Active Reading - Improve Comprehension and Memory

Active reading involves learning how to move beyond mere fluency in decoding the sounds of words and sentences that we read to start to broaden vocabulary (especially subject-specific vocabulary) interrogate text and make inferences.  

Most of us, by our later teenage years, have achieved a good level of word reading, word recognition, and phonics. But to become proficient active readers, we must also broaden content knowledge, make connections to our existing knowledge, and deeply understand a text to achieve excellent reading comprehension.   

The good thing about reading is the more that we do (both on our own and collaborating with others) at a slightly challenging level the better these skills will become.  

One of the best ways to improve these reading skills and commit information to long-term memory is the SQ4R method.  But this is not the only approach, indeed research shows that multiple techniques will create synergies, a combined positive effect from multiple methods that is greater than using one method alone.  

Watch the video below detailing the 6 step strategy to improve comprehension and long-term memorisation of information contained in books, articles, and magazines.

SQ4R Sheet from OntarioTech University, Canada

SQ4R Reading Comprehension Video Below

Another method is the Cornell technique of notetaking.  This has been used for many decades in the university sector and focuses on structuring writing with framing questions on the content of a text that helps us make connections between concepts and arguments.  A section is finished with a summary to reinforce learning of the contents of a text.  

Cornell Notetaking Technique Video Below