How to Improve Reading Skills in English

July 29, 2020

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While students learn, they ought to develop various skills to enjoy success. Reading skill is one of the most important skills for all students. You’ll have to read a lot to analyze, understand, and explain it in the class. Even when you write a scientific paper, you’ll have to find and read essential facts to support your theories. Therefore, this guide shows how to improve reading skills in English. It can be useful for all students, but non-native speakers should be especially attentive while they read our guide.

This useful guide was written by a professional essay writer who is also a great journalist – Joan Young. She frequently writes papers for a famous essay writing service called Advanced Writers. This website is famous for its credibility, high-quality, unique, and timely delivered papers. It hires only the best writers and so, you can fully trust the reputation of Joan. She is passionate about traveling, technology, inventions, and sociology. She also gives close heed to the current problems of education. Joan even offers online courses for international students to improve their skills. Accordingly, this guide contains effective measures to sufficiently enhance reading skills in English in foreign students.

Read Everything You Can

The first tip is the most obvious one. You should read a lot even if you’re a native English speaker. Thus, you’ll enrich your language knowledge. You’ll understand what words are applicable to a concrete topic, subject, and context. This knowledge will be transferred to other aspects of language command. You’ll speak and write correctly. Besides, active readers quickly learn how to distinguish between important and irrelevant data. There’s a rich choice of reading methods. You should read:

Local newspapers;
Books in the original;
Books you’re already read in your native language with translation;
Subtitles of English-speaking films;
Children’s books;
Social media posts;
Online blogs, etc.

Make sure you read appropriate literature. If your reading comprehension isn’t advanced or close to native, you’ll require books of an easier level. Therefore, consider graded reading. The choice depends on your current reading level. You may read books for beginners, which commonly include children’s books. As you progress, go to the next level that is an upper beginner. Afterward, you’ll master intermediate, advanced, and near-native levels. Simply don’t overcomplicate and be a realist. If your primary expectations are too high, you’ll get disappointed and it may hugely reduce your enthusiasm.

Enlarge Your Vocabulary

Every non-native speaker should steadily enlarge his/her active vocabulary. Of course, you learn new words when you read, write, listen, and speak. However, many folks are too dependent on their memory. It’s impossible to remember everything and so, you should take notes.

Record all the new words you see or hear. Afterward, use a dictionary to translate them and learn their meaning. Write some short stories, which include new words. Thanks to this practice, you’ll memorize new words faster and will know when to apply them (don’t forget that one English word may have various meanings and uses).

Question Yourself After You Read Something

It’s essential to put some control questions each time you finish reading a book, article, newspaper, or even some online blog. This method is useful because you check the comprehension of the materials you’ve read. Mind that it’s equally useful for ESL and native speakers. Many native speakers have problems with deciding what facts are trustworthy and what are irrelevant. Therefore, develop a habit to ask the following questions:

What was the text about?
What is the main purpose?
Is the text helpful?
What issues does it highlight?
How can it help me, etc.?

Pass Exams on Reading

Another interesting method is to try the past exams. There are various exams that include a reading section. They commonly stand in open access and so, you’ll work out your reading skills for free. Passing such exams, you’ll identify the current level of your reading comprehension to control its progress.

Always Have Time to Practice

If you’re a foreigner whose English is his/her second language, you’ll have to take care of your writing, speaking, and listening skills too. Accordingly, you should create a daily routine that includes different kinds of learning competence. Make sure your schedule has about 2-3 reading hours every day. The practice is vital because it steadily improves your reading skills and makes you fluent. Quite soon, you’ll be able to speed up and easily understand what you’re reading with no dictionary.

Listen to Music

Some people claim that listening to music helps to boost reading skills too. We guess most people already know about the huge benefits of music therapy. There are many proofs that it positively helps patients with mental deviations and ailments. Besides, it helps common people to simply become focused, stress-free, attentive, and patient. Thus, listening to music helps to concentrate on the development of reading skills and completing various tasks. It’s only necessary to choose a style that you adore.

You’re welcome to listen to whatever genres you like. Don’t forget to find an informative portal that offers different articles and media related to music. Thus, you’ll be able to read different interviews of celebrities, follow the latest news in the music and entertainment industries, etc.

Reading skills in English are of huge importance and must be taken seriously. Use the tips mentioned in our guide. They will help to hugely boost your reading to enjoy success in learning.

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