Reading Strategies for Fifth Grade Students

Strategies to Improve Your Reading Skills

Read a Variety of Material

A great way to become a stronger reader is to read all kinds of books, articles and other reading materials. Expand your horizons beyond just fictional stories about dragons, elves, queens and kings. Try picking up some non-fictional books and learn about space, history, government and science. In other words, challenge yourself to not only get entertainment through reading but to learn by reading as well. When you read about many different topics, it helps you to grow as a reader.

Slow Down

Sometimes, you just have to slow down. Don't rush through the material. As your reading level increases, you'll constantly be challenged by new words and new concepts. Take the time to make sure you fully understand what you're reading before you move on to new chapters and pages. Slowing down also helps you to focus better, and that tends to lead to better comprehension.

Write While You Read

Another good idea is to constantly write while you read, mainly taking notes. You can do this in the margins of the book (if it's your copy), on scrap paper or in a specific notebook. Taking notes gives you something active to do while you're reading and keeps you engaged. It also provides you with information to go back to if you get confused or lost while reading.

Visualize and Draw

Along with writing while you read, drawing pictures based on the story or information you're reading about may help you improve your reading skills, too. To do this, however, you have to visualize what the author is describing in your head. Read every detail and do your best to create a clear picture. After you have the picture in your head, turn it into a drawing. This will often make the reading more enjoyable and keep you interested, which can lead to a better overall understanding of the material.

Reread and Reread Again

Finally, it is always helpful to go back and reread. Reread sentences. Reread paragraphs. Reread descriptions. Reread the whole book. The more you read, the more you gain a better understanding of the story or information. You also tend to pick up on meanings and important themes that you may have missed when you read the first time.