Every year I meet students who share with me their difficulties with reading. The most common complaint I receive is that their mind floats when reading a work of fiction for school. With all other subjects — biology, math, history — they have no problem staying focused and comprehending the content.

However, when it comes to fiction, their mind floats after just reading 2 to 3 pages. Why is this the case?

Why is this the case?

One common denominator I noticed when tutoring students is that they were all kinesthetic learners.When it comes to school, though, many students don’t get to choose what books they read. They still need to complete their assignments, prepare for reading quizzes, and write papers.

Kinesthetic learners are learners who prefer to absorb information using a hands-on approach, and they need to relate information to real life situations. For example, kinesthetic learners love analogies because they can relate a concept (i.e. cells) to a real life situation (i.e. how a factory operates).

What approaches can kinesthetic learners use to enhance their reading experience?

Chapter Questions

Chapter questions is a form of chunking. Learners whose minds float love parameters, so by focusing on set parameters of a book, they are able to have an easier time retaining key details. Chapter questions are handy resources because they list pertinent questions that point readers to key points of each chapter. Students can read the chapter in short chunks. For example, as they read one page, they can then answer the questions related to that page. This helps students refocus if they their minds wandering. Moreover, students can review their answers to the chapter questions in preparation for quizzes.

Reading Themes First

In combination with chapter questions, students can read about themes first. Themes are the life lessons the authors want to convey through the book. Themes are about human experiences, which are exactly what kinesthetic learners love because they relate to real life. As students go through chapter questions, students can then begin to connect some of the key points back to the themes. This is especially helpful when students need to begin brainstorming for papers.

Study Guides

Study guides can serve as a helpful supplement for kinesthetic readers because if they are not sure about what they read, they can rely on the study guides to fill in the blanks. Students should avoid using study guides as a substitute for reading, but if used as a tool, it can maximize students’ reading comprehension.

If your child is facing some roadblocks with their reading comprehension, give some of these suggestions a try.