Having trouble understanding a text can be downright frustrating. However, it is possible to improve written comprehension skills in a way that is not only relatively easy, but also fun! Making changes to the place and way you read, as well as working on reading skills, can greatly enhance understanding and make the experience far more enjoyable.
Steps
Method 1 of 4: Understanding the Material
Step 1. Eliminate distractions
The first step to improve your understanding of the text is to read in an environment that favors concentration. Make sure nothing distracts you, including electronic devices.
- Turn off the TV and music; if you have a smartphone with you, turn it off or put it on silent mode, then place it in a spot where you won't be able to see notifications appear on the screen so they can't distract you from reading.
- If you can't get rid of all the distractions, change your seat! Go to a library, study room, or even the bathroom if that's the only place you can find peace and quiet.
- If you still can't concentrate, try playing unsung or atmospheric classical music in the background.
Step 2. Let someone help you if the text is too difficult
Read with someone who is more knowledgeable and comfortable with you, be it a teacher, friend or family member. This way you will have someone to talk to about the text and to help you with the points that are bothering you.
- If the person helping you is a teacher, you may want to ask them to prepare written comprehension questions for you to see before you start reading and which you will need to answer at the end of the reading.
- After you finish it, summarize the text to the person helping you and ask them to ask you questions about the content to check how much you understand. If you are unable to answer a question, review what you have read to find the answer.
- If the material is particularly difficult, you can search for summaries and text analyzes on online resources, for example Studenti.it or Skuola.net.
Step 3. Read aloud
This will slow down the reading, thus having more time to process the content and understand it better. An added benefit of slow reading is that you can see and hear words at the same time, combining visual learning and auditory learning.
- If you think that listening to the text helps you understand it, don't hesitate to use audio books. Of course you should also read the book, as well as listen to it, but this could greatly improve understanding.
- In the case of a child, it is best to avoid having him read aloud in front of other people. Let them do this on their own so they don't drag them into stressful or potentially embarrassing situations.
- Follow the text with your finger, a pencil or a piece of paper. It will help you stay focused and understand better.
Step 4. Re-read as many times as necessary
Sometimes it happens that you get to the end of a paragraph or page and realize you don't remember anything you just read. This is perfectly normal! When this happens to you, re-read that part to refresh your memory and clarify.
- If something is not clear to you on the first reading, read a little slower the second time and do not continue until you are sure you understand that passage.
- Keep in mind that if you don't understand or remember one part of the book, it will be harder to understand the rest.
Method 2 of 4: Developing Reading Skills
Step 1. Start with texts at or below your level
The ideal reading should be accessible but also slightly challenging. Instead of starting with very difficult books, read something that is easy for you to understand to establish a basic level of understanding to start with.
- The text is at your level if you have no difficulty understanding the words and you don't need to re-read the sentences several times. If you run into these kinds of obstacles, however, you are probably reading something too advanced.
- Look for an online test to determine your reading level.
- If the book is too difficult for you, but you need to read it for school, try your best; in the meantime, keep reading other more accessible texts - they will help you understand the more complex ones.
Step 2. Expand your vocabulary
It will be difficult to understand what you are reading if you do not know the meaning of the words. Know how large your vocabulary should be based on your age and practice learning new terms 2-3 times a week.
- Keep a dictionary or computer handy as you read. When you come across a term you don't know, search for it and write down the definition. You will lengthen the reading time, but that's okay.
- Read a lot of books. Sometimes the meaning of a word can be deduced from the context of the sentence. The more you read, the better you will become at guessing the meaning of a term based on context.
- If your vocabulary is below average, start with texts that you can understand easily and gradually increase the level of difficulty. If it's average but you want to improve further, consider reading books above your level to learn more complex terms.
Step 3. Reread the books several times to increase reading fluency
Fluid reading involves knowing how to read and understand automatically and at a certain speed. To develop this competence, read a book two or even three times so that you are repeatedly confronted with different words and phrases.
Method 3 of 4: Take Notes While Reading
Step 1. Have some paper to take notes on hand
Taking notes while reading, as tedious as it may seem, is a great way to improve your understanding of the text. If you have to read for study purposes, keep a notebook or notebook; if, on the other hand, it is a pleasure reading, simply take all the sheets of paper you think you might need.
- It is better to take notes on paper rather than on the computer or other devices; the physical act of writing has been shown to foster a broader and deeper understanding of the material being studied.
- If the book is yours, you can also write notes in the margins of the pages.
- Write down everything you remember about each chapter, section, or paragraph. If your written comprehension level is already good enough, you may just need to make occasional notes.
- You don't have to rewrite the entire book, but you don't have to take so few notes that you can't reconstruct the chronological order of events.
- Whenever an important event happens, a new character is introduced or a detail that strikes you emerges, insert it in your notes.
- Keep your notes together for easy reference later. If you use loose sheets, put them in a binder and organize them according to the book they refer to by separating them with dividers.
Step 2. Ask yourself questions about the theme of the work or the intentions of the author
It will help you tremendously in improving your understanding of a story, because it will make reading more engaging. You are trying to understand what happens and therefore you need to ask questions and hypothesize answers; write both in your notes.
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Here are examples of questions you might ask yourself as you read and take notes:
- Did the protagonist let the cat out the back door for a specific reason, or did the author just want to fill in the page?
- Why does the book begin in a cemetery? Does the setting reveal anything about the protagonist from the start?
- What is the real relationship between these two characters? At first glance they seem like enemies, but is it possible that they actually like each other?
- Ask these questions when you've finished a section or chapter and try to make sense of the story. Venture to guesswork, and when you discover the answer, ask yourself which elements of the book support what appears to be the best explanation.
Step 3. Use the two-column method to take notes
A very effective way to organize your notes as you read is to divide a sheet into two columns: in the one on the left, write down the information you get from your reading, including page numbers, summaries and quotes; in the one on the right, write your reflections on what you have read.
- You will need the information in the left column for two basic reasons: first, if you want to refer to something you have read, you will know where in the text it is; secondly, you will need them to make citations in a written paper.
- Most of the notes you take in the left column should summarize or paraphrase the main points of the text. If you quote a literal quote, remember to put it in quotes.
- The notes in the right column should show how you relate what you have read to your ideas or topics covered in class.
Method 4 of 4: Read with a Purpose
Step 1. Focus on the most important parts first instead of reading from beginning to end
If you need to read informative texts, such as a manual or newspaper article, be guided by their structure. Start with sections such as summaries, introductions, and conclusions to get an idea of what the key information is.
- Identify the main concept in each section and then continue reading "around" that concept. You will probably find it at the beginning or in the first part of the section.
- Use the table of contents, headings, and subtitles to determine where to start reading.
Step 2. Read with the course syllabus in mind
If you have to read for study purposes, focus on finding information relevant to the topics covered in class. Focus your reading on what you need to learn and pay less attention to the rest.
- To get a better idea of the reading objectives, check the course syllabus and note what is highlighted most during the lessons.
- Review the tasks that have been assigned in the past to understand what kind of information is normally required to extract from a text.
Step 3. Use the digital format to your advantage
If possible, search for key words or phrases in an electronic version of the book to find relevant passages. It's a great way to make sure you're only reading the useful material without wasting time and energy on the parts you don't need.
If you are unable to consult a digital version of the text, you can also search the index for keywords to find the sections in which they are located
Advice
- Write down on separate sheets the words you don't know (you will then want to find their meaning) and the most interesting phrases (they may come in handy later).
- Try the SQ3R system if you need to read and understand passages in a test. It is a reading-study method consisting of five phases: preliminary observation (Survey), formulation of questions (Question), reading (Read), re-elaboration (Recite) and revision (Review). It proved effective in reading comprehension tests.
- Try varying the readings. Alternate them with something fun and light, like a comic novel or your favorite magazine.
- Find out which methods work best for you, whether it's locking yourself in your room or reading aloud. Try different approaches.
- Get reading guides. In the case of many classics, commented versions or reading guides are available to make them easier to understand. Help yourself with comments and guides when dealing with complex works.
- Go to the library as often as possible, after school, on a lunch break, or other free time.
- Ask questions. If reading has been assigned to you and you don't understand something, talk to your classmates, your teacher or your parents about it. If it's not an assignment, consider finding a reading group where you can discuss it, whether it's in person or on the internet.
- Read books at an advanced level of difficulty to challenge yourself and encourage you to learn new terms.
- If you have fallen behind in reading a book that has been assigned to you, you may want to overlook a few chapters, perhaps reading only the titles and the first paragraphs instead of every word.
Warnings
- Do not use summaries or other supporting material, such as Bignami, to avoid reading the assigned text.
- If you use ideas in a written paper that you have found in other published texts, respect the rules relating to quotations and plagiarism. You won't be able to fool your teacher by parroting something that has already been written by others.
- Real reading disorders are often not diagnosed or considered. If you've been diagnosed with a reading disorder, practice taking notes and adopt good study habits.
