Art of Effective Reading
In our entire lifetime, we come across a bevy of people who read and write. But, is reading a similar activity that everybody does in a similar pattern? The answer is no. Different people read differently according to their interests and their acculturation. There is a mode of reading i.e. passive, where the reader just reads, without actually benefiting from it.
Contrary to this, there is also the act of effective reading, in which very few people are able to achieve expertise. Following are some of the methods or pointers which can certainly help the reader to develop this art of effective reading:
Reading with Interest
The primary rule to develop the art of reading is to read. We often read only that stuff which we like. With this practice, our brain gets accustomed to certain subjects and gradually loses interest in other areas. Therefore, we must widen our horizon and read whatever comes our way with equal interest. Boring is just a term we use when we are actually not paying adequate interest. So, the key is to develop interest in varied readings and read them properly.
Slow and Efficient
Whenever we read too fast, we often miss out on the intricacies of the text. While reading, we try to maintain our pace. But, the focus should be more on understanding the details implicit in the text, to successfully resolve the complexities inherent in it. Effective and slow reading not just gives a pleasure of participating actively in the text but also prepares your mind to register the material you are reading for longer.
Concentration
This is the most clichéd aspect of reading, with which we come across innumerable times in our lifetimes. But, we still don’t understand the seriousness of this activity. Reading a text with concentration, with a pencil in hand to mark the things that you like in it, is the activity that makes you an active reader with a deeper understanding of the text.
Reading Again
It happens at times that we read something and when find ourselves unable to understand it we leave it and move on. But, in order to acquire the skill of effective reading, one needs to give the text ample time and patience. If the text doesn’t open up easily, then respect the complexity and read it again. To fetch any benefit from the text one must read one text more than once. The person who indulges in this practice finds himself at a better understanding of the text than others.
Contemplation
Reading a text is different, but reading in a manner to be able to reflect upon it is different. We all read. But, most of us just read and keep the book aside. Now, the habit of contemplating upon the text and forming your own opinion is a chief element in the art of effective reading. With such kind of dedicated reading, one does not remain at the level of a passive receiver but becomes a contributor to the text itself, by forming his own meaning.
It can thus be concluded that reading is an exhausting activity and whoever enjoys it must have the patience, interest and will to absorb the text within understanding. To improve, instead of reading a hundred texts, one must try to read one text a hundred times. With this, he will be able to cultivate new meaning every time out of the same text.
