are words or phrases in a sentence that can help students to determine the meaning of unfamiliar words. By using context clues, students can deduce the meaning of a word without having to look it up in the dictionary. For instance, if the text states that John is a “guru” when it comes to technology, the context clue “technology” can help the student to deduce that guru means an expert.
7. Reflect on the Reading
After reading, students should reflect on what they have learned and how it relates to what they know. By reflecting, students can consolidate their understanding and identify any areas where they need to learn more. For instance, they can ask themselves questions like “What did I learn?” or “How can I apply this information?”
In conclusion, reading comprehension is a vital skill that every student needs to develop. By using the seven strategies outlined above, students can improve their comprehension skills significantly, enabling them to excel in their academic pursuits and beyond. By activating prior knowledge, visualizing, asking questions, summarizing, comparing and contrasting, using context clues, and reflecting, students can become more confident, efficient, and effective readers.
