Study Skills - Reading for Meaning

 
Increase Your Reading Fluency

One common problem that students have with textbook reading is how long it takes to do.

High-powered speed-reading is usually not appropriate for college reading. Often textbooks are dense with information and you will need to give your mind time to comprehend and make connections.

One way to increase your reading speed is to improve your fluency. The most common factor that interferes with fluent reading is regression. Regression is the tendency to re-read a sentence, phrase, or passage that has already been read. Often people don’t even notice when they do it. Usually, regression is a result of a lack of concentration the first time through. The best way to control regression is to notice when you do it and make a conscious effort to increase your concentration. You can use a note-card when you read to cover what you have already read as you go along. If you go back to re-read you will have to move the note-card, which will bring the regression to your attention.

Another way to improve your fluency is to reduce word-by-word reading. Try to look at phrases instead of individual words. This allows your eyes to make fewer fixations, which in turn increases your reading speed. Reading in phrases will also make it easier to determine the author’s meaning.

Keep a dictionary on hand to look up words you don’t know. Try to gather the meaning of the word from context first. If after reading the surrounding sentences you still can’t figure out what it means, look it up. Misunderstanding the meaning of a key word could interfere with your understanding of an important concept.

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