Distancelanguagelearning/English Web/reading

Here are some reading strategies (Anderson, 1999, pp. 82-83) that will help your reading comprehension.


 * Cognitive Reading Strategies

1. Predict content of an upcoming passage or section of the text.

2. Concentrate on grammar to help you understand unfamiliar constructions.

3. Understand the main idea to help you comprehend the entire reading.

4. Expand your vocabulary and grammar to help you increase your reading.

5. Guess the meanings of unfamiliar words or phrases to let you use what you already know about English.

6. Analyze the theme, style, and connections to improve your comprehension.

7. Distinguish between opinions and facts in your reading.

8. Break down larger phrases into smaller parts to help you understand difficult passages.

9. Link what you know in your first language with words in English.

10. Create a map or drawing of related ideas to enable you to understand the relationships between words and ideas.

11. Write a short summary of what you read to help you understand the main ideas.


 * Metacognitive Reading Strategies

12. Set goals for yourself to help you improve areas that are important to you.

13. Make lists of relevant vocabulary to prepare for new reading.

14. Work with classmates to help you develop your reading skills.

15. Take opportunities to practice what you already know to keep your progress steady.

16. Evaluate what you have learned and how well you are doing to help you focus your reading.


 * Compensating Reading Strategies

17. Rely on what you already know to improve your reading comprehension.

18. Take notes to help you recall important details.

19. Try to remember what you understand from a reading to help you develop better comprehension skills.

20. Review the purpose and tone of a reading passage so you can remember more effectively.

21. Picture scenes in your mind to help you remember and understand your reading.

22. Review key ideas and details to help you remember.

23. Use physical action to help you remember information you have read.

24. Classify words into meaningful groups to help you remember them more clearly.