Reading Comprehension:
Reading comprehension is the ability to understand,
analyze, interpret, and infer information from a text. It
involves not just reading the words but making sense of
them in context, grasping the meaning behind sentences
and paragraphs, and drawing conclusions or inferences
based on the information provided.
Effective reading comprehension requires a range of skills,
including vocabulary knowledge, background knowledge
on the topic, and the ability to think critically about what
the text says (explicit meaning) and what it implies (implicit
meaning).
What is Reading Comprehension?
Reading comprehension is the ability to understand
and make sense of what you read. It involves
recognizing the words, understanding their meaning,
and grasping the ideas or messages in the text.
Reading comprehension is the skill of understanding
information written in text. This can include reading
textbooks, articles in newspapers, business documents, or
even instructions like "what to do" and "when to do it."
How well you understand written words affects your ability
to follow directions and make sense of what you're
reading. This chapter will help you learn more about
reading comprehension and give tips to improve this skill.
Reasons for Poor Comprehension
Some common reasons why people struggle with reading
comprehension are:
- Not understanding a word.
- Not understanding a sentence.
- Not seeing how sentences are connected.
- Not understanding how the information is organized or
fits together.
- Lack of interest or focus.
The difficulty in understanding can change depending on
what you're reading, the topic, and how you're feeling
mentally or physically. Different situations need different
strategies. For example, not understanding a biology text
might be because of unfamiliar words, while struggling
with a math text could be due to difficult concepts. That's
why it’s important to have different ways to handle various
reading challenges.
Improving Comprehension Skills
To improve reading comprehension, try these strategies:
- Read different types of materials, not just textbooks.
- Read longer sections, like a whole chapter, to better
understand the content.
- Circle any words you don’t know.
- After reading, try to remember the main points and check
if you recalled them correctly.
- Think about how interesting the topic is and how much
you already know.
- Answer questions about the material to check your
understanding.
These strategies help you:
- Understand the content better.
- Focus more while reading.
- Be more involved in the reading process.
- Think critically about the material.
- Remember the information more easily.
Improving comprehension skills can help students perform
better in class, participate more, and do well in exams. It
also boosts confidence and interest in subjects.
TECHNIQUES FOR GOOD COMPREHENSION
As we have already discussed, poor comprehension skills
are usually attributable to one or more factors: lack of
interest, lack of concentration, failure to understand a
word, a sentence, or relationships among sentences, or
failure to understand how information fits together.
In this section, we will look at the underlying aspects of
text you need to be aware of and the techniques you
should develop and practice to hone your reading skills:
● Skimming and scanning
Skimming is a quick reading technique used to get a
general idea of the content. You focus on headings,
subheadings, and the first and last sentences of
paragraphs to grasp the main points.
Scanning is a faster reading method used to find
specific information, like a name, date, or keyword,
without reading everything. You move your eyes
quickly over the text to locate the details you need.
Both techniques help save time and improve
efficiency in reading.
● Non-verbal
signalsIn reading comprehension, non-verbal signals
refer to visual cues like headings, bullet points, bold
text, and diagrams. These signals help readers
quickly identify key ideas, organize information, and
improve overall understanding of the material.
● Structure of the text
In reading comprehension, the structure of the text
refers to how the information is organized, such as
introduction, body, and conclusion. Recognizing this
structure helps readers understand the flow of ideas
and how key points are connected.
● Structure of paragraphs
In the context of reading comprehension, a
well-structured paragraph typically begins with a clear
topic sentence that introduces the main idea, followed
by supporting sentences that provide evidence,
examples, or details to elaborate on that idea.
Elements of Reading Comprehension
1. Literal understanding
It involves recognizing stated facts and information directly
presented in the text. It’s the most basic level of
comprehension, often answered with "who," "what,"
"where," and "when" questions.
Example:
Text: "The dog barked loudly as the postman arrived."
- Question: Who barked?
- Answer: The dog barked.
2. Inferential understanding
It requires the reader to make logical deductions based on
evidence in the text. It's about understanding what is
implied but not directly stated.
Example:
Text: "Sarah's eyes filled with tears as she watched the car
disappear down the road."
- Question: How does Sarah feel?
- Answer: Sarah is likely feeling sad, as her eyes filled with
tears.
3.Evaluative/analytical
Analytical comprehension is when the reader assesses
the text's meaning critically, analyzing the author’s
purpose, style, and the underlying message or bias. It
includes forming opinions and judgments about the text.
Example:
Text: "The company released a statement saying they care
about the environment, yet their factories continued to
emit large amounts of pollution."
- Question: Does the company's statement seem sincere?
- Answer: The company’s actions contradict their
statement, so their sincerity is doubtful.
4. Vocabulary
in context means understanding the meaning of unfamiliar
words based on the context of the sentence or
surrounding words.
Example:
Text: "The weather was inclement, and we had to cancel
the outdoor event."
- Question: What does "inclement" mean in this context?
- Answer: "Inclement" means unpleasant or bad (referring
to the weather).
5. Summarization
Involves identifying the key ideas of the passage and
condensing them into a brief summary that captures the
essence of the text.
Example:
Text: "Over the last century, human activity has contributed
significantly to climate change. Industrialization,
deforestation, and increased greenhouse gases have
altered the planet’s climate patterns."
- Question: Summarize the main idea.
- Answer: Human activities have significantly caused
climate change through industrialization, deforestation,
and greenhouse gas emissions.
How to Improve Reading Comprehension
1. Previewing the text: Before reading, glance through
headings, subheadings, images, and introductory or
concluding paragraphs. This gives you a sense of what
the text will be about.
2. Asking questions: Encourage students to ask
questions while reading. This might include questions
about the main idea, the author's intention, or predictions
about what might happen next.
3. Making connections: Relate the text to personal
experiences, other books, or real-world events. This can
help deepen understanding by linking new information to
existing knowledge.
4. Visualizing: Encourage students to form mental images
of the events, characters, or information described in the
text. This technique helps make abstract concepts more
tangible.
5. Note-taking or annotating: Taking notes while reading
helps with understanding and retaining information.
Highlighting important details or writing marginal
comments can clarify meaning.
6. Summarization: Regularly summarizing paragraphs or
sections encourages students to focus on essential
information and discard irrelevant details.
Examples of Reading Comprehension Questions
1. Literal question: "What did the protagonist do after
leaving the house?"
This focuses on specific information provided directly in
the text.
2. Inferential question: "Why do you think the character
hesitated before speaking?"
This requires the reader to think beyond what is explicitly
stated and infer the character’s emotions or thoughts.
3. Critical/evaluative question: "Do you agree with the
author's viewpoint on environmental conservation? Why or
why not?"
This encourages the reader to critically assess the
author's argument and form an opinion.
Conclusion
Reading comprehension is not a passive process of
absorbing information, but an active one that involves
multiple cognitive skills. To become proficient, readers
need to develop the ability to understand both the literal
meaning and the deeper implications of a text. By
practicing different strategies—such as summarization,
visualization, and critical questioning—readers can
improve their comprehension skills over time.
