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If you think that learning to read is not a ‘natural process, then it is not true.
That happens all on its own. Learning how to read is a complicated process that needs proper teaching of many skills and strategies. In this regard, the main thing is the learning of phonics (the relationship between letters and sounds). However, you can learn to read at any stage of your life. We mostly learn how to read at an early age.
How can Reading Benefit You
Reading benefits us in countless ways. Learning how to read brings us to acquire knowledge efficiently throughout our life. There are different ways to read unfamiliar words, such as decoding, analogizing, or predicting. And to read familiar words, readers access their mind memory. This phenomenon of reading familiar words is also known as sight word reading. However, getting acquainted with unknown words require your knowledge of phonemes. The process of learning words involves the connections between graphemes and phonemes. If you have this knowledge, then you will be aware of connecting the spellings of images of the words to their pronunciations and meanings in your memory.
Know the Process of Learning How to Read
It is never too late to learn how to read. You can learn how to read at any stage of your life. We discussed that learning how to read is a complex process that requires your prior phonemic awareness and knowledge of the alphabetic system. Alphabet learning is the first step in learning the reading process. Recent studies show that learning the alphabet increases your learning of new vocabulary words. 26 letters make up the English alphabet, which is the base of all English language words. If you want to read or teach your children how to read, you should get familiar with the alphabet.
Why is Knowing ‘How to Read’ Important?
● Learning or knowing how to read is essential because it helps you grow your knowledge. We are going to share some effective strategies to start learning how to read.
● Clues or Cues. It means to identify a word by guessing with the help of context cues. There are the following ways to guess a word by cues.
● Knowing to mean (semantics)
● Having a background knowledge and context of the word, e.g., vocabulary in mind
● The structure (syntax) to how the word fits in common grammar rules, e.g., if a word is a verb, noun, or an adjective.
● An awareness of the visual (Graphophones) of a word, e.g., upper- and lowercase letters, common spelling patterns, etc.
Focus on these Simple Ways to Learn How to Read
● Use your finger to guide you through the lines and not lose focus
● Highlight words you do not know and look them up, then read again
● Aim for speed because the faster you read, the more times you can go over the page/s
● As we mentioned above, you must be aware of the alphabets and their sounds. After that, there are some simple tips at the beginner’s level to start reading. These steps are:
● Sound out the word by saying each letter sound slowly. Try blending the sounds to form the word.
● Make your reading simpler by chunking up the word.
Pick out the prefixes, suffixes, endings, or base words, etc., which you already know. Read these chunks separately and then blend them by sounding out the word.
● Make connections of the new words with the words you already know.
● Reread the words and repeat the sentences.
● Don’t get stuck on a word; instead, keep reading.
● Make predictions by looking at the pictures, chapter names, headings, diagrams, etc.
● Try to make a connection with the text by visualizing. Make the story of what you’re reading and see the story unfolding in time and space.
● Expand your Reading Process by the Following Methods
● Reading increases your knowledge as well as your IQ. The process of reading expands.
Here are the following methods to broaden your reading scope:
Access Online Libraries
There are many paid or unpaid online libraries available on the internet. Furthermore, you can find a book by typing its name and getting it for free. It is the most accessible way to explore new topics.
Contact your Local Library
Besides online libraries, we all have local libraries that pair their learners with a trained literacy tutor. Try to connect with these libraries and grow your reading knowledge.
Search for A Community-based Service
Check if your local church, public school, or any other near community group is sponsoring a literacy program. They offer programs that connect learners with someone who helps improve their reading skills.
Learning Disabilities
Learning is a gradual process that takes time, but sometimes a person has a learning disability that becomes a hurdle in learning how to read. For example, some tools and methods can help people with dyslexia. A person with dyslexia has difficulty interpreting spatial relationships or integrating auditory and visual information.
You Must Know These Four Levels of Reading
Four levels of reading are discussed in the book “How to Read a Book” by Mortimer J. Adler and Charles Van Doren.
These four levels are:
Elementary Level
As its name shows, elementary reading is the reading that is achieved during the elementary schooling years.
Inspectional Level
It is the level of reading where we get a meaningful and advanced review of the text. It is the level where we evaluate the merits of a more profound reading experience. Skimming and superficial reading are examples.
Analytical Level
At this level, we do an in-depth study of the text and ponder about it. We got the theme of the text and tried to interpret its meaning.
Syntopical Reading
Syntopical reading is comparative reading. It is the most challenging level of reading. At this level, a reader reads many books on the same subject and then compares them.
References
Ehri, L. C., & Wilce, L. S. (1987). Does learning to spell help beginners learn to read words?. Reading research quarterly, 47-65.
Teale, W. H. (1982). Toward a theory of how children learn to read and write naturally. Language Arts, 59(6), 555-570.
Wiggins, G. P., Wiggins, G., & McTighe, J. (2005). Understanding by design. Ascd.
What Motivates People?
We want to know what motivates people and how to be inspired daily. Many researchers try to answer this question. Motivational psychologists and researchers discovered that since birth, we possess innate and universal needs.
Here are some key motivators:
● Competency: The need of a person to be skilled
● Autonomy: Our desire to be free in making our choices
● Relatedness: The need to being accepted and appreciated by others
● Purpose: The reason or ambition to live life
● Meaning: The true meaning of one’s life
● Money/Possessions: The belongings needed to live a happy life
● Power: Status and position of a person in a society
What does motivation mean, and how does it work?
The word motivation is from a Latin root meaning “to move.” So, motivation moves people. You can say that it is an energy or spark needed to move someone. Motivational psychologists study what drives people to act efficiently and why people think of something to do and do it.
Every successful person always finds the motivation to keep going. A motivated person can channel their time, effort, and energy towards life goals. It means that we keep going until we are motivated.
Why do we become unmotivated?
The negativity may be a reason. To be a successful person, you need the motivation to fill yourself with positive energy. Motivation plays an essential role in life.
Why Do We Need Motivation?
Sometimes, we may feel dull in our daily lives. It can be due to a lot of reasons. These are the moments we need motivation. Because it gives us enthusiasm and energy in our lives, it is the energy that drives us. It would help if you looked for a way to psych yourself up when you face your opponents.
What is the Motivation
To promote a process that initiates, directs, and maintains goal-oriented behavior. Motivation involves the natural, spiritual, social, and intellectual forces that come into play. Motivation describes why a person does something. It is a dynamic force in human actions.
Motivation is not merely a matter of motivating oneself and includes items that guide and maintain these goal-oriented actions (or those objectives are often directly visible). Thus, we often have to give reasons why people do what they do in terms of physical behavior.
What exactly caused the reasons why we did something?
Psychologists have proposed various motivational theories, including drive theory, instinct theory, and humanistic theory (Maslow’s high-level needs). The fact is that many different forces guide and direct our purposes.
Types of Motivation
There are external and internal stimuli:
• External stimuli often include rewards such as money, public recognition, or praise.
• Internal stimuli come from within a person, such as feeling satisfied after solving a complicated puzzle.
Successful people are always motivated by what they see and hear. Successful people are eager to succeed. They invest their time, energy, and resources, to achieve their goals.
So, what prevents some people from staying motivated? What motivates them to do so?
It turns out; we could be our enemy. We are standing in our way to success.
Each of us is different. We have different motivations for doing things to achieve our goals. But even then, every plan requires effort. That is why we need to be involved in that process to direct our efforts to them.
So, what motivates you?
Our friends and our family members have different motivations than us.
What do you think will make you feel successful?
Power
Power, influence, and prestige motivate some people. They want to have power and be a leader, as a politician. They want to rule. So, are you encouraged to become famous? Do you feel good about leading the team? If you do, power may be your motivation. Build yourself up to work towards your goal by knowing your deepest desire.
Self-regulation and growth
Some people are motivated by self-control, which is the motivation for development and growth. For them, it is their way of life. This desire for development and growth can be so strong that it can drive you to perfection. Getting out of your comfort zone is needed to achieve this. While it may sound scary to some, it is a process. It would help if you dealt with to grow.
Recognition and approval
Are you encouraged to prove you are the right person? As in a job interview, applicants are motivated to get hired. Or do you want to be noticed by others? Do you feel good about success? Do you want to prove someone wrong? Do you want to prove you can do it?
The desire to win
Are you working hard because you hate losing? Do you study your art a lot because you want to excel in your field and be at the top?
Do you want to be a champion? Successful people do not stop even if they stumble and suffer because they are motivated to win. So, if you want to be first, be prepared to give your best. You need to work hard and smart every minute until you reach your goal. Work on your dreams every day, wake up in the morning, and accomplish more. For others, it may be the desire to win and to excel in their game. These people include professional athletes and successful leaders.
Reaching out to others
Some people are motivated to change people’s lives by inspiring and helping others. For example, philanthropists give most of their wealth to help others. If your purpose is to help others, use that motivation for success by focusing your efforts and energy. After all, according to Winston Churchill, “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” There is more happiness in giving than in receiving. Giving without expecting anything in return will provide you with unexpected blessings.
Rewards and money
Some people want the best things in life and think they can get it if they have money. However, you must appreciate the process and the progress you have made along the way to success. Look at your efforts, your hard work, and the time you spend on those things to achieve success. The essential part of success is the journey. That’s what shapes you as a person. It’s not money that measures your success. The result of your hard work is money. What keeps you going is motivation. That’s why you have to focus on your progress, the things you needed to do to win your game. Be the person who deserves the success you want to have. With this mindset, you can grow to be the person you would be proud to be.
Passion
What you like is your motivation. Successful people are more likely to wake up in the morning, work smarter, and use their time wisely than ordinary people because they like what they are doing. They are passionate about their work, so they are willing to devote most of their time to it. For example, you are encouraged to improve your writing skills because you love to write. In this case, you are more likely to sacrifice your weekend to practice writing.
There is power in love. It drives you and pushes you to succeed. You must develop your love for the things you want to be successful in. Don’t go to work to get a paycheck. Love your job, and it will love you too. The most significant and most enduring motivation is to live a purposeful life you love. Motivation can be maintained when you have a clear purpose that makes you happy.
Intrinsic motivation gives you inherent rewards. You do something not just to finish it but because it makes you feel good. Know what motivates you to succeed. Motivation doesn’t last long, but you have to do it every day to keep moving forward, no matter what. The drive you get to achieve your goals comes from motivation. It is what makes us get up and work hard early in the morning. It is the reason we want to succeed. Things that motivate you will change. It is normal to have new interests every five years. Knowing your motivation is vital for personal growth. When you live your life with motivation, you can get that feeling of satisfaction. It will not make you feel like you are living a life without depth and meaning. Find your motivation for success today!
Have you not found your goal yet? Do not give up. It is on its way to you.
Bibliography
It is said that: “Our brain is just like a computer” because it works like a computer. It receives information from the body, organizes it, and sends a message back to the body. Our brain is more than a computer machine. The brain can think and feel emotions, unlike a computer. The brain is the root of the utmost intelligence of humans (1).
The brain is the Boss!
Your brain performs an incredible number of tasks. It is surprising how we think and how our brain works to do a task. Your brain actually controls your heart rate and even your mood. The brain controls the ability to talk, think, feel, see, walk, sit, stand, touch, taste, dream, hear, and many more things. Communication activities take up 60% to 80% of the brain’s energy (2).
You need some nerves!
The brain needs a lot of nerves and the spinal cord to do work. The spinal cord and nerves collectively make the nervous system. The nervous system is made up of millions of neurons. All these millions of neurons are connected for efficient, lightning-fast communication. The nervous system conveys messages from the brain to the body (3).
The Learning Process
During learning, your brain travels messages from one neuron to another. Then, in split seconds, the brain creates connections between the neurons and the rest of the body for better communication. This helps you do things better and makes learning things or questions easier (4). Different brain parts work together, but these brain parts are responsible for specific functions.
Be Kind to your Brain!
Use your brain in healthy activities like puzzles, playing music, art, reading, etc. Mental gymnastics can exercise and relax your brain.
A mental workout strengthens your brain and increases its vitality.
Remain stress-free and stay socially connected for a healthy brain.
Avoid drugs and alcohol. And quit tobacco use.
Maintain a diet rich in vitamins and minerals. Your nervous system needs a good diet for healthy activity.
Try to be careful not to hit your head as it causes brain damage. Make a habit of wearing a helmet when you ride on your bike or play any sport with brain damage risk. (5)
References:
- InformedHealth.org [Internet]. Cologne, Germany: Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG); 2006-. How does the brain work? 2009 Oct 8 [Updated 2018 Oct 31]. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279302/
- Buzsáki, G., Kaila, K., & Raichle, M. (2007). Inhibition and brain work. Neuron, 56(5), 771-783.
- https://www.mayoclinic.org/brain/sls-20077047?s=8
- https://kidshealth.org/en/kids/brain.html
- https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/foods-linked-to-better-brainpower
Mindbenefits Neurofeedback - The Prize Of Training 