How to Enhance Your Reading Skills?

Reading skills enclose a wide range of abilities that can be applied in all aspects of life. Strong reading skills allow a person to interpret and find meaning in everything they read.  One can keep improving these skills and also develop effective communication skills through writing. Learning and reading are the two most valuable skills that are needed in personal as well as professional life. This article will explain what reading skills are, how reading comprehension contributes to developing strong literacy skills, and how can one improve reading skills.

Definition- Reading Skills

Reading skills refer to a person’s ability to read, comprehend, interpret, and understand written language and texts. Extraordinary reading skills can help a person understand and respond to written communications such as emails, messages, letters, and other text letters. Reading skills can also be useful in the workplace for facilitating efficient written communication, which can lead to fewer misunderstandings or misinterpreting of expectations. Reading skills can also include several key aspects that contribute to overall literacy development, such as comprehension, fluency, vocabulary, and strategies that assist readers in interpreting and finding meaning in texts.

A Daily Time Slot for Reading

One can set reading goals about oneself to help expand their vocabulary, develop a deeper understanding of different texts, and improve their ability to connect what one has read to their own perspectives and ideas. For example, one could set a goal to learn new vocabulary related to the main focus such as business management, techniques, competitive exams, such as NSTSE or another subject of interest. Then, as one starts to read, they can look up definitions for unfamiliar words to help them build their vocabulary. Also, the learner must boost the level of difficulty of the writing in order to enhance vocabulary. 

Examine the Texts You Intend to Read

Another stage toward improving one’s reading skills is to preview and scan texts. This strategy can be used by seeing titles, catchy titles, headlines, and other text features to get a sense of what a person is reading about. This can assist the learner in informing the main tenets of the text prior to beginning to read it.

Analytical Reading

Analytical reading (or study reading) is required to ensure that one fully comprehends and appreciates what they are reading. When using this style, the learner may need to read statements more than once, pause to consider them, or jot down keywords. For instance, when one is studying for a competitive exam, then the syllabus must be read in an analytical reading format. Any exam syllabus such as the NSTSE syllabus, must be read thoroughly in order to gain a good score in the exam. 

Noting While Reading

Taking notes while reading is another highly effective strategy to improve one’s reading skills. For example, one could take notes while reading a fiction novel to better understand the author’s use of language. It is also necessary to scribble down new terminology while reading a science book. Effective note-taking can lead to questions and connections about what they read. Similarly, making visual representations such as charts, tables, or diagrams can help the student clarify concepts and ideas and form assumptions from the reading. Note-taking can also be very useful for the ability to comprehend exercises like summarising.

Summarising

Reading skills can be improved by summarising what a person reads. Summarising drives the learner to recall specific details and central themes from what they learnt in their own words and from their own unique point of view. One could try verbally summarising what they read with a friend or writing a short synopsis to assist and preserve and grasp what one has read. As one’s reading skills improve, the interaction and overall ability to connect with others and perform well in one’s career.

Reading is not just skimming. Skimming allows the student to determine whether to continue or put a hold on the reading process. Skimming an academic text immediately before carefully reading it can help to evaluate what one already knows and develop a reading purpose. A preliminary skim can also allow a person to maximise their interest in the text as well as their comprehension and reflection on it. A good reading practice starts with skimming and ends up with summarising.