Why do we read?
- We read to be entertained.
- We read because we have to read: "I have to do my reading log tonight!"
- We read to learn new facts.
- We read to learn new processes.
- We read to empathize with other people.
- We read to visit new worlds and meet new people.
- We read to discover new ideas about life, the universe, and everything.
- We read to expand our minds and train our brains.
If you are only reading for reason #2, then you don't need advanced skills. You can muddle along using word recognition and phonics skills and pushing through each reading session just to say that you completed it. HOWEVER, if you are reading for any of the other reasons, even to be entertained, you will need the more advanced reading skills you will learn and practice in these lessons. For reading to be entertaining, it needs to be easy. It won't be easy if you cannot understand what you read. This requires inference.
Improve Your Reading Skills
If you are reading to learn, to discover, or to empathize, then you will need additional skills, including an understanding of figurative language, mood, and tone. You will also need to be able to identify and understand theme and main idea. When you can do these things, you are reading at a higher level than merely decoding words and understanding the surface meaning of a text. Click below to begin the lessons that will move your reading to a higher level.
