It is one thing to read a book and another to remember everything you read. A lot of motivation is lost when you read a book only to find out that you cannot recall
what you read even at the shortest period of time. It is a common event among many students and this has led
to the conclusion, “If I read, I’ll forget because I have low retentive memory”.
This statement is however not true! Yes, no one has low retentive memory. While some forget everything they read, others can recall it easily. Have you ever wondered why this happens? A lot of students who fail examinations have reported they do read but forget everything they read which is why I have decided to write this article. Trust me, if you can follow this article to the end and put the guidelines into action, your retentive power will surely increase.
1. READ TO KNOW AND UNDERSTAND
Your mindset when reading speaks on whether you will remember or forget what you are reading. A question you should ask is, “What should my mindset be while reading? “.
The answer to this question is the key to unlock your hidden power of remembrance. Your aim of reading should be to gain knowledge. You may want to ask,
“Am I not aiming to gain knowledge while reading? Of course you are!. But, you are gaining knowledge only to
pass examination!
Many reader who are yet to discover their hidden power of remembrance have the mindset of reading in order to pass their examination which makes them to cram rather than understand the content of the book. As a result, they forget everything they read immediately after the examination which has led to a common saying among students when you ask them questions, “I was taught last term/session, I have forgotten”. “Therefore, change your mindset while reading. Read to gain knowledge, make sure you understand the concept of what you are reading and don’t just read to pass an examination”
2. DO NOT SKIP A SENTENCE
Students regard some of the information in a book as “story” and decide to skip them. This is common especially when reading for examination. Before you can understand and remember what you read, just have to read enough. The secret is, “The more you read, the more you understand and the more you remember” . You cannot read four sentences and expect to know five. So, neglect the belief of regarding some of the content of a book as story because there are hidden secrets in every sentence!
3. WRITE IT DOWN
Research has proven that writing down what you are reading helps you to remember more. After reading for several minutes, try to write down everything you have
read without looking at it(Writing it in your own word is allowed). This will help you to know the part you don’t understand, so you can go over it again. This is a very effective method which I have been using for quite along time and I am sure it will work for you!.
4. EXPLAIN IT TO YOURSELF
If you have been forgetting what you read, it is because you either crammed it or you did not understand. After reading for a while, try to explain to yourself, it will help you to know if you really understand the concept of what you are reading.
5. TAKE A BREAK
Readings for 10hours without taking a break does not make you a bookworm but I’ll rather call it a waste of time. Yes, a waste of time!. Your brain is a biological organ and not a machine, it also gets tired. Effective reading habit should be cultivated as it is more yielding. When I say effective reading, after reading for 1-2hours, you tend to lose concentration when your brain gets stressed. Don’t force yourself to continue reading but just take reading but just take a 10-30minutes break depending on you until you feel relaxed and good to go again. After the break, try to recall everything you have read before the break, then you can proceed with your reading.
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