The Secret Of Reading Comprehension

By TERRY SMALL

No more forgetting what you just read!

Ever get to the bottom of a page and wonder what you just read? You are not alone! Most people’s reading comprehension is not very good. Our minds wander. In fact, studies show that average retention is 2% after 30 days. There is a secret to doing much better. A brain secret!

Your brain works best from the big picture to the details. Not the other way around. Ever do a jigsaw puzzle? That picture on the lid helped! Could you have put the puzzle together without the picture? Yes, probably. Would it have taken longer? Yes. Is there a greater chance you would become discouraged and stop working on the puzzle?

Most certainly. Again, have you ever got to the bottom of a page that you just read and asked, “What did I just read?” Odds are your brain went sideways for the same reason… no picture. When you pick up something and just start reading it is pretty much the same as trying to put a jigsaw puzzle together without the big picture.

So what is the secret to better reading comprehension and retention?

SCHEMA.

Schema is a word that means mental map. It is what you know about a topic before you read about it. That is what determines comprehension. Good schema equals good comprehension.

Here is a great way to get improved schema when you read any non-fiction material. Read the first sentence of each paragraph only all the way through the chapter. This is one of my favorite learning strategies that I teach people in my speed reading seminars. The first sentence of each paragraph contains the main idea or the topic sentence. When you read the first sentence of each paragraph you get the big picture. When you read the details later they have a place to “stick” in your brain.

Try it now. Get a book. Turn to a chapter that you have not read. Quickly read the first sentence of each paragraph. I think you will be quite surprised at what your brain does. Now when you read the chapter, notice the improvement!

More reading secrets to come in the next Brain Bulletin!

Terry Small is a brain researcher who believes that everyone is a genius. He argues that “Anyone can learn how to learn easier, better, faster”, and that learning to learn is the most important skill a person can acquire. To interact with Terry, email mystarjob@leaderonomics.com Click here for more brain bulletin.