All About Phonics » Reading comprehension

Any tips for improving reading comprehension?

PhonicsKid — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 18:38:03 +0000

I’m curious to know of any tips that might improve reading comprehension.

I’m currently in college and have been reading a lot more then I used to, but I believe I could improve my comprehension rate. I’d be most interested in any tips that will help me get through reading material which is not from a modern writer (i.e. Plato, Aristotle, Kant).

Any general reading/comprehension tips will also be greatly appreciated!

How can I improve reading comprehension?

PhonicsKid — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 06:58:20 +0000

Okay this summer I took this speed reading course that was supposed to teach me comprehension. The program taught by doing tell backs to do understand better. The didn’t help my comprhension at all. Anyways I’m in 9th grade World Studies and we usually have to do reading comprehension quizzes from the text. But all I’ve been doing is get 1/2 of the quiz right. I read the questions over and try them to the best of ability. Everyone else gets 100% on these quizzes except me. I don’t know what the problem is…I just can’t focus or pay attention to details and I can’t absorb any imformation at all or the the main ideas. Are there any ways that could help me improve my comprehension? P.S I need to improve comprehension, vocab, and spelling in a week.

Teaching reading comprehension – methodology consistent with examination practice?

PhonicsKid — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 07:43:39 +0000

I am teaching English reading to intermediate level Chinese students, and their standard tests will involve a comprehension passage and four multiple choice questions.

As well as teaching/providing practice for the standard reading skills, I would like to do some practice comprehension tests throughout the semester and teach specific skills for passing these examinations.

In my mind, the methodology is something as follows:

1. Skim the text for gist, not being too concerned with the unfamiliar lexis;
2. Read the questions;
3. Read the text intensively, trying to answer the questions directly, without recourse to the multiple choice alternatives;
4. Then choose the best answer from the multiple choice;
5. Re-read and check.

I haven’t got any authoritative sources on this methodology. It is just something I have from memory as a student and a couple of websites.

Does anyone have an authoritative source or opinion on this subject?

Thanks for your help.
Hi Melissa! VERY helpful – Thank you! And thanks for the cheerful encouagement!