Reading Techniques

When it comes to studying text books a number of techniques can be used to better comprehend and retain the information your childs reads and increase kids iq test scores.

Browse first

Before studying information in a book it is good to browse through the book first getting an overview of the contents of the book. Browse the book as if you were considering buying the book. Casually but rapidly you should flip through the pages getting the general 'feel' of the book, observing the organisation and structure, the level of difficulty, the proportion of diagrams and illustrations to text. Also preview the summaries and conclusion sections.

This will help when it comes to reading though the book. You will already have an overview of the contents of the book. You will better understand the organisation and structure of the book allowing you to focus on the most important aspects when it comes to reading them. You will have a rough map of the information in the book allowing you to link information together more easily when it comes to reading the book thoroughly. Also it will help when it comes to estimating the time needed to complete the book.

Asking Questions and defining Goals

After you have browsed through the book it is a very good idea to decide what you want form the book. This involves defining the questions you want answered during the reading. The questions should be asked in the context of gaols aimed for and should, like noting of knowledge, be done in Key Word and Mind Map form. Questions can be redefined as the reading progresses.

This is very effective for absorbing and retaining information as the main questions and goals act as associative and linking centres to which all other information becomes easily attached. The most important information become the key items with which other information is linked both in the mind and on your mind map.

Time and Amount

The first thing to do when sitting down to study a text book is to decide on the period of time to be devoted to it. Having done this decide what amount to cover in the time allocated.

This reasons for this have been supported by the Gestalt Psychologists. The Gestalt psychologogists have discovered that in study, making a decision about time and amount gives us immediate chronological and volume terrain, as well as an end point or goal. This has the added advantage of enabling the proper linkages to be made rather than encouraging a wandering off in more disconnected ways.

Having guide lines in which to work like this will better enable constancy and greater motivation by setting goals with regards how much information to study in any time period. The reader will then be less oppressed by the volume of information not knowing how long it will take to complete.

Being conscious of the time also enables you to plan breaks crucial to absorbing and recalling information. It is essential that any time period for studying be broken down into 20-50 minute sections with small rests in between.

The breaks themselves are also important for a number of reasons:

1. They give the body a physical rest and a chance to relax. This is always useful in learning situation, and releases the build-up of tension.
2. They enable recall and understanding to 'work together' to the best advantage.
3. They allow a brief period of time for the just-studied information completely to relate each part of itself to the other part - to intra-integrate.