Academic Coaching

Reading Strategies:

Read it again. Difficult material is often easier the second time around.
Read it aloud. Read the passage out loud several times with different inflections. Pretend you are the author talking.
Stand up. Changing positions can combat fatigue. Stand as you read aloud, especially if you get stuck on a tough passage.
Hold a mini-review. Pause briefly to summarize. Stop at the end of the paragraph and recite in your own words what you have read.
Look for essential words. Cross out all the adjectives and adverbs, and read the sentence without them. Find the important word.
Skip around. Jump to the end of the chapter and read the summary or conclusion to get the big picture.
Pretend you understand, then explain it. Pretend the material is clear as a bell and try to explain it to another person, or to yourself. You may know more than you thought you did.
Mark it. When you feel stuck, put and “S” for “stuck” in the margin. A pattern of marks over several pages will indicate the questions you want answered in class.
Google it. Look up confusing concepts on the web and read the explanation in “user friendly” language.
Stop reading. Admit confusion and take a break. Allow some time to process the information. When you return, you will see it with fresh eyes.