Painless Reading Comprehension - Darolyn “Lyn” Jones Ed.D. 2016

Be a good reader
Your reading voices

Because reading is a very personal process, there is no “one size fits all” formula. You have to find the best tools to help you. One thing we all can do is find out what good readers do when they don’t understand what they are reading. That makes sense, right? If you want to be a good basketball player, you study the pros like Stephen Curry. You need to learn what they do and try their techniques! Likewise, if you want to be a good reader, do what the avid readers do!

Good readers also know and use many different strategies for different types of reading. Remember, when you are reading, you have to determine your purpose for reading, decide what you are reading, and deduce how much time you will need to complete the reading.

So, how do you do that?

✵ Read from front to back.

✵ Be selectively attentive. You don’t have to read and understand every single word.

✵ If you know what you are reading for, you can look for words or phrases that meet that purpose.

✵ Make notes while you read. Write down or type important facts, events, people, ideas, or dates.

✵ Make sure your video camera is turned on. Create images and interpret what you are reading. Remember, words by themselves are just black marks. Words only have meaning when you assign them meaning. You are the camera person; you are in control!

Listen to the voices in your head! If you are reading and find yourself only mouthing the words or thinking about what you are going to watch on television or wear to school the next day, you need to stop and have a conversation with the words: argue with the words, repeat what the words said, or respond to the words. The strategies in this book will provide you with tools and show you how to use them successfully.