Active Reading Techniques for Deeper Understanding
We are familiar with how active reading appears: students reading enthusiastically, engaging in lively discussions, and deep contemplation about the text. When students become active readers, they understand that reading extends beyond mere decoding of words – it involves expanding vocabulary and linking prior knowledge to new information. In fact, improving reading comprehension is useful for everyone, not just students. Deep understanding is one of the key effective study skills even in adulthood.
Useful Active Reading Strategies
#1 Identify Unfamiliar Words and Phrases
When you begin a reading activity, it's helpful to define new words and phrases, particularly for new readers. Readers can quickly lose interest and confidence if they stumble upon unfamiliar vocabulary during the reading process.
For independent readers, a good active reading strategy is to pause and guess the meaning of any unfamiliar words. Moreover, consider alternate words that might fit into the context of the text. We don't recommend stopping in the middle of a reading session to check the dictionary. Instead, make a note of unknown words in the margins or on sticky notes. You can look them up at the end of a chapter or another stopping point.
#2 Ask Questions
Active readers have a natural inclination to inquire. Upon beginning a reading, they ponder over the author's choice of title or what insights an article might unveil. As the reading progresses, an active reader continuously contemplates the course of events and the interrelations of various topic aspects.
The questions posed by active readers span from rudimentary to sophisticated. For a deeper understanding of the text, you need to ask yourself, and possibly others, questions. For example, when you read another book on Fiction Me, try to remember 3 important questions for yourself. While you're not busy reading, analyze them. The next time you visit Fiction Me, you will already have a better understanding of yourself and the plot. The ability to analyze text effectively is very useful for readers of all ages regardless of the topic.
#3 Set a Purpose for Reading
Instead of immediately jumping into the text, consider having students do some prework. Start by discussing the title and its potential implications. For fiction, encourage them to ponder whether the title relates to the setting, plot, or characters. As for nonfiction, prompt them to reflect on their existing knowledge and the questions they might already have.
#4 Make Notes or Highlights
A famous quote often attributed to Benjamin Franklin perfectly captures the essence: "Never read a book without a pen in your hand." However, excessive highlighting can lead to a cluttered page adorned with neon pink or yellow lines, transforming the pursuit of retaining valuable information into passive reading.
To enhance active reading, it is advisable to make notations in pencil or on index cards with corresponding page numbers. These index cards prove invaluable during final exam preparations when time is limited for re-reading. Outlines are invaluable tools that condense lengthy passages and reading assignments into manageable chunks, facilitating both the comprehension of the text and various writing tasks.
#5 Create Your Reading List
Not all books are worth the effort of active reading, while some may not be. To ensure optimal results from your reading sessions, it's generally advisable to maintain separate reading lists. By the way, you can read novel AI or even generate free novels yourself through artificial intelligence. This will allow you to see the world through the eyes of the author, rather than the reader.
#6 Think Beyond the Text
When we support children in expanding their minds beyond the text written on the page, we enable them to reach boundaries beyond even the author's imagination. This deepens their connection to the words on the page. Predicting what might happen next in the story is a method of thinking beyond the text.
An additional approach to thinking beyond the text is through inference, where the reader contemplates and speculates on the writer's implied meaning. While some readers can do this independently, many children benefit from guided discussions in class or small groups.
#7 Find the Main Ideas
While reading, it's crucial to identify key ideas and themes. This is vital for comprehending the material as a whole and gaining insight into the author's intentions. Active reading involves both meticulous analysis and stepping back to view the text in a broader context—like zooming in with a microscope and then seeing it as a tiny dot in a vast landscape.
Conclusion
Chances are you've heard of active reading. But what does active reading entail? How do you do it, and why should you bother? Well, now you know the answers to these questions and can improve your reading depth and reading comprehension.
