1 There are many ways to help you in understanding things you read.
2 Here are some examples of ways that Christopher uses to help him in his reading.
3 The first one is what his teacher calls prior knowledge. This means that as you read you think -what do I already know if anything about this topic? Christopher says it helps him remember if he has ever read anything about it before. Then he uses that and tries to learn something new as he reads.
4 The second way is to question as you read. Think to yourself- what is the author trying to tell me, before, during and after you read? Christopher likes to say- “Self, what is it I am trying to learn as I read this? Can I repeat it after I read it?”
5 The third and Christopher says the most fun is to make a picture in your mind while you read. He says that if it is a story, you can even make a movie in your mind! Teachers use the term visualize your reading.
6 The fourth strategy or technique that Christopher learned from his teacher is to infer. This one means that Christopher has to use clues in the reading to figure out what is really going on or what the author really means in the story.
7 The most favorite way for Christopher to get more out of what he has read is to summarize the reading. He tells his friends who may be struggling with this to tell what’s important in a sentence or two after you read.
8 Christopher likes to reread his passages or stories more than one time when he knows he is going to be tested over them or asked questions about them. He says he also takes notes and sometimes uses more than one way to help him read better.
9 He had a hard time with reading when he was in first and second grade, but now since he uses these “magic tricks” to reading, he loves reading!
