Understanding the written word is one of the many ways for young minds to grow and develop into skilled scholars. Reading is one of the most critical skills to teach at a young age as reading can help children develop their language skills, as well as comprehension. A myriad of scientific studies shows that reading can help enhance a student’s performance on exams. An analysis of more than 9.9 million participants found that students reading for more than 15 minutes per day made substantial reading gains. Furthermore, students reading more than 20 minutes per day saw the greatest results of all. The National Center for Educational Statistics suggested a strong positive correlation between pleasure reading and high academic achievement in many subjects.

What are the Benefits of Reading?

In general, research shows that strong reading skills can help with the improvement of brain functions and connectivity. It increases your vocabulary and comprehension as well as aiding you with other habits such as sleeping. In agreement with leading learning experts, reading before you go to bed can aid with sleep readiness. Heightened reading skills can also battle depression symptoms and, in some, cases even prevent cognitive decline from aging.

How Important is it for Students to Develop Reading Skills?

Reading skills refer to abilities acquired through reading, such as comprehension, independence, and fluency.

• Comprehension: The capability to understand something
• Independence: Thinking or acting for oneself
• Fluency: The ability to express oneself easily and articulately

Building these skills will help you become more articulate and reasonable. By following academics with independent reading, children can gain a healthy amount of background knowledge about a plethora of topics. They come to understand and absorb the essential basics of English grammar, while continuously expanding their vocabulary. A study conducted by the Institute for Education found that pleasure reading boosted students’ competency in vocabulary by 14.4% and mathematics by 9.9%.

How Can You Improve Reading Comprehension?

There is no limit to the number of strategies students can utilize for their advantage in reading comprehension. Our tutoring experts offer six strategies that can further improve students’ reading comprehension.

1. Reading aloud to professors or students
2. Provide books at the appropriate reading level
3. Rereading passages to build fluency
4. Nurture students through “verbal processing”
5. Supplementing class readings at home through similar topics
6. Conversing with the teacher about any struggles

How Can I Apply My Reading Techniques to Exams?

After cultivating all the reading you’ve built, it’s time to put those techniques to some good use. Remind yourself to take short mental breaks if needed to process information. By harnessing simple practices designed to support students, it’s best to remain harmonious with these practices and sustain a positive attitude to your students showing them that learning can a fun process. These are essential skills that you take with you for the rest of your life. Getting a head start on reading at a young age can improve your chances of success in the future.

Why Do Students Struggle with Test-Taking?

An underlying factor that has influenced children’s abilities to apply their knowledge to tests is a learning disability. Students with ADHD or dyslexia may find it harder to focus on the given material or have difficulties reading the passages. This can result in a lack of motivation and a lower test drive. To overcome these struggles, try asking probing questions after completing the reading selection. Next, ask them to support their answers with evidence from the passage.

You can help your children strengthen their reading abilities with simple practices like these, as well as the ones listed above. For more information about learning disabilities and academic accommodations please visit our blog page.