With the advent of Twitter, Instagram, smartphones and all other forms of technology, it seems that the crucial reading skill is suffering. Reading to remember is vital for us in many walks of life. It will assist us no end in preparing presentations for the public and it is a key skill in developing our online niche marketplace.

What It Takes

Here are 8 tips I found from sharpbrains.com. I have used these tips for many years and they have proved to be very effective.

1. Read with a Purpose

"Why am I reading this?" is a question that we should be asking right through anything we read. Focusing on the purpose helps us to connect what we are reading with that purpose. If I am reading some religious literature, for example, I will try to connect it with my faith, my personal relationships, and my life skills. That gives my reading a purpose, a direction, and minimizes being distracted.

2. Skim the Article

Skimming allows you to note the heading, subheadings, and images, etc. That allows you to find the key information that is connected with your purpose of reading. Skimming also helps you prepare your mind and heart for the subject. This information may be life changing, so knowing what is ahead in the material can raise anticipation and enthusiasm for the task.

3. Get the Reading Mechanics Right

The mistake many make, and it causes frustration, is not having the correct mechanics of effective reading. A common trait of poor readers is that they fix their eyes on one word at a time. Fixing our eyes on groups of words is a skill that can be learned. It allows for faster reading without any drop in comprehension. I learned this skill as a child and it has proved invaluable ever since. Poor readers are so focused on the individual letters and words that they often have lower comprehension and a stop-start reading style.

4. Note Taking - Don't Overdo It

A highlighter is a great way to mark a few salient points from your reading. (Except if it is on your Kindle or tablet, then a digital highlighting tool would work.) Keywords are an important tool when writing blogs or articles for a website. They also help when we are researching for a public speaking presentation. Focusing on a few keywords and then relating them to the overall subject, will help you enhance comprehension. Don't go overboard with the highlighter. Overusing the highlighter pen may submerge the main points and you could lose the key focus of your reading.

Making mental notes through periodic reviewing of what you have read is another way to build the memory resource. Relating it to previous study and reading can provide links that will build this resource into something very usable.

5. Think in Pictures

My wife is a visual learner. She makes great use of mind maps when listening to a lecture or taking notes from a scholarly reference work.

Thinking in pictures allows her to organize the material into logical sequence. Using key words and associating images with it is a great memory aid. This helps her to review what she has learned and share it with others. Associating a mental image with a keyword or subheading is a great skill. At the beginning of 2015 I gave a 5 minute talk to an audience of 70 using only a mind map on a whiteboard. The impact of using visual aids made a big difference in the effectiveness of teaching a dry subject. Using mental images during reading is a key strategy in effective research.

6. Review and Rehearse as You Read

A short burst of reading followed by a quick review of the material is another skill to building your comprehension levels. Questions such as, "What do I already know about this subject?" "How does this relate to what I know from similar subjects?" "How can I apply it in my life?" etc., can keep you fully engaged with the subject. It also allows you to rehearse how you would explain this to someone who hadn't read anything about the subject.

7. Stay Within Your Attention Span

Attention span or lack of it is a key reason given as to why some don't make more effort with their reading skill. The key here is to not overtax yourself, especially with technical or more deeper material. Establish a time frame that you will spend reading it, say 10 minutes, and over time build your deep reading time to 15 minutes or 20 minutes per session. Discipline is the key here, but discipline can be built and cultivated.

8. Rehearse Again at the End

A quick review at the end of the reading session will work wonders. This can be a quick mental summation of the material as soon as you finish as well as a review later in the day. The more we meditate deeply on a subject we have read, the greater the chances of improving our comprehension.

Developing strategies to improve our comprehension will making reading a pleasure, not a burden. As we research information to present in a public speaking presentation or for our writing material on our niche websites, we will find ourselves enjoying the experience.

Next, we discuss Organizing the Material for your presentation. A logical layout will keep the audience engaged. To help you achieve this, I want you to imagine you have been asked to give a 10 minute speech about your secret business ambition. The next few lessons will focus on preparing that speech.