Painless Reading Comprehension (old)

You need to know your weaknesses to turn them into strengths. This is essentially the advice Darolyn Jones offers in Painless Reading Comprehension as she seeks to provide students the tools needed to become successful and capable readers. Each person has different needs and approaches to reading, and it's the job of every student to figure out what works for them and implement those practices which will lead to the proper understanding and apprehension of texts.

Some of these are fairly surface level—do you need classical music playing in the background when you read? Do you like to read? How many pages can you read at one time? Others are more involved, and Jones spends most of her time addressing these. In many regards, this book could serve as an introduction to literary analysis; students are taught to decode texts, read closely, improve vocabulary, skim for highlights, raise questions, and retain information through a series of engaging exercises, guided practice, and comprehensible text.

Without proper reading comprehension and interpretation skills, a student's academic future is bleak. Once those skills are mastered the study of nearly any subject will be improved because the student will be able to focus on the content rather than the act of reading itself. In many ways this is also a critical thinking book, as readers are taught to put facts and ideas together to form their own thoughts. Suitable for middle and high school students, like most of the Barron's Painless books, this one is also excellent for older students and adults in need of remedial instruction.

Review by C. Hollis Crossman
C. Hollis Crossman used to be a child. Now he's a husband and father who loves church, good food, and weird stuff. He might be a mythical creature, but he's definitely not a centaur. Read more of his reviews here.

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