What’s “practical reading?” It’s the ability to understand and use the kinds of texts you encounter in the real world. We’ll show you how to boost your reading comprehension with examples of real-world scenarios. And these tips are especially useful for older students who need to build a foundation of reading skills.
Real-World Reading Scenarios
Practical reading isn’t about thick novels or scholarly journals. It’s about navigating the texts we encounter every day.
Identifying Practical Reading Materials
Think about the materials you see daily. Online news articles, labels on food packages, advertisements and coupons, directories and how-to guides, online shopping sites, and forms are all examples of opportunities to practice practical reading.
Purpose and Function of Each Material
It’s also important to understand why each type of text exists. Online news informs, labels provide product information, and ads try to persuade you. Knowing the purpose behind the text helps you figure out the best way to read it.
Developing key reading comprehension skills
Finding details and drawing conclusions
You can practice identifying specific information within texts by focusing on things like dates on forms, ingredients on labels, or prices in ads. Then, practice drawing reasonable conclusions based on the information you find. For example, you might determine whether a product is safe based on the information provided on the label.
Writing and application
You can also work on reading comprehension by writing summaries of news articles, writing product reviews, or filling out forms. These activities link reading comprehension to practical writing tasks.
The Bottom Line
For older students, practical reading is more than just an assignment—it’s a way to boost reading comprehension and apply what you learn to the real world.
We’ve looked at how to understand real-world scenarios, spot important details, and draw smart conclusions. These skills aren’t just for the classroom; they’re essential for navigating everyday life.
Keep practicing these strategies, and explore the world of practical reading materials all around you!