26 February 2010

Benefits Of Speed Reading

Obviously few people want to undertake the task of learning a new skill, such as speed reading, if there is no direct benefit. Life's just too short.
So, what are the direct and indirect benefits of learning to speed read? The answer to this question very much depends at what stage in your life you are at. Here are some to consider:
High school / pre-college students
High school, pre-college, students are normally considered to be primary target groups for a speed reading programs. Basically, the reason why such students are seen as ideal candidates is because they at an age where they can still absorb new ideas without too onerous consideration - an important facet with learning to speed read.
Another upside to teaching high school students to speed read is the fact that they can take in far more information from their greater reading skills. Also, with advanced reading skills, students should also be able to comprehend more of what they are reading. Furthermore, with potentially the toughest period of their lives ahead of them, so far as obtaining information from reading is concerned, learning to speed read at this time is seen as being extremely advantageous.
College students
If a college student has not learnt, for one reason or another, to speed read by the time they enter college, it is generally considered essential that they do so within their first year (along with learning short-hand!). Practically speaking, this is likely to be the busiest time of a person's reading life. Moreover, students are often required to read huge amounts of materials, comprehend them, condense them and then comment on them. Having the ability to speed read is nothing short of a God-send skill.
Work employees
Even though you may not have learnt to speed read prior to entering the workforce, this doesn't mean that you no longer need to learn speed reading. Consider this: three quarters of all the world's reading materials (which includes every book and magazine ever written) is contained within the filing cabinets of offices! And, even in this electronic age, with data protection laws in place, we are still required to read vast amounts of information at work each year.
Learning to speed read will not only allow you to read quickly, with greater comprehension of the material, but it'll also provide you with more time to be getting on with the other tasks in your daily working life!
Pleasure
Again, even if you are only reading for pleasure, the mere fact you have more chance of comprehending that romance novel if you have the skills at-hand that allow you to speed read should be sufficient to convince you of the value of learning this essential skill. Of course, pleasure reading is a lot more enjoyable than technical reading, so if you do have speed reading skills, this will allow you the chance to read even more of those books you always wanted to read, but didn't have time for!
Language students
One final group that we should not overlook is "English as a second language" students. Clinical evidence has shown that ESL students who have the ability to speed read have a far greater chance of comprehending the English language and are more inclined to stick to learning English. This is not to say, of course, that speed reading is the answer to all your English language problems, but it is an additional weapon to help you conquer the language barriers!
Conclusion
So, to sum up, it doesn't really matter at what stage in your life you are at, provided that you read at anytime during the day, even if it is only the daily newspaper, you are likely to benefit from the skills acquired from learning to speed read. You are also likely to be able to comprehend more of the information you read. And, there's every chance that because you understand and comprehend what you have read, your long-term memory will be able to retain this information for a future time. All-in-all, some very good reasons to learn speed reading now!

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About the Author

Melvin Ng teaches speed reading through his 16-Minute Speed Reading Audio Program
which Guarantees to Double your reading speed in just 16 minutes! http://www.best-speed-reading-course.com
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Summer Reading for Students - How to Choose the Right Book

For many families, those three words, Back to School, bring dread and despair. If your kids are past their preschool years, there's a good chance their summer reading book is still in the Borders bag and the packet of work they need to turn in next September is in a corner somewhere collecting dust. No worries.

Experts say that summer is all about family experiences that enrich children's lives and bring a broader understanding of the world around them. Visits to the library, the park, and even a ballgame provide shared experiences that are invaluable. Farrah Koonce, Principal of the Clara Barton Elementary School in Cherry Hill, NJ provides expert advice on how to keep your kids stimulated over the summer.

She suggests that there are many ways to keep students from regressing. “They should engage in some academic stimulation, whether it’s reading, writing, or mathematics,” explains Dr. Koonce. “They need to just be doing something to keep their brains active. Doing something to stimulate their brain is critical.”

For example, visit the library and help your child independently choose a book that interests her. Violeta Katsikis, Instructional Support Specialist at Clara Barton Elementary School, provides guidelines to help kids choose appropriate books. Ask yourself these questions. If the answer is YES, this book is probably a JUST – RIGHT book for you. JUST – RIGHT books help you learn the MOST because you can figure out most of the words and you can UNDERSTAND what’s going on in the book.

1. Is this an interesting book that you want to read?
2. Do you know the author or anything about the topic?
3. Can you tell another person what is happening in the story or
something you have learned?
4. Do you sometimes need to reread a part to understand it?
5. Are there just a few (2 or 3) words per page that you do not know?
6. When you read are most places smooth and some choppy?

Hopefully, you parents are reading, too. When kids see that their parents have a love for reading, it will make them that much more interested in trying it for themselves. And, they don't need to read novels. Experts agree that reading anything is good, be it comic books, magazines, or even the cereal box. It's amazing how much vocabulary kids can pick up by reading just about anything.

When my kids were younger, I often read their summer reading books. Many of them were wonderful, and it gave us a chance to discuss the book together.
visit my blog at www.preschoolteach.blogspot.com

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About the Author


I produced the Romper Room and Friends TV show and Bowling for Dollars when I worked for Claster Television in the '80's and '90's. With three kids of my own, I stopped working there in 1996. Today I am a freelance writer and preschool teacher and I am in the process of publishing my first book about preschool advice for parents. Check out my blog at www.preschoolteach.blogspot.com
Please contact me at: terribakman@gmail.com
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Developing Reading Fluency

How many times have you heard a child reading aloud and it sounded like they were counting instead of reading? This is a problem that many teachers and parents face. It is caused by a lack of reading fluency. While it has long been recognized that fluency needs to be developed, teachers have been reluctant to teach it over the years. Fluency has been one of those skills that have been left to chance. However, fluency need not be left to chance, it can be taught. Here are some strategies to develop fluency in children:

1. Echo reading is modeled reading. An adult shows how a passage should be read taking care to show proper pronunciation and intonation. The adult reads a sentence or part of a sentence from the text and then the child follows trying to imitate the pattern shown by the adult. This strategy is effective because children have a model. They have a set guideline for how the passage or particular paragraph should sound.

2. Choral reading is another good way to develop reading fluency. During choral reading the teacher or adult reads along with a group of students. Choral reading is a traditional strategy that has been used by teachers for years. It is a good method. However teachers should watch out for those students who simply cannot keep up with choral reading. This strategy usually intimidates them and they will pretend to be reading but may simply be moving their lips. These children will usually succeed with other reading fluency strategies mentioned in this article.

3. Tape assisted reading is a tried and true method of developing reading fluency. Students read aloud from their books while listening to someone reading the same book on tape. There are many books that now come with tapes so tape assisted reading shouldn't be hard to do even if you don't want to record yourself modeling fluency. It is tedious to make tapes of yourself modeling reading, children however tend to appreciate the personal touch, be it from a teacher or a parent so before going out and buying tapes consider the do-it-yourself approach.

4. Peer reading is a strategy that partners a weak reader with a strong reader. This creates a support framework for the weaker reader and has often proven to be highly effective as the strong reader usually models fluency for the weaker reader. The personality of the partners selected for peer reading should be taken into consideration as some people get along together better than others. If the level of friction between the two partners becomes too high you might have to find each a new partner.

5. Children enjoy drama and they like it even better when they get to be the players in that drama. Let them act out scenes from a book using the dialogue from the story. This activity is good for developing reading fluency and it is also fun. While they are having fun they will be learning how to express themselves and learning drama skills at the same time. Playing a character from a book requires them to focus more on the details of the characters personality. Acting it out is not just good for reading fluency it is good for reading comprehension as well.
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About the Author

Simone Mary is a teacher, writer and artist. She is the author of the eBook TEACHING READING AND WRITING, for more reading strategies and for a free copy of the ebook GET ON THE HONOR ROLL-TEST AND EXAM TAKING TIPS THAT WORK visit www.thereadingandwritingshop.com
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Reading Isn't Cool: Three Ways To Encourage Reluctant Readers

Do your kids avoid reading because it isn't cool?  Maybe you're more in tune than I am, but I was startled when my grandson informed me that reading isn't cool.
Discovering Reading isn't Cool
It first started when he got home from school one day without the book he was supposed to read. I figured it was yet another way to get out of the requisite 15-minute evening reading requirement. I cut him off at the pass right away: "Well, Caleb, guess you'll have to read one of my books like Harry Potter."  But he's not reading Harry Potter, even the 1st volume is a whopping 309 pages. And why on earth would you read something that's also on a DVD that you've already seen?
Not to be deterred, I mention I have a few other books from my childhood. But no way is he reading girl books or books that are THAT old. I find a book for kids that will help with ADHD with lots of pictures and bullet points. He finally agrees to read this for 15 minutes but hates it.
The next day he dutifully brings his book home from school--hidden under his hoodie--so at least he can read a book he's chosen.  "Caleb, why is your book under your hoodie instead of in your back pack."  He looks at me like I've just lost my mind and patiently explains that reading isn't cool. That he would NEVER want another kid to see him taking a book home.
I check this out with his teachers. Sure enough, part of the struggle they have getting kids to read is the "cool factor."
Try the Library
Still thinking that eventually I'll just give up, he comes home again without a book. I say "Fine. You don't want to read what I have. We'll go to the library and you can choose a book."  He argues that going to library is out of the question because someone might see him at the library. Now there's a certain amount of logic here: If reading isn't cool, libraries obviously represent the height of un-cool-ness.
But "someone might see me" isn't as logical. I remind him that if someone sees him at the library, they might be getting a book too. He and his friend can now be uncool together.
Go to a Bookstore
In addition to the library, you can take your reluctant reader to a large bookstore. It's your second option. Choose one that has a kids' area, things to do, even a coffee shop. And don't forget bribes. Something like "After you choose a book--not a game, a puzzle, sticker book or toy--we'll get hot chocolate and a goodie in the cafe."
Have Books at Home
A third option is having lots of books your child has chosen at home. If you're at home, your friends can't see you reading. When friends come over, just put the books away--or choose friends who think reading IS cool. You can't change peer pressure but you certainly can side-step it. And you'll find more ways to sabotage peer pressure and help reluctant readers who think reading isn't cool at http://www.smartkidssmartparents.com/read/
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About the Author


Discover strategies and tips to help kids reach their Smart Potential. Sign up today for your FREE subscription to the "Smart Learning" newsletter. http://smartkidssmartparents.com/sign-up/

from MaryJo Wagner, Ph.D. - The Learning Doctor, helping you help your kids learn quickly and easily every day in every subject

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Three Tips For How To Have Success In School

How to have success in school? This is a question that eludes too many students. Working with a tutoring service, of course, is beneficial, because it allows students a chance to review anything in class that they may not have understood. A good tutoring service will not only provide help on homework but will also test a student on topics covered in class to ensure the student has a firm grasp of the material; sometimes a student is unaware that they do not understand a certain topic until working on homework. A tutoring service should also help the student ensure that he or she has a solid grasp of the material before moving onto the next topic presented in class. However, there are also many strategies a student can utilize on their own to almost guarantee success in school.
Besides working with a good tutoring service, here are three other tips for students who want to know how to have success in school:
Taking Notes: One thing that we've been surprised about when working with students for years is the fact that many students take few or almost no notes during class. Taking notes is one of the most important things a student can do to ensure his or her success in a class.
It allows the student to understand what topics a teacher believes are the most important for the student to focus on while completing reading assignments in the text and while studying for tests.
Some teachers, of course, do not cover everything in class that will appear on a test. But remember that a teacher can include only what's covered in class or what is found in assigned reading outside of class. This is why it is important for a student to pay attention in class and write down whatever the teacher discusses.
Additionally, it helps if a student puts headings and dates on all notes and records any examples the teacher gives to support a given topic. Reviewing notes from class provides help on homework and also studying for quizzes and exams.
Ask Questions: A student who wants to know how to have success in school should make sure that he or she asks questions in class. If you are unsure of something that a teacher has just discussed, don't be afraid or intimidated to raise your hand and ask a question.
There are most likely other students in the class who are also unclear and have a similar question. Why discuss how confusing it was after class with other students when you can discuss it right there in class and eliminate the confusion?
A class should be thought of as a community where students are learning as well as the teacher. Sometimes a teacher may not be aware that her presentation has lost several students in class.
This is why it is also important to remain undistracted in class and listen to other classmates as well, because their questions are most likely helping other students to understand the material better. Asking questions in class helps students require less help on homework after class.
Preparing for class: A student must make sure that she does the assigned reading before class so that she can ask questions about anything that she doesn't understand the next day.
The lesson in class will also solidify the material in the student's mind, which will make studying for a quiz or test much easier than cramming the material into her brain a couple days or even the night before. It will also allow a student to spend less time and require less help on homework since anything that is unclear before class will be answered during class.
These are three tips that will help any student who really wants to know how to have success in school. Taking notes, asking questions in class, and preparing for topics that will be covered in the next class will help on homework, taking tests, and succeeding in class. A tutoring service can help a student improve in these areas and monitor and communicate their progress to parents.

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About the Author


For over ten years, we have provided Private Tutoring Services enrolled in home schools and traditional schools and helped them achieve their academic goals as well as outstanding grades in mathematics, English, science, literature, and language courses.If You need Home Tutoring Services Please visit our website:http://theteachingtutors.com/
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