It goes without saying that cultivating great reading skills is just as important as graduating with good grades. Reading is an important aspect of education because students have to read to pass examinations, be able to interpret questions and researching involves reading. This skill should be part of students early enough. Many students see reading as a chore, thus making it difficult to grasp the important points. Advanced writers are always concerned about giving college students the best academic writing services. Apart from reading in order to succeed academically, the act will go a long way in personal development as it’s impossible for everything to be taught in school. These skills will also be useful later in life. Here are five strategies to help improve your reading skills.
Ways to Improve Reading Skills
1. Be genuinely interested in reading
It’s quite common for students to wait until its examination period before they start reading. They will have to cover a lot within a short period of time and this is very stressful. Not all reading is for pleasure; the bottom line is to create interest in all your reading materials including the ones that you find less enjoyable. If you don’t understand at once, read as many times as possible.
2. Read extensively
The first step to becoming a great reader is reading on a wide variety of topics and books. It’s a gradual process and once it becomes part of you, the skill will be applicable to your studies. The common excuse that some students give is not having enough time. It doesn’t really matter whether you have a tight schedule; setting aside at least 10-15 minutes every day to read is not too much. As time goes on, you will be looking forward to your reading time with excitement.
3. Improve your average reading time
Strong time management skills are needed when reading so that the time will be used efficiently. Different books require different length of time and reading for academic purposes takes longer. Before you start reading, evaluate the average time that will be used and set a timer. This will make it easier to monitor your progress over time.
4. Choose a conducive space
There are many people that can read anywhere and distractions or noise doesn’t affect their reading capacity. It doesn’t work for others, so it’s important to understand one to know the best approach. Look for a place where you can sit comfortably with good lighting, proper ventilation and less distractions. To make you concentrate more, don’t go along with your mobile devices and laptop, but if you need them, switch off your data connection or install apps like Self-Control on your devices to nip distractions in the bud.
5. Make summaries
After reading a paragraph, a page or a chapter, consider summarizing it in your own words. When you practice this habit often, it will be easier to recall anything that is read. Note taking during reading is equally important. Observe the keywords and ask yourself questions based on what you are reading.
