Improve Reading Comprehension

Reading comprehension is more than understanding the words on the page. True comprehension involves interaction with and reaction to the text by making connections to what is read, analyzing what you read, and forming your own opinions. One key to enhancing reading comprehension is metacognition – the ability to recognize, monitor, and evaluate your thought processes. Keeping a dialectical journal while reading facilitates this “thinking about thinking” and enriches the reading experience.

A dialectical journal is a record of thoughts, observations and associations that occur as you read. To begin a dialectical journal, select a spiral notebook, binder or folder to hold the journal pages. Turn to a clean sheet of paper and divide it into two columns. Label the left column “Text” and the right column “Reactions.” As you read, note any part of the text which appeals to you in some way. Copy the selection in the left hand column, including the page number for reference, and record your thoughts on the selection in the adjacent column. Try asking yourself the following questions:

For fiction:

What do you notice about the characters?

Do they remind you of people you know?

Are they likable? Why or why not?

How do you imagine their appearances?

What do you notice about the setting?

How do you imagine the place or places where the story occurs?

Is it at all similar to a place you have been, or a place you want to go?

What do you notice about the plot?

Is the storyline believable? Why or why not?

Have you been in similar situations before? What did you do?

For fiction and nonfiction:

What are you enjoying about the reading, and what do you find troublesome?

Do you agree with the author’s premise? Why or why not?

What sections of the text do you find particularly moving or interesting? Why?

What sections of the text do you find uninteresting? Why?

Adaptations and extensions:

For pre-readers or reluctant writers, ask questions as you read and discuss the answers.

Make predictions about what might happen and why.

Illustrate your reactions to the text, either adjacent to the excerpt or in a more elaborate form, such as a comic or storyboard.

Make a word or picture collage of your favorite sections.

Choose your favorite quotation and use it as a springboard for further writing.

Write a personal response to the author of the text.

A dialectical journal is an excellent tool for strengthening reading skills. Recording, monitoring and evaluating connections to a text fosters richer reading experiences and self-discovery of learning styles.

Contact Ginny at thewritingwell(at)earthlink(dot)net or visit The Writing Well online.

 

Source- http://www.examiner.com/article/tuesday-tip-dialectical-journals-facilitate-reading-comprehension-learning-style-discovery

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Here is a link to online practice with fiction http://www.wwnorton.com/college/english/litweb10/genres/fiction/quiz-reading.aspx 

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Great article about sentence structure
http://frances30s.hubpages.com/hub/Learning-Grammar-and-Understanding-Sentence-Structure
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