Reading Comprehension

R

ripvanwinkle

Padawan Learner
Hello everyone,
I would like some input from anyone that would like to respond. I have always had trouble with my reading comprehension. I usually have to read something several times or more to understand what the writer is trying to convey. Sometimes I will read a few sentences, paragraphs or even pages and then realize that I can't remember anything that I just read. My mind wanders so much that I find it difficult to concentrate when I read. This is not something that has just happened. I have been struggling with this for as far back as I can remember. Does anyone have any suggestions, advice, tricks. etc. that might help me with this problem? I appreciate all suggestions. Thanks!
 
Hi ripvanwinkle,

I do sympathise with your difficulties as I've had them myself.

One method which worked for me, is to make your reading into an interactive process - in that you try to interact actively with the text at hand. You can do that by making short summaries in your own words from every paragraph or page or chapter (whatever is convenient to you to start with) you have just read. Your aim should be to start out with small amounts of text and try to gradually expand this method to whole chapters read.

The second faze would be to summarise your summaries after each chapter (at first) or when the whole text (book or whatever) is finished. This would not only contribute to better understanding but also provide for memory training.

Be sure to always look up expressions and words you do not know nor immediately recognize - in order to expand your vocabulary and to get acquainted with all sorts of jargon that might confuse you or hinder your processing of what is being conveyed.

Hope this helps a bit.

PS. Don't forget to report back after a while on your experiences and progress. There are many people with similar difficulties interested in this type of approach, I'm sure.
 
Those suggestions make sense to me. Thanks Palinurus, I will give those a try. One problem that I know I have is trying to read too much too quickly. I just need to slow down.
 
[quote author=Palinurus]
There are many people with similar difficulties interested in this type of approach, I'm sure.
[/quote]

Yes, I have the same issue.
I started reading up on the Evelyn Wood speed-reading method, and it's very similar to Palinurus's suggestion.
Essentially, you have to get involved in what you're reading (i.e. are you reading it because you want to, or because you think you HAVE to?).
First, you need to figure out what it is that you're looking to get out of the book.
Scan through it, cover to cover, and start writing down questions you want answered (i.e. what is "The Work"? How do I go about doing it?)
Then, going chapter by chapter (or section by section), you have a series of steps, like:
1) scan through the chapter and ask yourself/write down what it is that you're looking to learn this chapter
2) scan through the chapter again, slower, and see if you catch any additional details.
3) read through the chapter with focus (i.e. using one of EW hand methods), without slowing down to re-read, but making notes and/or looking up words you don't know
4) scan through the chapter again, to make sure you caught everything
5) answer your questions and summarize

As with everything, the method takes practice to get good at. Having done it for a couple of books now, I can say that it does increase your comprehension level as well as reading speed.

Do an internet search on 'Evelyn Wood method', and you'll get more details/information.

There is a cheap book titled "Remember Everything You Read: The Evelyn Wood 7-Day Speed Reading & Learning Program", which started me on the topic.
The info in that book will definitely help you, even if you choose not to follow through with the complete system.

Good luck!
 
ripvanwinkle said:
One problem that I know I have is trying to read too much too quickly. I just need to slow down.
Click to expand...

I surmised you would. Your eagerness is a hindrance to efficiency. There is a method for remedying that as well. You have to prioritise your readings into a program of development with some sort of rationale behind it - be it your own personal growth, filling in gaps of knowledge, getting up to speed with others or whatever. You understand that every single aim gives a different trajectory through the required readings or through a library in general. Real and specified ties of the readings with your personal aims always helps to stay on track and to not try to do too much in one single go.

Remember, this is not a contest who can read the most or the fastest. It's about what you need to read and understand given your level of being and your predicaments from a Work perspective. Only you yourself can be the one to decide that - but there is always the possibility to recheck with forum participants on specific problems...

It's very much like Piotrek said (thank you for your valuable contribution):
Essentially, you have to get involved in what you're reading (i.e. are you reading it because you want to, or because you think you HAVE to?).
Click to expand...
 
I too suffer from this! I thought it was my age(and the medications I take) which was hindering me and so am thankful to both Palinurus and Piotrek for their very helpful suggestions.

Namaste,

Swooshy
 
Sometimes you must force yourself to do something. Sometimes your will is the only thing that can carry you through your situation, whatever it may be. To do a thing that your machine doesn't want to do, to use your strength of will to its utmost, will only make you stronger. While I am not privy to the medications you may be taking, I do know that many people suffer from a lack of focus in reading. I was one of them. I could not pay attention to anything unless I was extremely interested in it. Educational materials, stuff that I had to ponder, went in through my eyes and out my ears, missing my brain entirely. Matter of fact, only in the past 2 years have I learned to read properly, even things my machine detests.
Don't give up!
 
If it is a boring book to you, then I think it is understandable to not have what you call good comprehension. This is why people fall asleep while reading...

now, if it is a very exciting book you are reading, or material and then afterwards you cannot remember what was so fascinating...well this would seem to be strange to me.

And I was just thinking, sometimes I have a book that I have a real desire to read, only when I start reading it, it is boring to me.

A book to most people will have exciting parts and interesting parts but also some boring parts or harder to understand areas. This is natural I think.

Echoing what others said, it is probably going to take some conscious effort on your part. Gurdjieff describes the dissociation during reading (the wandering of the mind) as a natural experience of man, and I have experienced it myself.
ISOTM said:
"Moving center working for thinking center produces, for example, mechanical reading or mechanical listening, as when a man reads or listens to nothing but words and is utterly unconscious of what he is reading or hearing. This generally happens when attention, that is, the direction of the thinking center's activity, is occupied with something else and when the moving center is trying to replace the absent thinking center;
but this very easily becomes a habit, because the thinking center is generally distracted not by useful work, by thought, or by contemplation, but simply by daydreaming or by imagination.
Click to expand...
 
Just to elaborate on the info from the latest posters - one trick to enhance comprehension of what you read a little further has to do with keeping a fresh mind while reading. Especially demanding texts could benefit from measures to refresh your mind periodically by getting away from it for a little while and do some regrouping or by trying to relaxe mind and body by doing some exercises, some EE breathing, walking around a bit or whatever suits you in this regard. Learning is supposed to be fun - so don't get too hard on yourself unnecessarily.

It can also be helpfull to make reading something special by reserving specific times or places for it and prepare your mind beforehand in the same way as already stated. With some practice, reading and understanding should fit you hand in glove, so to speak.

It's always better to have read and understood one text so fully that you are capable of applying the acquired knowledge - in stead of having glimpsed through and forgotten speedily handsfull of them which you then will have to reread later on in order to really benefit from them.

Rereading will sometimes be necessary anyway because you simple cannot remember each and every text you once read forever. The forumthreads are full of statements regarding the benefit of rereading just because one has changed in the meantime and understands the same text quite differently with more background knowledge to begin with. So, understanding is a work in progress and the reading should be fitted in into that process in stead of the other way around, imho.
 
ripvanwinkle said:
Does anyone have any suggestions, advice, tricks. etc. that might help me with this problem? I appreciate all suggestions. Thanks!
Click to expand...

If you think it might help, then next time you read, try to notice when you start to feel foggy (disconnected) while you are reading. When you notice it, back up and find the place in the material where you were clear. Start reading again to see if your mind stays connected with the material.

If you can locate a specific place where clear comprehension disconnects from the material, then you can look up words to see if there are context definitions that never occurred to you.

I still do this often and I always have an elementary grade dictionary handy. It has worked well for me. :)


---------------
Edited for noise
 
Hello ripvanwinkle,

have a look in this topic here, where different reading techniques are discussed: photoreading.

And how is your diet going?
 
Wow, ripvanwinkle, I could have written this thread! Believe me, you’re not alone.

Getting a handle on reading comprehension didn’t happened overnight for me. Leaning that we all have different learning styles (auditory, visual or kinesthetic) and identifying mine was a huge part of the process.

Since you didn't say, I’m guessing that your struggle is with reading just about any and everything.

Here are a few "suggestions, advice and tricks":

- Read for pleasure on subjects that interest you most and only for short periods of time. Maybe as little as 10-15 minutes.
- What is something you know a lot about? Read as much as you can on that subject and discuss what you’ve read with someone with a similar interest.
- Start your own vocabulary list. Words can be tricky and fun and depending on how they’re used can have surprising meanings (that’s the fun part).
- Read aloud and listen to the words you’re reading. If you drift, stop and ask yourself what you’ve just read and what it meant.
- Take notes while you’re reading. Later, consider “typing” your notes in outline format and then highlight the key points.
- On truly difficult subjects, find the most fundamental resource and read it. (I did this with a particular subject in biology. I found a child’s book on the subject, read it and within minutes, the whole thing made sense to me.)
- Find a great place to read and discover the best time of your day to read.

Hang in there and keep reading. Oh, by-the-way, my learning style is a combination of all three.

I found a couple articles on-line regarding learning styles and reading comprehension. I hope they help.

Learning Styles:
http://www.learnenglish.de/learnerpage.htm

Reading Comprehension:
http://www.paec.org/fdlrstech/9SixComprehension.pdf
 
Bar Kochba said:
Sometimes you must force yourself to do something. Sometimes your will is the only thing that can carry you through your situation, whatever it may be. To do a thing that your machine doesn't want to do, to use your strength of will to its utmost, will only make you stronger. While I am not privy to the medications you may be taking, I do know that many people suffer from a lack of focus in reading. I was one of them. I could not pay attention to anything unless I was extremely interested in it. Educational materials, stuff that I had to ponder, went in through my eyes and out my ears, missing my brain entirely. Matter of fact, only in the past 2 years have I learned to read properly, even things my machine detests.
Don't give up!
Click to expand...


Namaste Kochba,

my meds include morphine, which I've been taking for 7 years(due in part to three operations in my abdominal region), I have cut down my prescription drugs and only take what I have to(morphine is a must otherwise the pain is unbearable). I have just finished reading The Third Eye by Lobsang Rampa, and thoroughly enjoyed it - again(first read when I was 12 in 1972). I now have my reading appetite back but will also take on board some of the excellent tips mentioned in this thread, especially when a book requires my full attention!
 
Hi ripvanwinkle,

On reading this post, i know I'm not the only one having this problem. What I've learned is to
feel what the sentence is all about. If i can conjured a mental picture all the more better to absorb
what the author is trying to convey.

There are times when i just can't understand a particular concept/notion about a sentence/paragraph. I just
give up and reread the same passage a few days later. I'm amaze at how i can manage to understand it
all of a sudden. Guess this must be what I've read about the subconsciousness also picking up information
around you constantly.

Last thing, you can try a little meditation to focus the mind. Find a comfortable position to sit or lie down, close the eyes
and breath through your nose or mouth, which ever you feel comfortable. Next count your inhale and exhale.
At the beginning you'll feel awkward with breaths out of sync, but it's OK. Just continue to let your mind, body to settle
into this state you're trying to maintain. There's no time involve but try to keep it together longer than the last.
Just let it be perfectly natural to you. Try not to fall asleep. One more thing to note is the mind will always try to
make you break out of this stillness you're trying to maintain.

Just my 1,2,3 cents worth.

Arcus
 
fwiw I still have the same problem as you ripvanwinkle, but with practice it has become controllable to the point where it is (usually) no longer a problem. I always put it down to being dyslexic.

ripvanwinkle said:
One problem that I know I have is trying to read too much too quickly. I just need to slow down.
Click to expand...

Laura said something to me that was particularly useful regarding reading. I had been feeling way behind on my reading and was trying desperately to catch up. I'd decided to invest in a speed reading book/computer program and was asking for advice.

Laura said:
Just a note: speed reading is useful when you are searching for a particular bit of data or collection of facts, etc. When you are reading for "development," it is not such a good idea. There are some things that need to be taken in like fine food... slowly and savoring every morsel.
Click to expand...

So perhaps the first thing to try and observe especially if you notice you are skipping over things and not remembering well is, why the rush? Is it fear or something similar driving it? Being gentle on yourself and allowing yourself the time to learn at your own pace can be tricky to master, but is well worth it.

A recent SoTT article may shed some light on all this. How your nervous system sabotages your ability to relate
In short, doing some pipe breathing and stimulating the vagus nerve (or the full EE program) should help clear your head and retain a better focus. If you are being driven by fear of falling behind, it will also help you separate from that.

Reading The Myth of Sanity (from the recommended psychology books) may also help you understand this a little better too, as what you describe sounds partly like disassociation.

One last point that may be over looked would be diet and brain chemical imbalances. I can say for sure that my reading/comprehension/retention has improved dramatically over the last few years, and dietary changes have been a big part of this. So connecting back to the article above on the nervous system, it becomes a bit clearer how the opioid like behaviour of gluten and dairy may be a contributing factor in not being able to hold focus/remember things. The Addictive Opioids in Wheat and Dairy Foods.
 
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