I'm so happy you reached out, that is a great first step! I am a high school English teacher and I can confirm that you are not the only one that feels this way/struggles!
There are many reasons that may be causing this, but generally the reason this is happening is because you are so focused on getting the words that the meaning gets missed. This is really common, especially for people who struggle with focus, decoding words, or remembering information. It's difficult to read for understanding, while also trying to follow a plot, remember what's going on, and answer random comprehension questions to make sure you read.
Strategies that I suggest for my students:
listen to the audio version while following along (any PDF or website can use text-to-speech functions, and many novels (especially school ones) have audiobook versions online.
focus on small chunks at a time (a chapter or page at a time)
annotate what you're reading
if you can, take notes in the margins about what you've read or questions you have
take notes as you go
use page tabs/sticky notes to add information/questions
write down key points that you think may be important
if you know what your teacher is looking for, keep that written down nearby and in your mind as you're reading so you can highlight/add notes when you notice an answer
add to those notes as you go (ex: identify the main character and add traits about them as you read and learn more)
only read a chapter at a time, and try to identify the main important thing that is happening
is it a big event, did it tell more about the characters, did it set up something that may happen next
write down what you think the main point is for each chapter when you're reading
re-read your notes about the previous chapter if you don't read the next one right away
keep practicing!!
I know you probably hate this one, but the more you read (or listen to audiobooks) the more vocabulary you build, and the more patterns you'll recognize when it comes to things like plot
Last thing: if you find academics a struggle and you need support, see if you have a resource (Special Education) teacher. They can help you with strategies as well as give accommodations that may help you in the future :)
kayydeebe t1_j5v62c6 wrote
Reply to Can anyone help me by yt-_spark_-yt
Hi!
I'm so happy you reached out, that is a great first step! I am a high school English teacher and I can confirm that you are not the only one that feels this way/struggles!
There are many reasons that may be causing this, but generally the reason this is happening is because you are so focused on getting the words that the meaning gets missed. This is really common, especially for people who struggle with focus, decoding words, or remembering information. It's difficult to read for understanding, while also trying to follow a plot, remember what's going on, and answer random comprehension questions to make sure you read.
Strategies that I suggest for my students:
Last thing: if you find academics a struggle and you need support, see if you have a resource (Special Education) teacher. They can help you with strategies as well as give accommodations that may help you in the future :)