Get the basics down so you can start moving up
The most important aspect to learning how to read well is having the desire to improve your current skill level.  First, you have to realize that reading is necessary every moment of every day.  Next, instead of focusing on the kind of literacy that is measured by tests and essay grades (student performance), try to focus on what can be learned.  Try not to compare yourself to others.  Just look at the progress you make and remember the best way to become a better reader or writer is to read…or write, DUH!

• Start out by reading what you want to read.  You can’t get back to basics if you are not interested in the material.
• Stick with what you know and do not be afraid to start off small and slow.  Remember that you are practicing, so don’t fry your brain on the first day.
• Get a word of the day calendar or have one sent to your email account (you can get this at many sites online). (Coming Soon)
• Read along with books on tape.  This will help you with difficult pronunciations or plain old laziness!  Seriously, this is a great way to keep from getting discouraged with difficult readings.

Remember what you read

• Setting short-term goals and tasks increases self-confidence, and is crucial for slower learners. Try to read one paragraph and write a sentence about what that paragraph means in the story before going on to the next paragraph.  This will help you to remember the content of the paragraph and also begin to analyze it.
• Next, try to relate the reading to something that has happened in your life.  If you can identify with the key characters or the plot of the story, then you will be able to use your own experiences as a way to remember the story that you have read.
• If you need more help remembering the text you have read, either write down (word for word) some of the important sentences from the book or read it aloud to yourself.  Sometimes, it is not seeing that is believing, but hearing.
• Give a short summary of what you have read to a friend or family member right after you have finished reading.
• Try not to be discouraged if these methods do not work for you right away.  Think about what you remember from school or work.  How did you learn the information or skills that you have retained?  Apply these methods to your reading.
• Also, try to cut down on distractions or background noise so that you are only processing the information that you are reading.

Read Quickly
When reading books, many people waste a lot of time by looking at and analyzing every word. You only have to read as much as your purpose demands.  This means that, depending on your assignment, you may just need a general idea of the plot or you may need to know exactly what happened in a reading, the individual characters and supporting text quotes.  Knowing what you are looking for is the first step to reading quickly.  Once you have the information that is necessary, you can stop reading and start analyzing.

• Note who the author is, and the date of publication. Read preface and table of contents. Look at the diagrams and pictures.
• Skim the first and last chapters. Often, these are introductory and summary chapters, and may give you all the information you need.  This is a very shallow way to read, but is helpful if you are crunched for time or just want a summary of the subjects addressed in the reading.
• Read the first and last chapters and skim the remaining chapters. This allows you to decide which, if any, of the middle chapters are necessary to get the main points of the reading.
• Read the chapters in depth if your purpose is to truly understand the meaning of your reading (why the characters act the way they do, what are the deeper relationships of the characters, what are the subplots and details of the reading).  This is necessary for academic readings and important instructional readings.
• Read the glossary, index or appendix if it is necessary.

Skimming and selective reading are speedy and efficient techniques for getting what you need out of books and articles. Remember that the best way to read is to take your time and let yourself enjoy it.  The above techniques are helpful for time management, but if you have the free time, use it to practice.

Mastering the basic essay format
For most short essays (two to four pages), the general rules are based on a five-section paper.  Any papers that are longer than that are more free form (the same idea can be carried in more than one paragraph – but some of the basic rules are the same).  The following are some guidelines for organized essays:

Section one – Introduction: The introduction to a short essay should not be very long.  Introduce your theme or thesis and three main points that you will use to support.  If you were to draw a picture of a great introduction it would look like a funnel.  First you want to open with a broad sentence – this is a generalization of your main theme as it applies to everyday life or occurrences.  Next you should point out where this generalization applies to your book.  Finally, using specific descriptions of the text, show how you will defend your point of view with your three main points.  Your thesis should be the first or last sentence in this section.

Sections two, three and four – Body Paragraphs: The body paragraphs support your thesis.  They should each be a mini-essay in a sense.  Begin with a topic sentence that supports your thesis.  Explain how it supports the thesis and use two to four supporting details from the text.  In these sections, you also want to imagine what someone who was debating against you would say.  Then try to prove their points wrong while supporting your own.  After writing these paragraphs you may want to switch the order of them to help with the flow of the essay.  You will need a transition sentence that helps the reader move from one paragraph to the next. 

Section five – Conclusion: The conclusion should summarize the essay and its main points, but it should not repeat the entire essay.  Try to reword your main sentences with a transition sentence in between each. 

For longer essays, the sections can be longer and may consist of multiple paragraphs, but the general rules of support are the same.  As always, start with a thesis – support it with main ideas – support the main ideas with details from text and summarize but do not repeat in the conclusion.