question: Does reading actually make you smarter?
comment: Not only smarter, it actually puts you in a good habit to read and interpret information. If you neglect reading now, it won't affect you much at a young age, but it'll bite you back when you get older and go to college/uni and higher levels
passages: There are a wide range of reading strategies suggested by reading programs and educators. Effective reading strategies may differ for second language learners, as opposed to native speakers. The National Reading Panel identified positive effects only for a subset, particularly summarizing, asking questions, answering questions, comprehension monitoring, graphic organizers, and cooperative learning. The Panel also emphasized that a combination of strategies, as used in Reciprocal Teaching, can be effective. The use of effective comprehension strategies that provide specific instructions for developing and retaining comprehension skills, with intermittent feedback, has been found to improve reading comprehension across all ages, specifically those affected by mental disabilities.
   Similarly, in evaluating a claim that a similar reading strategy known as PhotoReading could increase reading rates to 25,000 words per minute, McNamara published a preliminary analysis funded by NASA to evaluate whether this strategy could improve reading speed, comprehension, and information gathering efficiency. When identical versions of five reading samples and accompanying reading comprehension tests were administered to a trainee and an expert in this reading strategy, there was no advantage in overall reading time or comprehension. This strategy may also cause overestimation of one's knowledge, as demonstrated by the following case in McNamara's preliminary analysis, showing evidence of the Dunning-Kruger effect:
   BULLET::::2. Selecting texts that connect to students' interests and backgrounds-reading articles or stories about common interests can spark conversations in classrooms as well as promote interest in reading the texts. If some students in a classroom play baseball, reading a story about a baseball player can spark interest and enthusiasm in the classroom
   BULLET::::- "Multiple intelligences"-based methods, which draw on the reader's diverse ways of thinking and knowing to enrich appreciation of the text. Reading is fundamentally a linguistic activity: one can basically comprehend a text without resorting to other intelligences, such as the visual (e.g., mentally "seeing" characters or events described), auditory (e.g., reading aloud or mentally "hearing" sounds described), or even the logical intelligence (e.g., considering "what if" scenarios or predicting how the text will unfold based on context clues). However, most readers already use several kinds of intelligence while reading. Doing so in a more disciplined manner—i.e., constantly, or after every paragraph—can result in a more vivid, memorable experience.
   Section::::See also.
  
  BULLET::::- Accessible publishing
  
  BULLET::::- Basal reader
  
  BULLET::::- Common Core State Standards Initiative
  
  BULLET::::- Dolch Word List
  
  BULLET::::- Phonics
  
  BULLET::::- Phonetically Intuitive English
  
  BULLET::::- Synthetic phonics
  
  BULLET::::- Whole language
  
  Section::::References.
  
  Section::::References.:Bibliography.
  
  BULLET::::- National Right To Read Foundation - Many articles on comparison between Phonics and Whole language techniques and effects
  
  Section::::External links.
  
  BULLET::::- The Cognitive Foundations of Learning to Read: A Framework - Southwest Educational Development Laboratory
  
  BULLET::::- "Reading Can Make You Smarter" by Anne Cunningham and Keith Stanovich; National Academy of Elementary School Principles
   Another learning principle that greatly influences reading comprehension is the use of metacognition. The 'metacognitive' approach to instruction can help students learn to take control of their own learning by defining learning goals and monitoring their progress in achieving them." A great deal of research indicates that accomplished readers "monitor their comprehension as they read by engag[ing] in strategic processing, such as rereading previous text, to resolve comprehension failure." Students who are not able to track their own understanding gain neither information or enjoyment from reading as they do not know how to obtain meaning from the text.
   Section::::History.
  
  Initially most comprehension teaching was based on imparting selected techniques for each genre that when taken together would allow students to be strategic readers. However, from 1930s testing various methods never seemed to win support in empirical research. One such strategy for improving reading comprehension is the technique called SQ3R introduced by Francis Pleasant Robinson in his 1946 book "Effective Study".
   In 2008, Ickes published the chapter "Mind-Reading Superheroes: Fiction and Fact" in an edited book titled "The Psychology of Superheroes." After comparing the mind reading that fictional superheroes do with the mind reading that lesser mortals do in their everyday lives, he concluded that "For me, science doesn't spoil the wonder of mind reading: it deepens and enhances it. And speaking of life's many wonders, who would have thought that the kid who read so many comics about superheroes back in the 1950s would grow up to be The Man Who Measured Mind Reading? I never would have thought it, but the wonder of it all is that "I was that kid!"" (p. 133)
   Reading comprehension requires making sense of text, which allows a reader to gain knowledge, enjoy a story, and make connections with the larger world. Several skills support reading comprehension, including making predictions and inferences, monitoring understanding, using text structures, and using prior knowledge effectively. Two of the most important aspects of successful comprehension are activating prior knowledge and metacognition, which are two of the principles of learning identified in the National Research Council's report."
   The idea behind extensive reading is that a lot of reading of interesting material that is slightly below, at, or barely above the full comprehension level of the reader will foster improved language skills. Graded readers are often used. For foreign-language learners, some researchers have found that the use of glosses for "difficult" words is advantageous to vocabulary acquisition () but at least one study finds it has no effect (). A number of studies report significant incidental vocabulary gain in extensive reading in a foreign language (). Advocates claim it can enhance skill in speaking as well as in reading.
   One group of researchers in the United States found in the late 1990s and 2000s that the traditional way of reading to children made little difference in their later ability to read, and hypothesized this was because children spend relatively little time actually looking at the text. They found that simple exercises during reading which directed children to pay attention to and think about letters and words made a significant difference in early reading progress.
  
  Section::::Reading development.:Novice reader.
   BULLET::::2. Planning and Monitoring: This strategy centers around the reader’s mental awareness and their ability to control their comprehension by way of awareness. By previewing text (via outlines, table of contents, etc.) one can establish a goal for reading-“what do I need to get out of this”? Readers use context clues and other evaluation strategies to clarify texts and ideas, and thus monitoring their level of understanding.
   Andrew Biemiller argues that teachers should give out topic related words and phrases before reading a book to students, teaching includes topic related word groups, synonyms of words and their meaning with the context, and he further says to familiarize students with sentence structures in which these words commonly occur. Biemiller says this intensive approach gives students opportunities to explore the topic beyond its discourse - freedom of conceptual expansion. However, there is no evidence to suggest the primacy of this approach. Incidental Morphemic analysis of words - prefixes, suffixes and roots - is also considered to improve understanding of the vocabulary, though they are proved to be an unreliable strategy for improving comprehension and is no longer used to teach students.
   Section::::Reading development.:Decoding reader.
   Section::::Instructional methods.:Examples of Improving Reading.:Non-traditional approaches.
  
  Programs have been established to provide certified therapy animals, such as dogs, as non-judgmental "listeners" to build motivation and help children build proficiency and gain confidence in their reading ability.
  
  Section::::Success rate of reading education in the US.
  
  National literacy rates range from about 10 percent to 99+ percent.
   Arvin Vohra, in "Introduction to Speed Reading and Rapid Analytical Reading" claims that material structure (close and open forms) based and grammar based reading can lead to a simultaneous increase in speed and comprehension. Just as moving from letter by letter reading in early childhood to word by word reading in later childhood increases speed and comprehension, he argues that reading clause by clause or phrase by phrase can cause a similar increase in speed and comprehension.
  
  Section::::Software.
   People learn comprehension skills through education or instruction and some learn by direct experiences. Proficient reading depends on the ability to recognize words quickly and effortlessly. It is also determined by an individual's cognitive development, which is "the construction of thought processes".
  
  There are specific characteristics that determine how successfully an individual will comprehend text, including prior knowledge about the subject, well-developed language, and the ability to make inferences from methodical questioning & monitoring comprehension like: "Why is this important?" and "Do I need to read the entire text?" are examples of passage questioning.
   Section::::Attentional demands of each route.
   Three studies showed that providing rewards for reading did not improve reading development. Krashen believes this is because the presence of a reward suggests that an activity is work, and makes it less appealing.
  
  In two studies, teachers noted fewer discipline problems when an SSR program was being used.
  
  Advocates also point out that students in SSR programs have more positive attitudes toward reading than students who do not participate in SSR programs.
  
  Section::::Value of Sustained silent reading.:National Reading Panel analysis of sustained silent reading studies.
   A further study on military cadets measuring levels of interpersonal stress and intelligence showed intelligence to be impaired under conditions of stress.
  
  Section::::Predictions.
   John Oliver speculated in a February 2019 segment of "Last Week Tonight", that Tyler Henry may use hot reading in addition to cold reading. As an example, Oliver dissected Henry's reading of Matt Lauer concerning the father-son fishing trip that was part of the reading. Oliver showed examples of publicly available information about Lauer's love of fishing with his father, including Lauer stating this on his own show several times. Oliver summarized "Look, maybe Tyler Henry genuinely accessed the afterlife, an action which would fundamentally change our understanding of everything on Earth. Or maybe he just googled ‘Matt Lauer Dad’ and hit the fucking jackpot”.
   Section::::Print exposure.
  
  Print exposure the amount of time a child or person spends being visually aware of the written word (reading)--whether that be through newspapers, magazines, books, journals, scientific papers, or more. Research has shown that the amount of print material that a child accesses has deep cognitive consequences. In addition, the act of reading itself, for the most part irrespective of what is being read, increases the achievement difference among children.
   Section::::Reading difficulties.:Reading rate.
  
  Individuals with reading rate difficulties tend to have accurate word recognition and normal comprehension abilities, but the reading speed is below grade level. Strategies such as guided reading, silent reading and modeled reading may help improve a reader's reading rate
  
  Section::::Reading difficulties.:Reading fluency.
  
  Individuals with reading fluency difficulties fail to maintain a fluid, smooth pace when reading. Strategies used for overcoming reading rate difficulties are also useful in addressing reading fluency issues.
  
  Section::::Reading difficulties.:Reading comprehension.
   The negative effects of daydreaming on reading performance have been studied the most thoroughly. Research shows that there is a negative correlation between daydreaming frequency and reading comprehension performance. To be specific, there are costs associated with daydreaming during reading and the costs include deficits of item-specific comprehension and model-building ability.
   There are two ways in which increasing fluency can be supported. They include explicit instruction in comprehension by a child's teacher and the child's own desire to read. Engaging in conversation about what they are reading allows the beginning reader to ask critical questions, facilitating a better understanding of the central meaning.
  