Reading is a fundamental skill that opens doors to a world of knowledge, imagination and self improvement. But reading isn’t just about skimming through pages; it’s about understanding, retaining and engaging with the material.
If you find that what you read often slips from your memory, do not worry. It’s all right, because things can be complicated or we just can’t remember everything we read.
Photo by Matias North on Unsplash
However, I can give you some of my various effective strategies for improving your reading comprehension and retention.
Underline and Highlight: If you don’t mind using a pencil on pages, don’t hesitate to underline or highlight key points, important phrases or interesting passages as you read. This simple act can help you focus on important information and make it easier to revisit later. Since I don’t do this anymore, I use a piece of paper.
Take Notes: As I always mention in my articles, keep a notebook or use digital note-taking tools to jot down summaries, key ideas and your personal reflections as you read. These notes will serve as a valuable reference when you need to refresh your memory.
Summarize: I like this one. It is a habit I picked up after one of my teachers mentioned it when I was at school. After finishing a chapter, challenge yourself to summarise the main points in your own words. This forces you to process and remember the information.
Discuss with Others: This is also great from another perspective. Sharing what you’ve read with someone else, whether it’s a friend, family member or colleague, can deepen your understanding and help you remember the content better. When you do this, you’re not just looking at the book, you’re constructing a chronological narrative. You will find yourself recalling background information and other relevant details. Recalling details can add excitement and vitality to your discussion. It’s worth noting that the passion with which you share your reading experiences can have a significant impact on someone else’s enthusiasm for the same material.
Avoid Distractions: It goes without saying that reading in a quiet, focused environment will minimise distractions and allow you to concentrate fully on the material. If necessary, turn off your phone or use apps that block distracting websites. If I am outside, I choose the most secluded corners of the café or the emptiest benches.
Research and Explore: If you come across unfamiliar terms, historical events or intriguing references, take a moment to research and explore them further. Understanding the context can enhance comprehension and make reading more enjoyable. I think this is especially true of real-life stories or historical narratives.
Fun Facts: Learn more about the topic by looking for fun facts or interesting details related to the topic. These tidbits not only make reading more engaging, but also help you remember the content through association. I was going to include this in the statement above, but the fun facts and tidbits can be different as they can be a nuance about the background or the whole topic itself.
Revisit: Don’t expect to remember everything after reading it once. Revisit the material regularly to refresh your memory. Repetition is a powerful retention tool. I even like to do this with some of my favourite books. No matter how enjoyable they were, there are still some details that are missing each time you read them. I prefer to pause in these moments to respect the authors.
Set Goals: Set reading goals and track your progress. Whether it’s a certain number of pages per day or a chapter per week, setting goals keeps you motivated and accountable. I like it when novels have many chapters. It stops the story, or part of the story, for a moment. It gives you a break to breathe and remember what happened in that part. So you might want to set yourself a similar goal, to understand it bit by bit.
Stay Curious: This is the hardest to achieve. Because the flame of curiosity can be extinguished by time. That is why I have chosen to buy novels that I am only really looking forward to reading. The reader should have a natural curiosity about the subject. The more interested you are, the more likely you are to remember and absorb the information.
I remember crying over it as a child. I really enjoyed reading, but most of it just slipped through my mind. As time went on, I realised which options were best for my memory and learning style.
Although I know you worry about having so little time and so many books to read in a lifetime, find your own ways and don’t rush.
Articles that might interest you:
Comments