★ Decide the PURPOSE of reading a particular text.

- research, writing a report, textbook assignment, personal interest, etc.

Knowing the PURPOSE will help you decide what information and ideas are the most important to remember and learn.

★ Think about what you already KNOW and feel.

This will get your brain activated and ready to learn about a particular topic. It will allow your brain to connect new information to information that you already have stored in your brain.

★ PREVIEW the text.

- Pictures, graphs, bold font, heading, captions, etc.

This will also help activate your brain and get it ready for learning. The previewing will allow your brain to prepare for specific types of information that you are about to read.

★ Break the text into small chunks, slow down, re-read.

There are many facts and ideas that are presented in non-fiction text. Trying to learn from such text can be difficult or overwhelming at times. These strategies will help minimize the overload of information you are taking in at one time and will dramatically increase your understanding and comprehension.

★ Other Strategies you can use to understand, organize and remember what you read:

Picture it

Make connections

Keep notes

Make predictions

Ask questions

Don't accept nonsense