| One of the most powerful things you can do to get | | | | pieces, take out the edge pieces, look quickly at the |
| ahead in your academic life and to dramatically | | | | small handful of pieces trusting that you will |
| improve your exam results is to increase your | | | | remember them, and put them in the other half of |
| reading comprehension and reading speed. In Japan, | | | | the box. Continue this until you have gone through all |
| reading is very popular. If you were to ask any | | | | the pieces. Your frame will practically put itself |
| student her hobbies, chances are great that reading | | | | together. |
| would be listed among them. Because of the | | | | Your next step is to group similar patterns together |
| orthography of the Japanese language, reading | | | | for different sections of the puzzle. By looking at the |
| Japanese requires a lot of mental gymnastics on the | | | | pieces one by one when separating for the frame, |
| part of the reader, and yet, or perhaps in part | | | | you have given that essential information to your |
| because of the difficulty, reading remains extremely | | | | other-than-conscious mind. That means that your |
| popular. In fact you could walk into practically any | | | | OTC mind is already at work figuring out how the |
| bookstore and find most of the world's best-selling | | | | pieces go together. When you gather pieces of |
| books available in Japanese translation. | | | | similar patterns, you will very quickly see how the |
| It's surprising to hear reports of few people in North | | | | pieces fit together. It will seem like you're not even |
| America are passionate readers these days, but | | | | really doing anything. You just somehow know which |
| when I hear from clients about how they approach | | | | pieces go together. Before you know it, you have |
| reading it starts to make more sense. 'Why is that?' | | | | the entire puzzle completed. |
| you may be wondering. It's because most people set | | | | Reading works the same way. The first thing you |
| themselves up for failure in their reading by reading | | | | want is an overview of the work. Quickly read the |
| something straight through from top to bottom. This | | | | introduction and the conclusion. What is the book or |
| method is devastating to reading comprehension and | | | | report? Who created it? Why? When? Why is it |
| your ability to remember what you read. | | | | significant? What do you hope to gain from reading |
| With a short article like this, you may be able to get | | | | it? |
| away with it. However, for longer passages, technical | | | | Next you want to build your frame. Quickly flip |
| material or works that are written using difficult | | | | through the work, taking note of chapters, headings, |
| linguistic structures and challenging vocabulary, you'll | | | | sub headings, graphics, and any terms that for |
| want to use much more powerful techniques that | | | | whatever catch your eye. Make use of any additional |
| use the power of your other-than-conscious mind. In | | | | materials that your professor or teacher has given |
| doing so you will dramatically increase your reading | | | | you to help you formulate questions you hope to |
| comprehension, your reading speed, and your ability | | | | answer by reading. Trust that by flipping through the |
| to recall the information when you need it. | | | | material quickly, and by asking yourself questions that |
| The secret is to read the same way you would do a | | | | you hope to answer, you are setting up your OTC |
| jigsaw puzzle. If you have good jigsaw puzzle | | | | mind to take in all the important information and get |
| technique, you can relax and you can build sections | | | | answers for you. |
| very easily. You pick up a piece and immediately | | | | The next part is just like assembling the different |
| know where it goes. You pick up another, and put it | | | | parts of the puzzle. As you go through each section |
| right in its place. As you gently glide your hand over | | | | or chapter, go through it quickly looking for the |
| the pieces the puzzle almost seems to put itself | | | | answers to your questions. If you feel yourself |
| together. You aren't even really thinking about it | | | | getting bogged down, like trying the same puzzle |
| consciously. You're just able to see how it all fits | | | | piece into several different spaces, you need to note |
| together. It's fast, it's gentle, it's easy, and it's fun. | | | | the page and move on. Keep yourself moving quickly |
| Hopefully you know what I'm talking about. If this | | | | through the reading, just as when you are doing a |
| hasn't been your experience with puzzles up to now, | | | | puzzle. If you go to slowly, you are likely to get |
| then you're in luck because I'll tell you exactly how to | | | | bored and not pay attention to what you are |
| do it. | | | | reading, which is horrible for both comprehension and |
| Before you even open the puzzle box, you have a | | | | recall. Keep it moving fast and fun and you will |
| photo of the completed design on the box. That is | | | | dramatically increase your reading comprehension and |
| your overview. That is what all the little pieces create | | | | your ability to recall what you read. When you are |
| when you put them together. | | | | back into the flow of gathering information you can |
| Your next step is to build the frame. Your frame | | | | go back to the section that was challenging before. |
| gives it a structure and defines the scope of the | | | | So the next time you have something to read, treat |
| puzzle. The way you do this is the key to the entire | | | | it like a master of jigsaw puzzles approaches a new |
| puzzle. If you are great at jigsaw puzzles, then you | | | | puzzle, and get ready to be amazed at how |
| know that while you are sorting for edge pieces, you | | | | dramatically you can improve your reading speed, |
| want to look at every single piece of the puzzle. If | | | | your reading comprehension, and how this one |
| you try to do this by stirring pieces in the box, you'll | | | | change helps you achieve academically and positively |
| have a mess and it helps you very little. | | | | impacts your exam results. |
| What you want to do it is to take a small handful of | | | | Here's to your success! |