The 23 Basic Comprehension Skills

 

1.Read smoothly by punctuation interval, pausing at end of the interval. Note: a punctuation interval is all the words to the next comma or other punctuation mark.

2.When your reading stops making sense, back up and read what is there from the start of the punctuation interval.

3.Reread the punctuation interval if you stumbled through it. Note: you only usually understand what you have read smoothly (fluently).

4.Be aware of the music of text and the meaning points in the music. These points are the objects of prepositions, longer words, and words at the end of punctuation intervals.

5.In the pause at the end of each punctuation interval, think about what you just read and make sure you have understood it. Realize that a punctuation interval won’t make sense until you get to the end of it.

6.Relate each punctuation interval to the previous or next punctuation interval, or rest of sentence. Take the necessary time to do this.

7.Understand that reading a sentence is a matter of progression through the words and pausing at the commas and other punctuation points.

8.Limit guessing to phonetic alternatives.

9.Do not project; read what is there; make sure your sound is possible by the text that is written, especially the endings.

10.Use your auditory memory.

11.Use your visual memory.

12.Think about the questions the sentence is asking and then answering.

13.Do not sub-vocalize or lip-read or whisper when reading silently.

14.Tie in what you are reading to titles and sub-titles and table of contents.

15.Do not read too fast.

16.Do not make regressions or other compulsive actions.

17.Look up words you don’t know and develop a definition sheet.

18.Eliminate issues of brightness and contrast and glare.

19.Adjust highlight color or eliminate it.

20.Re-read text at higher speed, trying to state ending before hearing it spoken.

21.Make sure you experience points in charts, diagrams, maps and illustrations.

  1. 22.Avoid physical discomfort when reading or typing.

  2. 23.Try to read without holding the book or page; type notes while reading, if you wish.