Reading comprehension - 8B

We will now start a reading comprehension period in English, and the material will be very individualized since many of you are on different levels. 
We will be using the website ReadTheory.org and you will get username and password from me. 
When you log in, the first thing you do is a placement test to assign you to the correct level - do the placement test quietly, on your own without asking questions or googling the answers, otherwise you won't get the exercises adapted for your development! And that would just be plain silly ;). 

So, why is reading important then?


10 benefits of reading

1. People who read often and widely get better at it. This is pretty much just common sense.

After all, practice makes perfect in almost everything we humans do and reading is no different from anything else. 

2. Reading exercises our brains.

Reading is a much more complex task for the human brain than, say, watching TV is. Reading strengthens brain connections and actually builds new connections.

3. Reading improves concentration. Again, this is a bit of a no-brainer. You have to sit still and quietly so you can focus on the story when you’re reading. If you read regularly, you develop the ability to do this for longer periods.

4. Reading teaches people about the world around them.

Through reading, you learn about people, places and events outside your own experience. You are exposed to ways of life, ideas and beliefs about the world which may be different from those which surround you.

This learning is important for its own sake however it also builds a store of background knowledge which helps you learn to read confidently and well. 

5. Reading improves your vocabulary and leads to more highly-developed language skills.

This is because you learn new words as you read but also because you unconsciously absorb information as you read about things like how to structure sentences and how to use words and language effectively. 

6. Reading develops your imagination.

This is because when we read our brains translate the descriptions we read of people, places and things into pictures. When we’re engaged in a story, we’re also imagining how the characters are feeling. We use our own experiences to imagine how we would feel in the same situation. 

7. Reading helps you develop empathy.

This is something that might seem awkward but it makes sense. As my daughter said to me when we were discussing it, ‘Of course it does because you’re identifying with the character in the story so you’re feeling what he’s feeling.’ 

8. People who read do better at school. And they don’t just do better at subjects like reading, English and History. They do better at all subjects and they do better all the way through school.  9. Reading is a great form of entertainment!

A paperback book or an e-reader on your smartphone doesn’t take up much space so you can take it anywhere and you’ll never be lonely or bored if you have a book in your bag. 

You can read while waiting in a queue, while waiting for a friend who’s running late or during recess.

10. Reading relaxes the body and calms the mind.

This is an important point because these days we seem to have forgotten how to relax and especially how to be silent.

The constant movement, flashing lights and noise which bombard our senses when we’re watching TV, looking at a computer or playing an electronic game are actually quite stressful for our brains.

When we read, we read in silence and the black print on a white page is much less stressful for our eyes and brains.