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Book Riot - Everything You Want to Know About StoryWalks

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Book Riot - Everything You Want to Know About StoryWalks

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What is a StoryWalk?

A StoryWalk is a movement and literacy boosting project that places an illustrated children's book, taken apart and displayed page by page, along a walking route in your community. Anne Ferguson, the genius behind the StoryWalk concept, sums it up nicely with these sentences, which she asks to be posted when creating your own StoryWalk: "The StoryWalk® Project was created by Anne Ferguson of Montpelier, VT and developed in collaboration with the Kellogg-Hubbard Library. Storywalk® is a registered service mark owned by Ms. Ferguson."

When Anne Ferguson was working with the Vermont Department of Health, she created The StoryWalk® Project as a way to convince families to get outside and be active while engaging with literacy. She was on the hunt to create something that required the adults to be active alongside children, with no financial limitations that would leave some families out. StoryWalk was born.

What does this actually look like? The creator literally takes a book apart and displays it outside, one page at a time, in the correct order. Ms. Ferguson shares tips for her preferred supplies in the StoryWalk FAQ, but I have seen StoryWalks displayed in a variety of ways. From pages attached to fences to fancy podium-style boxes with plexiglass lids, the possibilities are vast, but the outcome is the same: people are encouraged to continue walking to find the next page of the book. There is literacy, there is nature, there is movement. Win, win, win.

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Where do you put a StoryWalk?

The original goal for The StoryWalk Project was to have stories placed outside in nature. Public walking trails are a natural and obvious place to start, but the project has expanded to include city settings such as main street businesses and school playgrounds. If you consider that the aim is to have families moving outside, any safe route that lets you space out pages can be used. In my city, I've spotted books spaced along the walking trail that circles a local pond, and around the circumference of our city-owned working apple orchard.

There are, of course, practical considerations that need to be addressed. Spaces that take a hard hit from the elements (super high winds, for example) are not ideal. Anne Ferguson hilariously shares these tips for avoiding damage caused by humans in her StoryWalk History: " Vandals are a recurring challenge. They seem to be threatened by a story about Gossie, a small duck who has misplaced his red rubber boots. A range of approaches has been used to address this issue, some with greater success than others. The Velcro® makes it easy to take down the pages before dark and post them again in the morning. Vandals prefer the cover of darkness. "

How do you make a StoryWalk?

The creation of a StoryWalk is deceptively easy, but there are some particulars that make all the difference in success rates. Copyright laws allow you to use existing books you have purchased, but you cannot enlarge or alter the text in any way, so the move is to carefully dismantle the book itself. After you have your pages, they need to be backed on something stiff (card stock is a favorite) and, most importantly, laminated. Anne Ferguson, in her StoryWalk FAQ page, gives amazing detail into how she prepares books to be displayed. A wide margin of laminate and extremely strong velcro seem to be key components.

What books are good for a StoryWalk?

There is a lot to consider when choosing a title. It's important to have engaging illustrations and pages that don't include too much text. A plot-driven story that will motivate the families to find the next page is extremely helpful. Different communities and even areas within your community might have different literacy needs, including languages spoken and messages conveyed.

There are a few instances in the Northeastern U.S. of StoryWalk libraries, where community organizations can borrow titles already prepared for StoryWalk. The Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care has five resource centers with StoryWalk books available. Anne Ferguson herself has a collection of books available to borrow for up to two weeks, which are let through the Kellogg-Hubbard Library in Montpelier, Vermont.

Looking to install a StoryWalk in your community?

Start with your basics. Who will be paying for this? Who will be in charge of routine upkeep? Once you have these details, it'll be easier to get others onboard. Great places to look for partners include your public library or your local recreation department. Boston Children's Museum has an amazing, in-depth brochure that includes extensive how-tos on sponsoring a StoryWalk, as well research into early literacy and the benefits of StoryWalks, which could be helpful in making your pitch. Check out the brochure, titled Take A Hike! Building Literacy Skills Through StoryWalk, here.

1. Next, choose the venue. This is where conversations with local officials and stakeholders can really help. Will this be deep in nature or along a well-traveled sidewalk? Target audience, time of year, and community support will all play into this decision.

2. Now, decide on your method of display. If you're on a walking trail, you might go with stakes and Velcro. If you're in a city space, store windows might be the move. Your budget, venue, and ability to commit to routine upkeep will help you decide which display method will work best.

3. Finally, you choose a title! Keep in mind things such as the languages spoken by the people who travel this route, manageable text length, and engaging illustrations. You might decide to outsource and borrow a title already prepared from one of the libraries of StoryWalk books, or create your own using a book specially chosen for your community.

Hopefully you've found some tips to help you better understand StoryWalks, and maybe even been inspired to sponsor one of your own!

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Literacy Among The Leaves: Everything You Want To Know About StoryWalks

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StoryWalks are an excellent family activity that combine movement with reading. Here's how to start one for your community.

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What is a StoryWalk? - Charlotte Mecklenburg Library

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What is a StoryWalk? - Charlotte Mecklenburg Library

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Kellogg Hubbard Library - All About StoryWalks

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Kellogg Hubbard Library - All About StoryWalks

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When I created the StoryWalk Project in 2007, I knew I had a great idea; I just didn't anticipate how well it would be received across the country and beyond. The idea was quite simple actually. Take the pages from a children's picture book, attach each one to a stake and line them up along a path for folks to read and enjoy.

One of my supervisors told me that the secret to promoting a health message was "partners, partners, partners," as many and as varied as possible. I was working as a chronic disease prevention specialist at the time and knew that I wanted to create something different, fun, and interesting. I had tried some different approaches involving children but found that the parents stood around chatting while the children were physically active. I knew I wanted to create something where the parents had to be as active as the children. Active parents have active children and physical activity is a key component to chronic disease prevention.

In order to keep people of all ages moving along on a walk, I knew I needed books with minimal text that would appeal to all ages (especially children) and that could fit into families' busy schedules. I wanted my project to be free so financial limits would not interfere with people enjoying it. I fleetingly thought about writing a children's book myself but knew there were already marvelous, funny, beautiful, and moving stories available.

I wanted to use existing books but didn't know about the legalities of doing that. I made some calls and found out that if the book is used without altering the text or the page in any way (shrinking, copying, or enlarging the pages), I could use it without needing to ask for permission.

I had no money and no staff for this idea so I knew it would have to be self-generated. I contacted the early literacy person at the Vermont Arts Council who immediately gave me $250 to start the project. My employer gave me one month to try it. I purchased David Ezra Stein's book Leaves and started preparing it for posting. I selected the most popular path in our local park and put out a notebook for feedback.

The response was tremendous and positive. Unfortunately, my employer told me I couldn't continue focusing on StoryWalk. So I went ahead with it on my own time. I applied for and got a grant so I could purchase more books, lamination, and stakes.

I learned a lot about how to prepare the books for posting. I learned that I needed to number the pages on the back to ensure that they were posted in the correct order, I learned that it is best to use Velcro® on the stakes and the book pages, I learned that I could loan the StoryWalk books out through my partner, the Kellogg-Hubbard Library. I learned that the partners in my community that were interested in this project included state and local parks, schools, nature centers, child care centers, farmers markets, walking path promoters, special event promotions, but most of all, libraries.

Vandals are a recurring challenge. They seem to be threatened by a story about Gossie, a small duck who has misplaced his red rubber boots. A range of approaches has been used to address this issue, some with greater success than others. The Velcro® makes it easy to take down the pages before dark and post them again in the morning. Vandals prefer the cover of darkness.

StoryWalk was never designed to be a money-making project. In fact, it is now supported solely by donations from the public. It has always been about promoting early literacy, physical activity, and family time together in nature. Its success is due to partners, partners, partners that understood from very early on how this idea could be used to bring a fun and educational family activity to their community. That is indeed the reason that in the 10 years since I created StoryWalk, it has spread to (at the last count) all 50 states and 12 foreign countries. People everywhere are encouraged to bring it to their community.

Without the support of the library and in particular, Rachel Senechal, Program Director and Development Coordinator, this project would not be as well known and widespread as it is today.

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Written by Anne Ferguson, StoryWalk Founder

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Association of Library Services to Children (ALSC) - How to Get Permission for StoryWalks 

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Association of Library Services to Children (ALSC) - How to Get Permission for StoryWalks 

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Does your library have a StoryWalk ®? Are you thinking of adding one? My library added ours in 2019 and our patrons LOVE IT! One question I get all the time is how to get publisher permission for StoryWalks®. Today, I'll share what I've learned in the past 2 years.

The first stop on our StoryWalk! Photo by Luis Munoz, used with permission.

What is a StoryWalk®?

A StoryWalk® is just what it sounds like. It's a picture book presented on posts along a walking path or trail so that you read the story as you walk along the path. Started at the Kellogg-Hubbard Library in Montpelier, VT, you can now find StoryWalks® all over the country. There are many posts about StoryWalks® on the ALSC Blog - check out the StoryWalk® tag to see them all! I've written more about the Floyd County Library StoryWalk® on my personal blog, so feel free to check that out, too. The original StoryWalk® calls for books to be physically disassembled and the pages laminated and posted to avoid violating the title's copyright. But if you would like to scan or screen capture and reprint the book (which is a lot easier if you have someone who knows how to do it), you'll need permission for StoryWalks®.

How do I get permission for StoryWalks®?

Ask the publisher! The first step is figuring out what company has published the title you want to use. Check the copyright information in the book and it should list the publisher. Be aware that many larger publishers have multiple imprints, so Google is your friend. You want to find the parent publishing company. That's who you'll need to ask for permission. Once you've determined the publisher of the title, check their website for a page titled Permissions. I have sometimes found this under a Contact Page. If all else fails, you could do a web search for [publisher's name] + permissions and hopefully that will get you to the right place.

I have also had some success with contacting the library marketing contact I have at a publisher. That's something you can try if you're having trouble figuring out who to ask. They likely can't grant you permission for StoryWalks® themself, but they often will be able to quickly get you to the right person. And the blog Early Word has a really handy list of children's library marketing contacts if you need it.

Every publisher treats StoryWalks® differently

Some publishers will have an online form you can fill out. Some will ask you send your request in writing by email. If you're sending in your request, it's helpful to include the full title and author's name, the ISBN of the book, and the publishing imprint. The publisher may also need to know the address where the book will be displayed and the dates you intend to display it.

I don't think I've filled out any publisher permission forms that actually listed StoryWalk® as an intended use. You may need to get creative and select whichever option is closest to what you need. I believe every online form I've seen includes space somewhere where you can describe your project. That's a great place to include information about your StoryWalk®.

Some publishers charge for permissions

Most of the publishers I have approached have granted permission for StoryWalks® for free. Some publishers list a charge on their website, but I have been granted gratis permission by approaching them through a library marketing contact.

Plan ahead because it can take some time!

In my experience, some publishers are quicker to respond than others. Prepare for it to take a number of weeks or months for a publisher to get back with you. (Just like you and me, they have a lot of tasks on their to-do lists!)

And a caveat...

I am still learning this process myself and I have not worked with every publisher. Since I have not worked with every publisher, I am not going to get more specific with details about what which publishers do or don't do here. If in doubt, reach out to them and ask!

What questions do you have?

I know you probably have more questions about StoryWalks®, so let's hear them! Or if you have a StoryWalk® at your library, I'd love to hear your advice, tips, and tricks! Feel free to share in comments. And happy StoryWalk®ing!

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How to Get Permission for StoryWalks® - ALSC Blog

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Are you adding a StoryWalk® at your library? Here's what I know about getting publisher permission for StoryWalks®.

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Little Free Library - Starting a Little Free Library

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Little Free Library - Starting a Little Free Library

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If you want to start a Little Free Library book exchange, you're in the right place. We're excited to have you join the network-now more than 100,000 Little Free Libraries strong!

How did Little Free Library get started? Who can start one? The 30-second video above is a quick and easy way to learn the history behind Little Libraries and how you can be part of the movement, too. (This adorable 2-minute explanation of how Little Libraries work is worth a watch, too!)

Then, take a look over the world map to see if there is already a little library in your neighborhood. If there is, stop by and chat with the library steward and ask for their advice as you get started.

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Start Your Own Little Free Library - Little Free Library

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If you want to start a Little Free Library book exchange, you're in the right place. We're excited to have you join the network-now more than 100,000 Little Free Libraries strong! How did Little Free Library get started? Who can start one?

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WABE - PBS of Atlanta - Little Free Library

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WABE - PBS of Atlanta - Little Free Library

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CBS News - California woman takes little free libraries to another level

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CBS News - California woman takes little free libraries to another level

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California woman takes little free libraries to another level

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Future Ready Schools - Bringing Storybook Walks into Schools

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Future Ready Schools - Bringing Storybook Walks into Schools

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Bringing Storybook Walks into Schools: A Creative Path to Literacy

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TED - Street Librarian's Quest to Bring Books to Everyone

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TED - Street Librarian's Quest to Bring Books to Everyone

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A Street Librarian's Quest to Bring Books to Everyone | Storybook Maze | TED

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Love to curl up on the couch with a good book? You aren't alone.

According to a Gallup poll published in 2022, in 2021 Americans read roughly 12 books a year, amounting to around one a month. That number is the lowest it's been since Gallup began tracking Americans' reading habits back in 1990.

Whether the decline in reading books is the result of busy lifestyles or the lure of binge-watching the latest series on TV, the time has come to get back on the book bandwagon.

If the latest bestseller is collecting dust on your nightstand, knowing the benefits of reading might be just the motivation you need to pick it back up.

Of course, you can also join TODAY's own book club band leader, Jenna Bush Hager, in the new initiative " Streaking With Jenna" to get back on track because as readers already know, there's nothing quite like settling in a with a great book. Designed to build or bolster a reading habit, Streaking With Jenna encourages people to keep track of their reading streak in 2023.

Download a printable Streaking With Jenna calendar here.

"It's like a sanctuary," Maryanne Wolf, professor-in-residence at UCLA and director, Center for Dyslexia, Diverse Learners, and Social Justice, tells TODAY.com.

"I have 20 minutes in the morning, 20 minutes in the evening after Netflix or whatever I've done in between a thousand emails," Wolf explains of her reading habit.

"And that helps center me, it helps remind me of the priorities of the day before, of the next day, and of that very moment."

From increasing your vocabulary and conversation skills to sleeping better and living longer, here are 10 scientific and psychological benefits of reading to inspire you to get back into the habit.

1) Reading might lengthen your lifespan

Good news, bookworms: Reading books might be part of the key to a long life.

A 2016 study published in the journal Social Science & Medicine found reading books can reduce mortality by up to 20%.

According to the researchers, "any level of book reading gave a significantly stronger survival advantage," particularly for adults 65 and older who "redirect leisure time" from watching TV into reading books.

The study also found that reading alone isn't enough - it's reading books that makes the difference. Books contributed to a "survival advantage that was significantly greater than that observed for reading newspapers or magazines," the authors noted.

2) Encourages empathy

Reading books can help us become more compassionate, empathetic people.

"We have more opportunity to deepen our insights, our epiphanies, our sense of our own best thoughts," explains Wolf. "It gives us more empathy, perspective - taking into other people's viewpoints, thoughts and feelings."

And there's science to back it up.

In a 2013 study published in "Science," researchers found that literary fiction, in particular, led to readers being better at understanding what other people were thinking and feeling, along with increasing their capacity for empathy.

3) Helps lessen cognitive decline

Like the rest of your body, your brain needs exercise to help keep it working at its best. Reading books is one way to help keep your mind sharp.

"Various activities, including reading, that are seen as cognitively engaging are definitely associated with better brain health," Jonathan King, Ph.D., senior scientific advisor in the division of behavioral and social research at National Institute on Aging, tells TODAY.com.

While the jury is still out on if reading can prevent dementia, research suggests that older people who read more than those who don't appear to have a reduced risk of cognitive decline.

At the very least, King says that older adults who read more often generally have "larger vocabularies than younger adults because of all the reading experiences that they've done," which helps in obtaining "crystalized knowledge,"or things people have read about that they can put to use in their day-to-day lives.

4) Reduces stress

The American Psychological Association found in its 2022 annual survey on stress in America that a quarter of American adults feel that they're "too stressed to function."

High levels of stress are associated with a variety of physical and mental problems, making stress management essential to personal wellness.

Engaging in stress-relieving activities, like reading books, is an easy way to help keep cortisol levels down.

"Reading has been connected to meditation in terms of the way our brain processes our environment and our physiological state," Zoe Shaw, Psy.D., licensed psychotherapist and author of "A Year of Self-Care: Daily Practices and Inspiration for Caring for Yourself," tells TODAY.com.

"If you're sitting in a chair or laying in your bed and you're focusing on reading, your body can actually go into a type of meditative state," Shaw says. "So, you can get some of the benefits of meditating by reading."

Research backs this up, including a study that found 30 minutes of reading had the same ability to decrease stress as 30 minutes of yoga.

5) Improves critical thinking

Can reading make you smarter? In short, yes. Of course, it's complicated and any number of things contribute to a person's overall knowledge and intelligence.

That said, a 1998 study concluded that reading "yields significant dividends for everyone."

In the study, those who were more "avid" readers, regardless of their overall abilities, were better able to answer various practical knowledge questions, like who their U.S. senators were and how many teaspoons equal one tablespoon, even if they weren't necessarily versed in those topics.

Reading can also improve critical thinking skills, Wolf tells TODAY.com.

"One of the great benefits is not just to the individual's insights; it's to the individual's ability to participate in democracy with a critical, empathic mind," she says.

6) Promotes self-care

If you've ever gotten lost in a book, then you can attest to this: Reading a book simply makes you feel good. Entertainment is as much of a perk of reading as all those positive psychological and scientific benefits.

Shaw says that, while they're engrossing in their own ways, TV, movies and scrolling through social media don't offer the same degree of escape and calm that reading a book provides.

"It's not as relaxing to our body to read on computers or devices," Shaw says, explaining that when you read a book, your brain comes up with images to accompany what you're reading about, engaging your creative mind while helping you relax at the same time.

"We're gaining knowledge and, to a certain extent, caring for ourselves because we are expanding our understanding of the world, of ourselves - and that is self-care," she continues.

7) Enhances conversation skills

According to a 2015 study, above-average readers had a much higher rate of vocabulary growth than average readers did.

"We know that the best way to help children learn to write, to help children with their vocabulary and increase their general academic performance is to read to them," Shaw says.

"It also works for us as adults. Our vocabulary is increased, our conversation skills are increased," she says. "More than that, we write better when we read more."

8) Improves sleep

Does your bedtime routine include a few minutes (or hours) of screen time?

If it does, chances are good that scrolling through Instagram or checking your email is negatively impacting your ability to sleep.

A 2020 study published in Nature and Science of Sleep found that using a mobile device for at least 30 minutes after turning off the lights resulted in poor sleep quality, daytime sleepiness and other sleep disturbances.

Reading a book before bed, however, has exactly the opposite effect.

"Reading can improve sleep," Shaw says. "It activates the frontal lobe, the limbic system, and it creates a relaxing cascade in our body."

In 2021, researchers studied reading and sleep patterns and found that, overall, reading a book in bed before sleeping led participants to feel their quality of sleep improved.

"It can help calm you and get you into that place much better than other types of activities," says Shaw.

9) Fosters connection

Divisiveness has been on the rise in recent years, leading to what many consider to be a disconnect between people and decline of community.

While every issue can't obviously be solved by reading a book, picking one up can be beneficial in helping close the gap.

"In this minute of our society in this tiny, strained, moment in human history, we need to have people have communication with each other," Wolf tells TODAY.com.

"Not just connects with friends and social media, but deeper forms of communication, so that we understand each other, even when we are by ourselves," she says.

"There is this amazing miracle that we can understand another if we give it time, without ever leaving our chair."

10) Provides time to recharge your batteries

Time with a book is also time for you.

"Reading forces you to spend time with yourself. It forces you to kind of isolate in a healthy way," she tells TODAY.com.

"There's also this sense of self-comforting in the process of reading, which is different than on our devices," Shaw says and explains that when you use your phone or device as an escape, it's easy to be interrupted by notifications and other distractions.

"But usually when we choose to read a book, we're taking specific space and time where we're going to get more comfortable and just kind of hunker down with the book."

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What are the benefits of reading books? A lot, actually

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Love to curl up on the couch with a good book? You aren't alone. According to a Gallup poll published in 2022, in 2021 Americans read roughly 12 books a year, amounting to around one a month. That number is the lowest it's been since Gallup began tracking Americans' reading habits back in 1990.

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Cornerstone. edu - 5 Ways Reading Can Change Your Life

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Cornerstone. edu - 5 Ways Reading Can Change Your Life

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You've probably heard that reading can be good for you. You may have heard it your whole life. But maybe reading just isn't your thing.

Maybe you enjoy reading, but you have trouble comprehending difficult material from your classes or your workplace.

Good news-this article can help.

Here, we will discuss many of the benefits of reading and real practices you can try today to improve your reading comprehension.

Why Is Reading So Beneficial?

You've heard that reading is good, but what about it is so special? Why should you take the time to read? If you've been asking those questions, here are five ways that reading can significantly benefit your life.

1. Reading Helps With Empathy

Empathy is an important character trait people can develop. It helps us relate to other people and encourages us to be kind and considerate of other people's feelings.

As it turns out, reading can actually help improve empathy.

When people read stories about other people's lives, it helps them develop the skills to understand the world through another person's perspective. This is a key element in being empathetic toward others.

One way reading does this is through improving something called " theory of the mind." Theory of mind is the ability to attribute mental states like beliefs, intents, desires or emotions to others and to understand that other people have different beliefs, intents and desires than our own. When you read literary fiction, you're deepening your understanding of other people's thoughts, emotions and desires.

This understanding can be used in real life to try to understand and relate to other people, no matter what their background is.

2. Reading Reduces Stress and Helps You Sleep

Life can be stressful, especially with busy or challenging work and school schedules. It's hard to escape the feeling of stress and anxiety from a hectic lifestyle. Fortunately, reading can actually help lower stress levels. Not only that, but it can also help you sleep better at night.

According to a study conducted by The University of Sussex, reading can reduce stress levels by up to 68%.

The Telegraph quoted Professor David Lewis, the cognitive neuropsychologist who conducted the study, saying, "It really doesn't matter what book you read, by losing yourself in a thoroughly engrossing book you can escape from the worries and stresses of the everyday world and spend a while exploring the domain of the author's imagination ... the printed page [can] stimulate your creativity and cause you to enter what is essentially an altered state of consciousness."

Along with reducing stress, reading can help you get a better night's sleep. Many people turn to technology before going to bed, but screens can keep you up at night and cause you to have trouble sleeping. Books, on the other hand, can help you sleep better. Reading helps you relax and can signal your body that it's time to go to sleep.

3. Reading Grows Your Vocabulary

If you want to have an impressive vocabulary, pick up a book.

It's much easier to learn vocabulary from a book than from memorizing words in the dictionary. That's because you're learning the words contextually. The words make sense within the context of what you're reading so it makes it easier to remember later.

4. Reading Can Help Improve Your Mood

It may seem unlikely, but reading can actually make you feel happier. There are a variety of reasons that this is true.

According to researcher Dr. Josie Billington from the Centre of Research into Reading, Literature and Society, "reading reminds people of activities or occupations they once pursued, or knowledge and skills they still possess, helping to restore their sense of having a place and purpose in the world."

As with relieving stress, the transportive nature of reading can also take people away from things that are upsetting or frustrating them in their normal lives.

Not only that but when we read, we learn that there are other people who are going through similar or equally difficult struggles as our own. It can help us fight feelings of isolation or loneliness.

Historically, reading has been used to help people through difficult times. During WWI, the United States' Library War Service, an initiative that started with the Library of Congress, collected over 700 million reading materials for troops. The belief was that the books could help troops heal from the trauma of war.

The librarians noted that the books did help calm the troops and helped them begin their mental and emotional recoveries. Books and reading have the power to improve your mood and help you deal with difficult circumstances.

5. Reading Strengthens the Brain

Another amazing benefit of reading is it improves your brain!

When you read something it ignites your neural pathways. While reading, your brain must remember facts and details such as characters, plots and subplots. As your brain retains this information, you're creating new memories. That means new synapses are being created, and old ones are being strengthened. This improves your short term and long term memory functions.

Elderly people who do mental exercises like regular reading are 32% less likely to experience mental decline. In fact, a lifetime of reading can decrease a person's chances of developing Alzheimer's.

How to Improve Your Reading Comprehension

Reading provides a host of benefits, but what if you have trouble with reading comprehension skills?

A lot of people mistake reading comprehension with retention. Comprehension refers to understanding what you read. Retention is remembering what you read.

However, reading comprehension and retention go hand-in-hand. If you don't understand what you're reading, it's much harder to remember it later.

So what can you do if you're struggling with reading comprehension and want to improve your skills?

9 Tips for Improving Reading Comprehension

If you're struggling with understanding what you're reading or you simply want to improve your comprehension, here are nine tips to help you become a better reader.

1. Read a Text Out Loud

If you're reading something particularly difficult to understand, it sometimes helps to read the text out loud. Hearing the words instead of just reading internally can sometimes trigger a different part of the brain and allow you to connect with the material.

2. Ask Pre-Reading Questions

Before you begin reading a text, ask yourself some pre-reading questions. Some examples of questions you could ask are: What is the topic of the material? What do you already know about the subject? Why is this material important?

You can also scan over the text to get a basic idea of what it's about. You can quickly scan the title, headings and first sentences in the paragraph to get a sense of what the material is referring to.

Once you've done this, your brain is already working with the information. You have a foundation of what the subject is before you begin getting into the details.

3. Stop to Reevaluate What You Just Read

Often when reading a lot of material, especially difficult texts, it's easy for your focus to drift off. You can read an entire page and not really comprehend any of it.

If you've read a section and you're not really sure what you read, go back and read it slowly. Try to summarize what you've read. See if you can pull out the most important ideas and facts from the text.

4. Explain What You've Read to Someone Else

Another great way to understand something you're reading is to explain it to someone else. Putting the information into your own words is a helpful strategy for understanding the material.

If you're able to explain it well to someone else, you probably have a good idea of what you've read.

5. Take Notes

Another good strategy for reading comprehension is to take notes while you're reading. Write down the most important information and focus on the main ideas.

This is similar to the idea of explaining it to another person. It gives your brain another medium to interact with the information and an opportunity to put things into your own words.

This also provides a way to write down questions or words that you don't understand. Any words you don't know you can look up later.

6. Give Yourself a Chance to Understand the Text

Sometimes people get stuck in a cycle of re-reading the same sentence over and over because it doesn't make sense to them. Try to avoid this strategy because you can often decipher the meaning of a section as you continue to read.

The context of the sentence can often give you a much better understanding of the meaning.

7. Use Your Finger or a Pen to Follow Along

If you're struggling to stay focused on a section of material, you can use your finger or a pen to read along. This is an easy way to keep yourself on track and pay attention.

This " Pointer Method " can also help you read faster. If you don't want to use a pen or your pointer finger, you can also use an index card to cover up the part of the text you're not reading yet to stay focused.

8. Read at the Right Pace

You can adjust your reading speed to improve your comprehension. Search for the main idea of the paragraph and read that sentence slowly. Usually, the first or second sentence in the paragraph lets you know what the rest of the paragraph will be talking about.

Knowing how a paragraph is structured can be to your advantage. Look for the main idea and read that sentence more slowly. The follow-up sentences are usually not as important as the topic sentence. Carefully understand the main idea and then you can read more quickly through the details.

If the material is long or technical, you may want to slow down at the beginning and the end of the paragraph to help you understand it.

Remember, both reading too slowly and too quickly can affect your reading comprehension. Don't slow down or speed up too much at any point, but pay careful attention to the main ideas.

9. Take a Break From Reading

If you're reading page after page but not comprehending any part of it, it may be time to take a break.

If the material is an assignment, try to break it up over several days. Some texts are just harder to understand because they're full of words and ideas that you may be unfamiliar with. If this is the case, it can be helpful to give your brain a break to digest the new information.

Go Pick up a Book Today!

Whether you're doing it for work or for pleasure, reading can be extremely beneficial for your brain, health and general well-being. It can even make you more compassionate toward people around you.

For increased reading comprehension, remember to take your time to understand what you're reading. Give yourself several days to digest difficult material and take breaks when you need to.

If you're feeling stressed about understanding a text, try the tips laid out in this article. The handy user-friendly suggestions can help you tackle that difficult assignment so you can get back to your favorite fiction.

Grow in Reading Skills With a Degree

Lifelong learning often encourages the activity of reading in exploring and gaining knowledge and skills you can apply to your real world. With a degree program at Cornerstone's Professional & Graduate Studies division, you can continue to enhance your reading abilities while being focused on practical application to your work and life. Learn more about how you can grow in your reading skills by connecting with our enrollment team.
Learn more about our adult programs Learn more about our graduate programs

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5 Ways Reading Can Change Your Life (And Best Practices) - Cornerstone University

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You've probably heard that reading can be good for you. You may have heard it your whole life. But maybe reading just isn't your thing. Maybe you enjoy reading, but you have trouble comprehending difficult material from your classes or your workplace. Good news-this article can help.

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Iowa Space Grant Consortium - Expanding Access Through STEM and Literacy

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Iowa Space Grant Consortium - Expanding Access Through STEM and Literacy

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Literacy Worldwide - Service Project Kit - Build a Little Free Library

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Literacy Worldwide - Service Project Kit - Build a Little Free Library

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Warwick Advertister - Warwick Middle School students create a StoryWalk on library grounds 

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Warwick Advertister - Warwick Middle School students create a StoryWalk on library grounds 

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Warwick Middle School students create StoryWalk on library grounds

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By ROGER GAVAN WARWICK - There are StoryWalks in all 50 states and in 14 countries across Europe and Asia, but this is a first for Orange County. The…

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Middletown City Schoolds - Little Free Library Opens at Maple Hill Elementary

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Middletown City Schoolds - Little Free Library Opens at Maple Hill Elementary

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Maple Hill's Little Free Library had a grand opening on June 7!

The third-grade classes of Maple Hill were given the challenge of becoming "Agents of Change". What can we do to create a positive change in our community? The answer was to develop a library box outside of the school where all children in the community could pick up and drop off books at any time.

Custodian Chris Abreu and maintenance worker Glen Brinckerhoff donated their free time and skills to build a beautiful custom library box. The third-grade class gathered books for donation and their combined efforts resulted in more books than the box can currently hold! The Little Free Library will be replenished with the surplus books over time. All community members are encouraged to take advantage of this new addition at Maple Hill, especially over the summertime, especially since Middies Love to Read! We hope to see everyone come by the Little Free Library.

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"Little Free Library" Opens at Maple Hill

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District News Details - Enlarged City School District