(Ep. 25) READ ACTIVELY

Many students do not know that the way you read a novel or some entertainment blog post is not the same way you read your academic materials. The difference is just that the former is passive and the latter requires an active reading pattern.

This post will teach you how to engage in active reading, as this is key if you want to understand what you are reading, if you want to be able to recall during exams/tests and if you want to be an outstanding student.

Passive Reading

Passive Reading is the kind of reading usually employed while reading for entertainment purposes. For example, reading an entertainment news, scanning through a newspaper or reading through a boring novel, etc. In passive reading, you are not actively engaging what is being read. You are not reading to fully understand the details in the text. Understanding may be superficial.

Passive reading requires superficial attention. One's attention may be divided while reading. Focus is lacking. One could even be multitasking while reading. You are not tasking the brain in trying to remember and ask questions based on what is being read. There is no critical thinking, or proper analysis of what is being read. As a result, understanding and retention is minimal.

The passive reader has no clear set goals or objective for reading. In as much as passive reading techniques such as scanning and skimming can be very useful, if you want to make the most out of your university education, you must engage more in active reading.

Active Reading

In active reading, the reader is consciously engaging the text being read. This approach makes use of several strategies to enable comprehension, retention asd recall of information. It is highly recommended if your aim is to be an outstanding student.

Active Reading is essential for improved comprehension, retention and recall. You are better able to analyse the information you are reading, evaluate arguments and consider other perspectives to what is being argued upon or talked about. In fact, you get to fall in love with reading when you engage in active reading.

How to Read Actively 

To engage in active reading, the following steps must be taken:

1. Create a Purpose: 

Have a clear goal in mind for which you are reading the text.

2. Pre-Read:

Quickly go through the text you are about to read. Check the headings, subheadings , pictures, etc. Just have a quick overview.

3. Focus: 

When there is no focus, it is not active reading. Put away distractions from your phone, environment, social media, friends, etc.

4. Actively Engage: 

Fully engage the text. Ask questions like 'What is the main point of this paragraph...What's the author trying to say...etc'.

5. Make Connections: 

Connect the new information to previous knowledge or to things you see around.

6. Visualise: 

Paint a visual image of what you are reading. Have a mental imagery. Do this while reading.

7. Make a Summary: 

Try summarizing what you have read. Synthesise the information. Ask yourself what you just learnt.

8. Answer/ Solve Questions: 

Try answering questions based on what you have read. Try out past questions too. Solve questions for calculative courses. Where you find that you are missing a point, go back to the text and note the point and continue answering the questions.

9. Take Notes: 

You may choose to write down what you learnt in your own words.

10. Make Applications after reading: 

Apply what you read to situations around you, to practicals in the course or to subsequent practices.

11. Discuss with others: 

Discuss with friends or colleagues about what you read. Have group discussions when you can. Take advantage of teaching your friends what you learnt.

In Conclusion

It's true that active reading is tasking. But once you make it a habit, you will find out that reading is so interesting. You will fall in love with reading because you now find comprehension better.

Read actively, you will be happy you did.

"The slothful man roasteth not that which he took in hunting: but the substance of a diligent man is precious." Proverbs 12:27

Now that you are a student, read actively.

✌️ 💕

 
Dr Tochukwu Onu, PT