Painless Reading Comprehension - Darolyn “Lyn” Jones Ed.D. 2021

What do i do when i am finished reading?
Keeping what you read in your head

What do you do when you are finished reading and you have to complete an assignment, prepare for a discussion, or study for a quiz or test, but you can’t remember all that you have read? How do you keep what you have read in your head?

Have you ever read something and thought you understood what you read, but when you start the assignment you realize you didn’t remember or understand what you read? Of course, this has happened to you. It has happened to everyone!

Remember when I talked about your reading brain being alert and awake, napping, or drooling while you read? You may think you are alert while you are reading, but sometimes your brain wanders and you don’t realize it. You may be alert at the beginning and alert or awake periodically throughout the reading but napping—maybe even drooling—at other times. You registered only the alert and awake times. So, to recall what you read, you may need to:

✵ Go back and skim for the information you need

✵ Go back, reread, and take notes

Now, that may sound like a lot of work, but it doesn’t have to be. Here are some tips on how to skim and reread.