“Practice makes perfect,” as the saying goes, and it holds true in every field, including improving your English reading comprehension skills. As a soft skills training expert with 10 years of experience, I’ve witnessed many people become disheartened when faced with lengthy English texts. They feel lost in a maze of words, struggling to find information and still ending up confused about the meaning.
In reality, understanding English text isn’t as “dry” as many think. It’s like exploring a new land, with exciting things waiting to be discovered. Join me, your experienced guide, as we equip ourselves with a solid toolkit to conquer this challenging yet fascinating “mountain” of English knowledge!
First Steps: Determine Your “Altitude” – Your Current Ability
Before embarking on any journey, the first step is to determine your starting point. In English reading comprehension, this means assessing your current proficiency level.
You can take online English proficiency tests, or simply try reading an English text at a level you think is appropriate. Consider how much of the content you understand, your reading speed, and whether you struggle to identify the main idea, vocabulary, or grammar.
Determining your current “altitude” will help you choose the most suitable and effective learning “route.” Don’t be discouraged if you find your level is limited, because “a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step!”
Plan Your “Climb” – Build a Personalized Learning Roadmap
Once you’ve determined your current “altitude,” you need to plan your “climb” – that is, create a learning roadmap that suits you.
An effective learning roadmap should include the following elements:
1. Clear and Specific Goals:
What do you want to achieve after completing your learning roadmap? Expand your vocabulary? Master reading comprehension skills? Or confidently understand specialized materials?
Set specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals that are appropriate for your abilities.
For example, you could set a goal: “Increase my vocabulary by 2000 words in 3 months” or “Understand 80% of the content of a reading passage within 1 hour.”
2. Suitable Learning Methods:
There are many different learning methods, from self-study through books, websites, and apps to participating in online or in-person courses.
Choose a method that suits your preferences, personality, and time constraints.
For example, if you are an independent and proactive learner, you might choose self-study methods.
If you prefer interaction, you might join online or in-person courses.
skills for heading matching is an important skill in English reading comprehension.
3. Rich and Diverse Learning Resources:
Learning materials play a very important role in improving English reading comprehension skills.
You can choose materials that match your interests and goals, such as books, newspapers, magazines, comics, websites, blogs, videos, etc.
Begin Your Journey – Apply Reading Comprehension Skills
The “climbing” plan is complete, now it’s time to begin your journey to conquer the “mountain” of English knowledge.
To make your learning most effective, apply the following reading comprehension skills:
- Skimming: This skill helps you grasp the main idea of a text quickly.
- Scanning: This skill helps you find specific information in a text efficiently.
- Guessing meaning from context: This skill helps you understand the meaning of new words without looking them up in a dictionary.
- Identifying main ideas and supporting details: This skill helps you understand the content of a text more deeply.
- Summarizing: This skill helps you remember information more effectively.
In addition to applying reading comprehension skills, you also need to pay attention to:
- Choosing materials appropriate for your level: Choosing materials that are too difficult or too easy can affect your learning effectiveness.
- Practicing regularly and consistently: “Constant dripping wears away the stone.” Regular practice will help you progress faster.
- Taking notes and reviewing regularly: Taking notes and reviewing regularly will help you remember information longer.
- Seeking support from teachers, friends, or other resources: Don’t hesitate to seek support when you encounter difficulties in your learning process.
exercises to practice english reading comprehension skills
books to practice english reading comprehension skills
Conquer the Summit – Apply Knowledge in Practice
After a journey of effort, you have conquered the summit – improved English reading comprehension skills. Now it’s time to apply your learned knowledge in practice.
You can:
- Read English books, newspapers, magazines, and comics: Choose books, newspapers, magazines, or comics that you enjoy to make reading more interesting.
- Watch movies, listen to music, and play English games: These are beneficial entertainment activities that help you improve your English listening and speaking skills naturally.
- Communicate with native speakers: If possible, actively communicate with native speakers to practice your communication skills and improve your reflexes.
- Join English clubs: This is an ideal environment for you to meet friends with common interests and practice your English communication skills.
Conclusion
Improving English reading comprehension skills is a long journey that requires perseverance and effort. However, with the right learning methods and determination, you can completely conquer this “mountain” of knowledge.
Remember, “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.”
Leave a comment below to share your English learning journey, or contact us via phone number 0372666666 or address 55 To Tien Thanh, Hanoi for advice and support from our dedicated 24/7 team of experts.