How to Become an Active Reader

 

Becoming an active reader

An active reader is the one who reads a text or notes attentively. A student should be an active reader so that he can understand his notes or subject easily. There are different perspectives of an active reader which are as follow:

Reading Actively

So you have to activate your mind while reading. It is the reading with determination and goal of understanding. The question is how you can read actively. There can be different ways or strategies for that. Some of them are as follow

Pre-reading Questions

First of all or even before starting the actual reading you have to ask certain questions from yourself.

What is the topic?

Why are you reading?

Did you have any previous experience of such text?

Why this task is assigned to you?

Unfamiliar Terms

As a student you may be unfamiliar with the certain terms in the text. So the next step is to identify that unfamiliar terms and define them. This identification leads to clarification of ideas and thoughts.

Mark the Main Idea

Now start your reading and start to find the main idea of the text. Highlight it by using the highlighter, underline it or put asterisk on it for your understanding. Mostly main idea lies in introduction or opening paragraph pay attention to them locate it.

Marginal notes or comments

Students used to highlight each and everything while reading a text. You should write questions on the margins of the page, you can write key words for recalling, you can make comments on the topic and can dialogue with author.

Questions and their answers

After writing the questions in margins you should answer them in a seperate piece of paper. While reading the topic, you can turn  headings and sub headings into questions.

Flow Charts and Disgrams

You can make flow charts, diagrams that will be helpful in mapping the ideas and their clarification.

Read Each Paragraph

Read each paragraph separately and try to sum up it one sentence for clear understanding. Write it in your own words. Try to get the idea that how this paragraph is helping to main idea. What it contributes to overall meaning of the text?

Exam Questions

Try to guess the exam questions related to the topic on the basis of your previous experience.

Teach or Discuss

After reading the topic now teach it to someone else or discuss it. Teaching is very effective way to learn better. It will increase confidence, knowledge and understanding as well. You can also discuss it with your friend.

Find main idea, details and implications

Main Idea

First of all you should know that what is the main idea? Main idea is the central idea of any text. The idea which writer urges to convey. Now this is often confused with the theme. Remember theme ia something underlying in the text, which is hidden. But main idea is clearly mentioned in the text. For example in a novel bravery can be the theme but progainst shows the bravery by scarficing his life is the main idea. Main idea and topic sentence are also mingle out in the mind of students but you should know that topic sentence or thesis statement is what a text is about.

How to find main idea

Now, how to find main idea. In case of essay, main idea is hidden in the thesis statement. In newspapers, it is written in the lead of the article. Now you can find the main idea by

Rereading of first and last sentence especially in case of essay or short fiction

Looking at the repeated ideas

Exploring the main characters and their dilemma in case of novels or dramas

Revisiting specific facts, statistics and narratives

Summarising it in one sentence

Supporting details

Apart from the main idea there are details in the text which support it called as supporting details. These can be in the form of reasons, examples, further information. The main idea is the key point in the text and other details are helpful in exhaling that idea. You should distinguish them because it will help you in understanding the structure of the text.

Implications

To recognise implications it is important to know How the text is important? This is basically explored by checking how much detaila are discussed. Context is also important in this regard. Readers also use graphics to recognise it.

Using a Textbook Marking System

Textbook Marking System is a way to make your reading activity easier. You can do it by following the pattern

Read first and highlight later

Mark only essential details

Highlight key phrases, not complete sentences

Showing key points and supporting details

Review your marked textbook