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Reading literature helps develop critical-thinking skills

When’s the last time you read a book? The chances you didn’t read one during the last year have radically increased.

For adults it’s roughly one in four — 24 percent according to the Pew Research Center. For my peers, youth, it’s about the same — 22 percent of 13-year-olds and 27 percent of 17-year-olds versus 8 percent and 9 percent, respectively, three decades ago according to the National Center for Education Statistics.

That’s especially unfortunate considering literature can help young adults develop important critical-thinking skills. For instance, U.S. News & World Report recently listed book clubs among five useful tools for developing critical-thinking skills before college.

“Students who read for understanding find it far easier to think critically than those who rush to finish,” writes the story’s author, Meghan Moll, a professional science, math, and ACT tutor with Varsity Tutors. “Analyzing a book requires you to delve deeper and ponder complex questions.”

My own experience with literature bears this out. In his best-selling novels “Jurassic Park” and “The Lost World,” Michael Crichton didn’t just take me on an entertaining roller-coaster ride. My favorite author reignited my childhood passion for prehistoric animals, sparked my intense interest in science, and continually fuels my own creativity.

His novels underscore the importance of critical thinking. “Jurassic Park” gave me a perspective on how humans interact with the biological world and what we can do to alter things — especially with genetic engineering. While the story line shows how people can use science to do beautiful things and change situations for the better, it also demonstrates how we can make devastating mistakes.

It’s probably no surprise that when my English teacher, Mrs. Hodgin, asked her classes at Moscow High School to participate in the Letters About Literature contest last year I wrote about the tangible, positive impact Dr. Crichton’s works have had on me. Sponsored by the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress, Letters About Literature encourages students in grades 4-12 to write a letter to an author — living or dead — whose book affected them personally.

I was the State of Idaho’s winner for Level 3 (grades 9-12) last year. The $100 gift card I won funded a hobby that’s kind of turning into a career — raising and researching ants. Thus, Dr. Crichton hasn’t just fueled my interest in the natural world — in a way he’s also helping fund my exploration of it.

The 2015-2016 Letters About Literature contest begins soon, and I encourage teachers and parents throughout Idaho to get their students involved. It’s an excellent project for classes and individual students.

The Center for the Book in the Library of Congress begins accepting entries Nov. 2. They must be postmarked by Dec. 4 for Level 3 (grades 9-12) or Jan. 11 for Level 2 (grades 7-8) and Level 1 (grades 4-6).

After the first two rounds of judging at the Library of Congress, the letters go through the next rounds back in their writers’ home states. The Idaho Commission for Libraries coordinates our local judging. Learn more about it online at http://libraries.idaho.gov/lal .

Meanwhile, if you, your child, or your students haven’t found a book that’s personally affected them, I urge you to resolve that. The benefits of literature are legion. Reading improves vocabulary, organizational skills, and the ability to read, comprehend, and analyze text. Plus, it can provide people with important historical perspective, encourage sympathy for other human beings, and promote appreciation for diversity and understanding of other cultures.

Moreover, literature can help students develop the critical-thinking skills many employers think are lacking in today’s college graduates before they even get to college.

Senior Miles Maxcer is the student council president at Moscow High School. He is currently reading a lot of nonfiction about leadership and different leaders while still conducting an independent study on ants. Read Miles’ winning letter at: http://libraries.idaho.gov/files/Level3WinnerMaxcer.pdf

Miles Maxcer

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How does reading make you smarter?

It's no secret that reading makes you smarter. In fact, it's been proven time and time again. A recent study conducted by the University of California found that reading can help protect your brain from Alzheimer's disease and dementia. But how exactly does reading make you smarter? And what are the benefits of reading?

In this article, we will discuss the benefits of reading and how it can make you smarter!

• What is reading and what are the benefits of reading
• How does reading make you smarter
• The power of reading and how it can change your life
• Why reading is important for students
• Recommended books to read for increased intelligence
• Final thoughts on the importance of reading

Reading is essential for those who seek to rise above the ordinary. Jim Rohn

1. What is reading and what are the benefits of reading

Reading is the most fundamental activity of learning. It is the process of absorbing and understanding written language. Decoding symbols into sounds signifying meaning. Essentially unfolding a melody of meaning within your mind. Both the interpretive and musical aspects of reading come together into a lifelong activity of vocabulary and phrase acquisition. Over decades of reading, you will master an ever-increasing corpus of words and phrase symbols. And the more you master, the more reading becomes an enjoyable and empowering experience.

Moreover, the habit of daily reading helps improve your memory and power of concentration. It can lower your stress levels and has even been shown to help reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s and dementia. A diet of regular reading is the most effective way to improve your writing skills. The more you read, the better you become at understanding and composing grammar, sentence structure, and vocabulary. And reading also helps improve your critical thinking and problem-solving skills. All of these benefits contribute to making you smarter.

2. How does reading make you smarter

Reading has long been considered one of the most important skills a person can possess. It is through reading that we gain access to new worlds, explore different cultures, and learn about the history and customs of different peoples. But reading also has other benefits, including making us smarter.

Studies have shown that reading can improve cognitive function and help people learn new information more easily. It can also help you better understand complex concepts and improve your problem-solving skills. In addition, reading can increase your vocabulary and help you better understand language nuances.

So how does reading make you smarter? By providing you with a richer and broader understanding of the world around you. Through reading, you are exposed to new ideas, perspectives, and ways of thinking that can help you become a more intelligent and well-rounded person.

Reading can take you to faraway places and introduce you to fascinating people and cultures. But reading also has another benefit – it can take you on a journey of ideas and adventure. By reading, you gain access to new worlds of knowledge and understanding that can open your mind to new possibilities. You also learn about different ways of thinking and problem-solving, which can help you become a more intelligent and innovative person. So reading not only broadens your horizons, but it can also help you explore the depths of your own mind.

3. The power of reading and how it can change your life

When it comes to reading, many benefits come with it. But one of the most important benefits is how reading can change a person's inner life permanently. Reading has the power to open up a person's mind to new and different ideas, which can then lead to a person growing and developing as a person. Additionally, reading can help people find new perspectives on situations, which in turn can help them make better decisions. All in all, reading is a tremendously powerful tool that can change a person's life for the better in many ways.

If you're looking for a way to improve your life, reading is definitely one of the best things you can do. It doesn't matter what you read, whether it's fiction or nonfiction, reading has the power to make you smarter and wiser. So pick up a book today and start reading! You might just be surprised at how much it can change your life for the better.

4. Why reading is important for students

Reading is the most important skill a student can have for success. It develops critical thinking skills and helps students understand complex concepts. Reading also strengthens vocabulary and grammar skills. For these reasons, students need to make reading a regular habit.

There are countless benefits to reading, but these are just a few of the reasons why reading is so important for students. If you’re looking for ways to help your child improve their reading skills, consider enrolling them in a reading program with WholeReader. WholeReader is dedicated to helping students of all ages fall in love with reading. Our reading programs are tailored to fit the needs of each student.

5. Recommended books to read for increased intelligence

Reading can make you smarter in a variety of ways. Not only does reading expand your vocabulary, but reading classic novels can also improve your reading comprehension and general knowledge. If you're looking to boost your intelligence, here are some recommended books to read:

If you're looking for something more historical, consider reading “The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald. The novel tells the story of Jay Gatsby, a millionaire who throws lavish parties on Long Island during the 1920s. The characters and setting are vividly portrayed, and the themes of love and loss will stay with you long after you finish reading.

If you want to improve your understanding of the world, reading “The Communist Manifesto” by Karl Marx is a great place to start. The manifesto outlines Marx's vision for a society without class divisions, and it remains an influential work of political thought even today.

Finally, if you're looking for a book that will challenge your reading comprehension, try “Ulysses” by James Joyce. The novel is notoriously difficult to understand, but it's also one of the most important works of modernist literature. Even if you can't make sense of every page, reading “Ulysses” will give you a greater appreciation for the power of language.

For a science fiction classic, try reading “ 1984” by George Orwell. The book takes place in a dystopian society where citizens are constantly watched and controlled by the government. This novel is famous for its chilling predictions, and it's still relevant today.

Finally, “To Build a Fire” by Jack London is a short story about a man who sets out on a treacherous hike through the Alaskan wilderness. The man is forced to confront the harsh realities of nature, and he ultimately learns some valuable lessons about survival. This story is a great example of London's writing style, which is simple but effective.

So, there you have it: some recommended books to read if you're looking to boost intelligence. Whether you prefer classics, science fiction, or short stories, there's something on this list for everyone. So pick up a book and start reading.

6. Final thoughts on the importance of reading

Reading has been shown to have many benefits for students, including improved reading comprehension and vocabulary. WholeReader is an app that amplifies these reading benefits by combining both the ear and the eye. This allows students to read texts with highlighted words while hearing those words pronounced correctly. In this way, WholeReader can help improve reading comprehension and fluency while also helping students build their vocabulary.

Until recently, the most effective way to enjoy these benefits was through traditional reading methods. With the advent of immersive reading tools like WholeReader, however, students can now enjoy even more powerful reading results. By combining both the ear and eye, WholeReader dramatically improves reading comprehension leading to rapid vocabulary acquisition. For this reason, it is becoming an increasingly popular tool for educators and parents who want to help their children succeed. Try WholeReader today and see how reading can make you smarter!

Friday-October-25-2024

Why Read? The importance of instilling a love of reading early.

Definitionally, literacy is the ability to “read, write, spell, listen, and speak.”

Carol Anne St. George, EdD, an associate professor and literacy expert at the University of Rochester’s Warner School of Education, wants kids to fall in love with reading .

“It helps grow their vocabulary and their understanding about the world,” she says. “The closeness of snuggling up with a favorite book leads to an increase in self-confidence and imagination, and helps children gain a wealth of knowledge from the books you share. And it only takes 15 minutes a day of reading together to nurture this growth.”

Reading is necessary for learning, so instilling a love of reading at an early age is the key that unlocks the door to lifelong learning. Reading aloud presents books as sources of pleasant, entertaining, and exciting formative experiences for children to remember. Children who value books are more motivated to read on their own and will likely continue to hold that value for the rest of their lives.

Instilling a love of reading early gives a child a head start on expanding their vocabulary and building independence and self-confidence. It helps children learn to make sense not only of the world around them but also people, building social-emotional skills and of course, imagination.

“Reading exposes us to other styles, other voices, other forms, and other genres of writing. Importantly, it exposes us to writing that’s better than our own and helps us to improve,” says author and writing teacher, Roz Morris. “Reading—the good and the bad—inspires you.”

Not only that, but reading is a critical foundation for developing logic and problem-solving skills. Cognitive development is “the construction of thought processes, including remembering, problem solving, and decision-making, from childhood through adolescence to adulthood” (HealthofChildren.com).

Why Focus on Summer?

Summer vacation makes up about one-quarter of the calendar year. This is a time when students face different opportunities based on the social and economic status of their families. An analysis of summer learning (Cooper, Nye, et al., 1996) found that “all students lost mathematics and reading knowledge over the summer…This evidence also indicated that losses were larger for low-income students, particularly in reading.” Summer reading has emerged as a key component of state legislation aimed at promoting student literacy.

The Horizons at Warner program is committed to maintaining and improving student literacy with our kids every summer they return. Nationwide, each affiliate of Horizons National administers reading assessments to students during the first and last weeks of program. Pre-assessment allows our teachers to customize the learning experience on a student-need basis, and post-assessment reinforces this by not only revealing student progress in each area, but by giving insight into how we can improve program design in the future.

Research demonstrates that if a child is not reading at grade level by third grade, their ability to meet future academic success and graduate on time is diminished. Teachers know that up to third grade children are learning to read. After third grade, students are reading to learn. According to St. George, it is impossible to be successful in science, social studies, and even mathematics without a strong foundation in reading and literacy.

On average, we see an improvement by 1 to 3 reading levels in our students here at Horizons at Warner. Keeping true to our mission, these levels will account for all and more of the percentage of summer learning loss that we know our students would face without this kind of academic intervention, and leave our students five to six months ahead of where they would have been without Horizons.

Reading TO children

According to Jim Trelease, author of the best-seller, The Read-Aloud Handbook: “Every time we read to a child, we’re sending a ‘pleasure’ message to the child’s brain… You could even call it a commercial, conditioning the child to associate books and print with pleasure” (ReadAloud.org)

Developing a connection between “pleasure” and reading is crucial. Learning is the minimum requirement for success in every field of life.

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8 Ways Reading Can Enhance Life Skills

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There’s nothing as good as getting lost in a delightful book. Reading can help a child escape from everyday stresses and transport them to another world. It grows their vocabulary, helps them sleep better, and minimizes cognitive decline.

Reading can also boost a child’s intelligence, improve their memory, and help them become a better writer. You've probably heard people say that reading is good for the brain, but did you know it can help improve life skills?

Here’s what it does.

1. Enhances Social Skills

Humans are social creatures but unique because their social interactions are not pre-programmed by instinct. Being socially adept is a learned skill. Reading makes a child more empathetic, a trait that helps them form better relationships.

It enhances their imagination and encourages them to make inferences about characters. Reading literary fiction makes a child more sensitive to emotional nuances and can improve their ability to understand other people’s mental states. This helps them handle complex social relationships better.

Reading can help a child understand and enhance their social experiences . They are able to detect and understand other people’s beliefs, thoughts, desires, and emotions.

2. Slows Down Cognitive Decline

Reading teaches a child to focus their attention on one thing and prevents their thoughts from wandering. Focused attention allows kids to choose and concentrate on one task at a time. It is a critical skill that enables them to perform different functions in their daily lives with accuracy.

Kids will age one day, and when this happens, their brains will slow down, making it difficult to carry out the simple cognitive tasks they once did. Not reading often will reprogram their memory and remap the neural circuitry, further contributing to cognitive decline.

Reading regularly and engaging in other mentally stimulating activities may help ward off severe forms of cognitive impairment, such as Alzheimer’s disease. Indulging in such activities reduces a child’s likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s later in life by 2.5 times.

Reading and writing can help keep away dementia, preventing symptoms such as plaques, brain lesions, and tangles. To ensure your child doesn't lose their ability to think deeply, sign them up for reading comprehension programs .

3. Improves Analytical Thinking

Analytical thinking means identifying a problem and solving it. It’s a high-level cognitive skill. Regular reading has a positive impact on brain function. It stimulates the brain and allows a child to think analytically.

When a child is actively engaged in reading, they gain different perspectives, ask questions, identify patterns, and make connections. And the more they read, the more they can easily spot patterns, which helps build their critical thinking and analytical skills .

Reading requires keeping up with different characters and remembering what happened and to whom. The reader also needs to make predictions and conclusions. This keeps their brain active.

The kids of today spend a lot of time on the internet, sometimes even more than adults. This keeps their brain in constant motion and makes thinking analytically harder. The brain is like a muscle; it needs regular exercise to remain alert and agile, and reading is a great way to achieve this.

4. Gain Knowledge

Educate yourself. As you read, you're feeding your mind with all kinds of information, and information often comes in useful when you don't see it... like fancy parties, business meetings, seeing your prospective partners, etc.

Having a lot of information doesn't merely make you a great communicator and improve your career prospects. Your capacity to navigate the world is primarily determined by the amount and type of knowledge you possess.

5. Finding yourself

Books serve as gateways to new worlds. They get the power to widen your horizons, influence your approach to others and reality, and introduce you to different ways of working in daily life.

One of the many benefits of reading is that it contributes to building your personality. You determine what you want as you read. You take bits and pieces from imaginary people you care about. Reading Sherlock Holmes, for instance, can motivate you to pursue a career as an investigator or just to become much more attentive and logical.

Whenever we watch tv or a documentary, all of the information is shown to us on the screen; we don't have to imagine anything. A book is nothing more than words on a page in its purest form, and we must rely on our imaginations to bring the words to life. This has a huge impact on our imagination and creativity .

6. Reduce your stress levels

According to studies, reading for only six minutes can reduce stress by up to 68 percent. In fact, reading relieves tension more effectively and quickly than other traditional stress-relieving techniques like listening to songs, walking the dog, or drinking a cup of tea.

This, according to experts, is due to the fact that being immersed in the realm of a book relieves muscle and cardiac tension. Reading may help you in getting a sufficient amount of sleep as well as reduce stress.

Countless people use the internet before going to sleep, but displays can keep you awake at night and make sleeping difficult. However, books can aid in better sleep . Reading helps you unwind and convey to your brain that it's time to go to bed.

7. Read some books if you wish to expand your vocabulary

It's far easier to absorb vocabulary from literature than it is to memorize dictionary definitions. This is due to the fact that you are memorizing the words in context. Because the words make sense in the light of whatever you're reading, they're easier to recall afterward.

8. Strengthens the brain

Another fantastic advantage of reading is that it strengthens your brain!

As you read anything, your synapses are reactivated. Your brain can remember factual details like characters, storylines, and supporting characters when reading. You're making new memories while your brain keeps this content. This signifies that new synaptic connections are being formed and existing connections are being reinforced, hence improving your memory .

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About the Author

Rafia is a content writing guru at Contentrist. She loves to write on different topics and is adept at IT as well. In her free time, she likes to travel and explore different parts of the world.

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See also: Creative Thinking Skills Keeping Your Mind Healthy How and Why to Develop the Habit of Reading Every Day

Reading Comprehension and Math Word Problems: Enhancing Problem-Solving Skills

Reading comprehension and math word problems are two key components of a solid educational foundation. Many students often face challenges when understanding complex texts and solving word problems. This article explores the relationship between reading comprehension and math word problems and how students can develop efficient strategies to excel in both areas.

Understanding the basics of reading comprehension is crucial for learners, as it equips them with the necessary skills to decipher meaning from age-appropriate texts. Similarly, when solving mathematical word problems, students must utilize their comprehension abilities to interpret and extract relevant information from the problem. By applying reading comprehension strategies to word problems, learners can boost their problem-solving skills and excel in subjects that require textual analysis.

Bridging the gap between reading comprehension and word problem-solving is achievable by equipping students with the right tools and techniques. Students can benefit from learning strategies that can be applied across different subjects, ensuring a well-rounded education. The following sections of the article offer valuable insights into using these strategies and commonly asked questions.

Key Takeaways

Strengthening reading comprehension skills supports success in math word problems.

Application of comprehension strategies improves problem-solving across various subjects.

Learners should focus on versatile techniques for a well-rounded education.

Understanding the Basics of Reading Comprehension

Reading comprehension is a critical skill for all students, as it enables them to grasp the meaning and significance of text. Students can develop their reading comprehension by focusing on accuracy, understanding the context, and applying the acquired information.

In the context of reading comprehension, accuracy refers to the ability of students to read words and sentences correctly. It is essential for students to have a solid foundation in phonics and vocabulary in order to improve their reading accuracy. To achieve this, they can frequently practice reading texts that are appropriate to their level and gradually increase the difficulty as they gain confidence.

The next aspect of reading comprehension is understanding the context in which a text is written. This requires the students to comprehend the meaning of individual words and phrases and their relationships within the text. To enhance their contextual understanding, students should learn to identify the main ideas, supporting details, and implicit information present in a text.

Additionally, students should consciously try to apply the information they have comprehended. This can be achieved by summarizing, discussing, or even responding to questions related to the text. By actively engaging with the material, students are more likely to retain the information and improve their overall reading comprehension.

Providing students with various types of texts, such as fiction, non-fiction, and poetry, can help them enhance their comprehension skills. Exposure to different genres allows them to encounter diverse language styles, themes, and structures, which in turn contributes to the development of their cognitive abilities.

Reading comprehension is an essential skill that not only improves a student’s academic performance but also contributes to their overall development. With continued practice, patience, and effort, students are capable of enhancing their comprehension skills, enabling them to better understand and appreciate the world around them.

Understanding Word Problems

Mathematics in word problems.

Word problems are essential in mathematics, as they present real-life situations where math is required to find a solution. They involve various mathematical operations, such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. Geometry word problems may also include concepts like area, volume, or angle measures. Solving these problems is crucial for developing a deeper understanding of mathematical concepts and enhancing problem-solving skills.

Relevance of Word Problems

Math word problems are highly relevant in daily life as well as in various professions. They help students develop critical thinking and decision-making abilities. In subjects like science, engineering, and finance, mathematical word problems often serve as the foundation for complex problem-solving tasks. Thus, mastering word problems is critical for success in both academic and professional settings.

Challenges in Word Problems

Solving word problems can be challenging for multiple reasons:.

• Language Processing: Students must first understand the problem’s context, which sometimes requires them to process challenging vocabulary or complex sentence structures.
• Identifying Operations: Once the problem is understood, students need to identify the appropriate mathematical operation(s) (add, subtract, multiply, divide) and apply them to the given numbers.
• Working with Fractions: Dividing fractions and solving problems that involve fractions can be particularly tricky for some learners.
• Decoding: Translation of a problem from words to mathematical notation may be an obstacle for certain students.

Despite the challenges, learning to solve mathematical word problems is essential in developing mathematical literacy and problem-solving abilities. By practicing and mastering various types of word problems, students can build confidence in their mathematical skills and apply them in real-life situations.

Strategies to Solve Word Problems Identifying Key Words

To effectively solve mathematical word problems, it is important to identify key words within the text. These words often indicate the operation to perform or provide crucial information for solving the problem. Common key words for addition include sum , total , more , and added to , while subtraction problems often include words like difference , less , fewer , and minus . Multiplication and division problems may contain key words like times , product , divided by , and quotient . Recognizing these words can help guide the problem-solving process.

Problem-Solving Framework

A structured problem-solving framework can aid in approaching these types of problems systematically. Following a simple four-step process can improve students’ ability to find solutions:

• Understand the problem: Read the problem carefully, identifying the key information and unknowns.
• Devise a plan: Determine the appropriate operation(s), using the key words and other contextual clues.
• Implement the plan: Perform the necessary calculations, ensuring accuracy and understanding of each step.
• Review the solution: Check the solution against the original problem statement to ensure it is reasonable and complete.

Applying this framework to each word problem will build confidence and increase success in problem-solving.

Using Visual and Manipulative Resources

Visual representations and manipulatives can be extremely beneficial in helping students understand and solve word problems. For example, using diagrams, tables, or number lines can help visualize the problem, making it easier to identify the necessary steps for solving.

• Diagrams : Sketching simple diagrams can clarify relationships between values and simplify complex problems. Examples include bar models, area models, and Venn diagrams.
• Tables : Organizing data into a table can illustrate patterns, highlight relationships, and streamline calculations.
• Number Lines : Using a number line can help visualize addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division operations, making it easier to grasp the concept of a given problem.

Similarly, manipulatives such as counters, fraction strips, or base-ten blocks can provide a hands-on approach to understanding abstract concepts and visualizing mathematical relationships. Students can physically manipulate these tools to explore, discover, and demonstrate their understanding of the problem-solving process.

In conclusion, using strategic approaches like identifying key words, employing a problem-solving framework, and incorporating visual representations and manipulatives can greatly enhance the ability to tackle complex math word problems, ultimately leading to a more successful and enjoyable learning experience.

Reading Comprehension and Word Problem Solving in Different Subjects

Math and science.

Reading comprehension is crucial in math and science subjects, as it involves understanding complex concepts and word problems. Students must be able to interpret the information given and apply mathematical and scientific principles to solve problems accurately. This involves breaking down the problem into smaller parts, identifying key terms and variables, and selecting the appropriate formulas or methods to use.

• Math: In math, word problems can involve a wide range of topics, such as algebra, geometry, and calculus. Students need to decipher the context, translate it into mathematical expressions, and solve for the desired variables.
• Science: Science subjects like physics, chemistry, and biology also require reading comprehension skills. Students need to understand scientific texts, grasp experiment procedures, and analyze data presented in various formats (tables, graphs, etc.).

Narrative and Social Studies

Reading comprehension and word problem-solving skills are also essential in understanding the context and drawing accurate conclusions in narrative and social studies subjects.

• Narrative: In literature, reading comprehension involves analyzing the plot, characters, and themes, as well as understanding the author’s purpose and perspective. Additionally, it requires deciphering figurative language, symbolism, and other literary devices.
• Social Studies: In subjects like history and geography, students need to read and comprehend texts about different cultures, political systems, and historical events. They may need to analyze primary and secondary sources, compare different perspectives, and evaluate the reliability of the information provided.

Both math/science and narrative/social studies subjects require strong reading comprehension skills to navigate and solve word problems or understand complex concepts successfully. By honing these skills, students can improve their overall academic performance and develop a more comprehensive understanding of various topics across different disciplines.

Application of Reading Comprehension Strategies

Reading comprehension strategies are essential for understanding and solving math word problems. By applying these strategies, students can significantly improve their ability to analyze and solve complex problems.

Firstly, identifying the main idea of a problem helps students focus on the most important information. This involves recognizing the key elements of the given problem and disregarding any unnecessary details. For example, in a problem about calculating the total price of items, the main idea is to find the product of the quantity and the unit price.

Visualizing the problem is another effective strategy. By creating a mental or physical image of the problem, students can better understand the relationships between the different elements involved. This may include drawing a diagram or sketch, or even using physical objects to represent the components of the problem.

Utilizing context clues can help students infer meaning and fill in any gaps in their understanding. Context clues can come in the form of definitions, examples, or descriptions that help to clarify unfamiliar terms or concepts. This is particularly helpful for problems with complex or technical language.

Making connections to prior knowledge or experiences allows students to apply previously learned concepts to new problems. This encourages critical thinking and fosters a deeper understanding of the subject matter. When confronted with a math word problem that uses similar concepts or ideas, students can draw on their past experiences to approach the problem confidently.

Another strategy is asking questions while reading through the problem. This practices active engagement with the text and promotes comprehension. Students should pose questions to themselves, such as “What is the problem asking?” or “What information is necessary for solving this problem?”. By doing so, they are better equipped to identify important information and organize their approach in a logical manner.

 In summary, incorporating reading comprehension strategies into math word problems enables students to better decipher complex problems, recognize important information, and develop critical thinking skills. By mastering these strategies, students are well on their way to becoming confident and proficient problem solvers.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are effective strategies for solving math word problems.

To solve math word problems effectively, try the following strategies:

• Read the problem carefully and identify critical information.
• Visualize the problem by drawing a model or diagram.
• Translate words into mathematical expressions or equations.
• Determine the proper operations to apply.
• Solve the equation step by step, continuously checking for accuracy.
• Verify the solution by plugging it back into the original problem.

How can I improve my child's reading comprehension skills for math?

To help your child enhance their reading comprehension skills in math, consider these approaches:

• Encourage regular reading to develop vocabulary and language skills.
• Discuss word problems, exploring how language and math concepts are connected.
• Practice breaking problems down into smaller, more manageable parts.
• Teach strategies for identifying key words and phrases that signal mathematical operations.
• Provide opportunities to practice problem-solving in a variety of contexts.

What is the impact of reading comprehension on problem-solving in mathematics?

Reading comprehension greatly impacts problem-solving in mathematics, as it enables students to understand and interpret word problems accurately. Strong reading comprehension skills allow students to identify relevant information, choose appropriate strategies, and apply mathematical concepts to arrive at the correct solution.

How can teachers support special education students with word problems?

Teachers can support special education students in tackling math word problems by:

• Providing clear instructions and explanations.
• Using visual aids and manipulatives to represent mathematical concepts.
• Breaking problems down into smaller steps.
• Encouraging students to use personal strategies, such as highlighting keywords or drawing diagrams.
• Offering additional practice opportunities and targeted interventions as needed.

What is the correlation between reading comprehension competence and mathematical problem-solving skills?

There is a strong correlation between reading comprehension competence and mathematical problem-solving skills. Improved reading comprehension fosters better understanding of word problems and the ability to select appropriate strategies to solve them. Consequently, increased proficiency in reading comprehension contributes to enhanced math performance.

Can you provide examples of common math word problems and their solutions?

Sure, here are two examples:

• Problem: Sarah has 12 apples, and she wants to share them equally between her and two friends. How many apples does each person get?

Solution: Divide the total number of apples (12) by the number of people (3):

12 ÷ 3 = 4.

Each person gets 4 apples.

• Problem: A rectangular garden is 18 meters long and 4 meters wide. What is the perimeter of the garden?

Solution: Add the lengths of all sides:

(18 + 4) x 2 = 22 x 2 = 44.

The perimeter of the garden is 44 meters.

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Reading Widely to Develop Critical Thinking Skills

As a literature specialist, I read as much as I can, and find that I’m constantly learning about and from the texts I encounter. Reading engages our minds in ways that nothing else can, and it not only provides us with knowledge but also challenges us to think in new ways.

Significantly, reading develops the critical thinking skills that are essential to success in a wide range of areas: skills of analysis, interpretation, and of being able to create an argument and explain it. This is why it’s essential to read often and widely. Take a look at some of the ways wide reading can develop your critical thinking:

Reading improves vocabulary and language skills . You will become aware of the techniques used by good writers and learn new words and their connotations. This will help develop your own command of language both when you write and when you have to explain things verbally. You will find that you have a new ability to analyse, explain, and persuade!

Every good story has a problem.  Problem solving is at the heart of critical thinking, and when you read, you will see how characters solve the problems they face. You will also be thinking about a character’s problem, and possible solutions before you find out what the character does. When you engage with a story, you will start to make predictions based on the information you have been given. You will find yourself looking for clues and pieces of evidence you can use to solve the puzzle, and you will be able to apply these problem-solving skills to the tasks and problems you encounter at school and in your everyday life.

Use your imagination.  Reading forces you to imagine the world of the story: what the landscape and characters look like, what their thoughts are and how they interact with other characters and their world. If you read a book rather than watching the movie, you will have to form your own version of the writer’s world based on the language they use.

Grow your knowledge base and develop areas of interest . If you read widely, you can learn about new subjects or learn more within an existing area of interest. You won’t only learn facts and information, but wide reading will improve your organisational skills (you will learn how a complex text is organized and how to navigate it) and your ability to comprehend and analyse a text you haven’t seen before. You will be able to apply what you learn to other questions you face and use your new skills to understand other books you read.

To get started, why not talk to your Seven Springs Education tutor about your interests? They can help you with some reading recommendations. I often do this with my students. If you enjoy the Percy Jackson series, you might want to read further tales of mythology and fantasy, for example  Aru Shah and the End of Time  by Roshani Chokshi, or  The Jumbies  by Tracey Baptiste. Or you could try something different in a genre you wouldn’t usually read. Perhaps you could start with a mystery story such as  Chasing Vermeer  by Blue Balliett, or Robert Westall’s  The Watchtower , which is both a mystery story and a ghost story. The important thing to remember is to read what you enjoy and pursue your interests, but don’t forget to challenge yourself sometimes by trying something different.

It is important not to think of critical thinking as a natural gift that we either have or we don’t, but as an ability that we can train, develop, and improve. Reading widely will definitely help with this and will give you the skills you need to think clearly and rationally in order to solve all kinds of problems.

What To Read This May (For Primary Students)!

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NASP: The National Association of School Psychologists

A Closer Look

In this section.

• Legal Foundations: School-Based Mental Health Services Under the IDEA
• The Impact of COVID-19 on Early Childhood Social–Emotional Development: A Path Forward With MTSS
• Transition Assessment: The Cornerstone of Transition Planning and Services
• Supporting Mental Health of Autistic Individuals
• Five Tips for BIPs
• What’s the New Shiny Thing? Making Data-Based Decisions About Technology Use
• Transitional Planning: Is Guardianship the Answer?
• 5 Things I Wish I Knew About Writing Consumer-Friendly Psychoeducational Reports
• Addressing the Needs of Immigrant and Refugee Students: Inclusive Mental Health Interventions in Diverse School Settings
• Effective Responses to Challenging Behaviors: Building Student Connection and Improving Behavioral Health
• Specialized Assessments for Special Populations: Use of Teleassessments for Rural and Multilingual Children
• Family–School Partnerships: Five Tips for Successful Problem Solving With Parents
• Seven Habits of Highly Effective Schools: How School Psychologists Can Promote School Change
• Five Considerations for Developing Suicide Prevention Supports in the Schools
• Pitfalls of Using Translation and Interpretation Services in Schools
• How to Prepare for an Evaluation for a Student With Visual Impairments
• Advocacy in the Face of Adversity
• Postsecondary Transition for Autistic Adults
• Working With Spoken Language Interpreters in Educational Settings
• Mission MTSS: Two Easy Ways to Use Statistics to Analyze Data
• Simple, Summative Skills: Incorporating Brief Positive Psychology Practice Into Your Day
• Creating the Psychologically Safe Learning Environment
• Get Out of the Testing Rut: Expanding Your School Psychology Role by Understanding Your District's Needs
• Oral Reporting of Assessment Results for Maximum Impact
• Culturally Responsive Interviewing: Proactive Strategies for BIPOC Students
• Beyond Self-Care Sunday: Four Surprising Ways to Prevent School Psychologist Burnout
• Five Clues in Your Data: Identifying Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders
• Five Questions Intern Supervisors Should Ask New Interns
• Restorative, Collaborative Functional Behavior Assessments and Behavior Intervention Plans
• School Psychologists Should Embrace Telecounseling as an Option in the Post COVID-19 World
• Stress and Anxiety: I’m Not Just the Presenter, I’m Also a Client
• Social Media and Crisis Intervention: Opportunity and Danger
• Self-Care Lessons From the Field
• Thinking Versus Knowing: The Key to Measuring Intelligence
• Self-Regulated Strategy Development (SRSD)
• Testing Accommodations: From the 2019 Admissions Scandal to the Bigger Scandal of Poor Decision-Making
• Trauma, Stress, and the Postpandemic Opening of School: Let’s Not Pathologize Students’ Emotional Needs
• Science-Based Case Conceptualization
• How to Prevent Students From Experiencing Psychosis
• Promoting School Psychological Service Delivery Through Active Self-Care

Problem-Solving the Complexities of Reading Comprehension

Being able to comprehend written text is an essential life skill. Consider all the ways in which one uses reading comprehension skills in everyday life. Everything from reading the comics in the newspaper and social media online to reading the voter's pamphlet or a job application are impacted by one's comprehension skills. Because of its importance, school psychologists need to understand which reading and language skills are critical to the development of reading comprehension.

It probably won't come as a surprise that reading comprehension is a complex construct consisting of several component skills and processes that work together in an integrated, and often synergistic, fashion. As such, when it comes to understanding reading comprehension problems, we may need to untangle the variety of reasons why a student might struggle.

The Complex Nature of Reading Comprehension Problems

Some of the reasons students experience reading comprehension difficulties include poor basic skills in phonemic awareness and decoding. While these basic skills may impede reading development, students may exhibit reading comprehension problems for reasons beyond these basic skills, for example, vocabulary and higher order language skills (e.g., figurative language). In what follows, I describe how several skills beyond phonemic awareness and decoding contribute to comprehension development as well as difficulties with comprehension.

Reading fluency. A student's reading fluency must be sufficient to support comprehension and focus their attention on understanding the meaning of text, rather than on decoding words. Fluent readers not only read words accurately and effortlessly, they simultaneously integrate understanding of vocabulary and background knowledge and attend to prosodic cues (i.e., they read with expression) when reading connected text. As such, reading fluency is not merely about speed, but rather the quality of reading.

Vocabulary and word knowledge. Vocabulary impacts comprehension directly with respect to the understanding of text and indirectly because knowing a word's meaning impacts word recognition fluency. A strong vocabulary makes it easier for students to understand text and become fluent while reading. Breadth of vocabulary knowledge is related to background knowledge. Greater background knowledge helps students comprehend more challenging text. Notably, vocabulary is one of the largest contributors to reading comprehension skill. Work by Stahl and Nagy (2006) suggests that vocabulary knowledge contributes 50–60% of the variance in reading comprehension outcomes. Students with more poorly developed vocabulary show declining comprehension skills later on in elementary and middle school. Oral language is a fundamental building block for learning. Students who come from a rich spoken language environment often have less difficulty comprehending text.

Syntax and grammar. Students with comprehension difficulties tend to have more difficulty with word order (Mokhtari & Thompson, 2006) as well as difficulties in correcting sentences or grammatical errors (Cain & Oakhill, 2007). Knowledge of syntax and grammar aids student comprehension by providing greater ease with:

• chunking sentences into meaningful units,
• making sure decoding is accurate so they can fix decoding errors quickly and not disrupt the flow of their reading,
• verifying the meaning of unfamiliar words, and
• clarifying meaning of ambiguous words, or words with multiple meanings.

Morphological awareness. Ways in which knowledge of morphology aids student comprehension include:

• increased vocabulary as students make connections between root words and the new words created by adding prefixes and suffixes (e.g., act + ion = action; re + act = react; re + act + ion = reaction);
• increased knowledge of syntax and grammatical understanding; and
• increased fluency in reading connected text, which frees up cognitive resources that can then be allocated for comprehension.

Story coherence/text structure awareness. These elements involve a student's skill in following the organization of a passage, as well as identification of antecedents and referents in text. Story coherence is related to the quality of a story, the structural elements of it, and how these elements relate to one another in a meaningful way. This skill is logically connected to a student’s standard of coherence, which is related to the expectation that text should make sense (Perfetti & Adlof, 2012) and the extent to which the reader notices when it does not and makes efforts to maintain coherence (van den Broek, 2012). Students who struggle with comprehension tend to have difficulty producing a well-structured and integrated story, identifying the main event or main point (Yuill & Oakhill, 1991), as well as correctly sequencing stories (Cain & Oakhill, 2006). Inferences made about what will happens next in a story (i.e, prediction) also should support story coherence (Perfetti & Adlof, 2012).

Important Characteristics of Reading Comprehension Diagnostic Measures

So how might we pinpoint student difficulties in these critical component skill areas? One way to do so is by using diagnostic tools that directly assess them and can be linked to targeted intervention. Pinpointing instructional needs in these critical areas can provide students the keys to unlocking the power of reading comprehension. In addition, assessment should be as time efficient as possible, so that more time may be allocated to intervention. Furthermore, assessment is most informative when it provides an opportunity to directly observe the student performing the skill of interest and affords opportunities to examine what prompting and teaching procedures elicit correct responding. Finally, the assessment should be valid and reliable for the decisions that the results will be used to make. One example of an assessment that fits these characteristics is Acadience Reading Diagnostic Comprehension, Fluency, and Oral Language (CFOL). [1]

Resources for Reading Comprehension Instruction and Intervention

Several free resources address reading interventions by essential skill (e.g., phonemic awareness, phonics/decoding, fluency, comprehension, and vocabulary). Examples of these sources include the Florida Center for Reading Research (see Student Center Activities ), Free Reading (see Find Activities ), Reading Rockets (see Target the Problem ), and the Vaughn Gross Center for Reading and Language Arts (see Materials ).

An additional free resource for improving language and reading comprehension is called Let's Know! , which is available from the Language and Reading Research Consortium (LARRC) at Ohio State University. This 25-week curriculum supplement is available for free download from their website and is available in both English and Spanish (see https://larrc.ehe.osu.edu/curriculum/ ).

Beyond these material resources, freely available webinars and trainings on these topics exist. Examples include the following:

• Video series containing from Nancy Lewis Hennessy on the Comprehension Construction Zone: A Blueprint for Instruction posted at Middle Tennessee State University, available here .
• IDA conference recording – Reading Comprehension Strategies for Students With Dyslexia , available here .
• IDA sponsored webinar on Supporting Comprehension Through Writing About Reading: Instructional Suggestions, available here .

Related Webinar:  Problem-Solving the Complexities of Reading Comprehension

Cain, K., & Oakhill, J. (2006). Profiles of children with specific reading comprehension difficulties. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 76 (4), 683–696.

Cain, K., & Oakhill, J. (2007). Reading comprehension difficulties: Correlates, causes, and consequences. In K. Cain & J. Oakhill (Eds.), Children’s comprehension problems in oral and written language: A cognitive perspective (pp. 41–75). Guilford.

Mokhtari, K. & Thompson, H. B. (2006). How problems of reading fluency and comprehension are related to difficulties in syntactic awareness skills among fifth graders. Reading Research Quarterly, 46 (1), 73–94.

Perfetti, C. A., & Adlof, S. M. (2012). Reading comprehension: A conceptual framework from word meaning to text meaning. In J. P. Sabatini, E. Albro, & T. O’Reilly (Eds.), Measuring up: Advances in how we assess reading ability (pp. 3–20). Rowman & Littlefield Education.

Stahl, S. A., & Nagy, W. E. (2006). Teaching word meanings. Erlbaum.

van den Broek, P. (2012). Individual and developmental differences in reading comprehension: Assessing cognitive processes and outcomes. In J. P. Sabatini, E. R. Albro, & T. O’Reilly (Eds), Measuring up: Advances in how to assess reading ability (pp. 39–58). Rowman & Littlefield.

Yuill, N. M, & Oakhill, J. V. (1991). Children’s problems in text comprehension: An experimental invesitigation. Cambridge University Press.

[1] Information about Acadience Reading Diagnostic CFOL is available through emailing [email protected] or going to the Acadience Learning website: www.acadiencelearning.org

About the Author

Critical Thinking with Literature: It’s Problem-Solving

• By Sharon Crowley
• June 29, 2015

Critical thinking tops the list of skills students need for success in the complex 21st century. When it comes to science and math, most people equate critical thinking with problem solving. In those content areas, students apply their understanding of basic concepts to a task for which the solution is not known in advance. By grappling with a challenging problem, students extend their learning. Critical thinking about literature is not so different. With a written work, the problem or task is often an open-ended, text-based question. Students use their comprehension of the text to develop interpretations—or solutions to the problem.

If you want your students to engage in higher-order thinking as they read and discuss literature, include these key elements of problem-solving activities:

Genuine, intriguing questions. To think critically, there must be something to think critically about. With literature, it’s a text that leaves your students puzzling and asking questions about a character, event, symbol, or structure. Predictable or moralistic texts with flat characters don’t generate intriguing questions. When texts are sufficiently complex, the questions that spring from them present engaging problems.

Divergent answers. Just as genuine problems in math or science allow for multiple strategies and solutions, a discussion-worthy question about a piece of literature should invite multiple interpretations or answers. In Shared Inquiry discussions, considering divergent ideas is what drives students to find deeper meaning in a text.

Ample evidence. As in math or science, for an answer or solution to be sound, there must be relevant reasons behind it. Likewise, ideas about the meaning of literary texts must be supported with the evidence from the work itself. Evidence and reasoning make ideas valid and debatable. Without evidence, ideas are simply guesses.

Opportunities to evaluate evidence. Some pieces of scientific or mathematical data are more compelling than others. The same is true when exploring a question about a rich work of literature. Collaborative discussion is a time for participants to share the evidence that supports their ideas, to weigh that evidence, and to strengthen ideas by debating each other’s assertions or suggesting additional evidence.

Collaboration. A good discussion question, or problem, is one that students want to work on together. Just as students benefit from combining their skills and perspectives when solving a math or science problem, discussing an interpretive question as a group yields more thoughtful and considered answers than if students had worked alone. Follow-up questions that ask students to clarify, elaborate, and explain their ideas help deepen and enliven the conversation.

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May 7, 2015

How reading comprehension can boost math scores

by Natalia Radic, Ohio University

High school students who want to ace the math section of the ACT should brush up on their reading skills, according to an Ohio University study.

Dywayne Nicely, assistant professor of math at Ohio University Chillicothe, says the link between reading comprehension and math skills seems logical, but it's also backed up by research. When a student struggles to solve a math word problem, poor reading abilities are often the cause.

But while most solutions to the issue start at the elementary or middle school levels, Nicely wanted to test an intervention at the high-school level.

"Our pitch was that we wanted to get them college-ready," he says.

With a grant from the Ohio University Baker Fund, Nicely enrolled 63 juniors at Chillicothe High School in his study. He gave the students regular assignments to improve reading comprehension, using online test preparation programs such as Study Island, then set them on ACT-style math questions.

After a course of reading comprehension practice, Nicely found that students in algebra II and pre-calculus improved their math scores by 14.8 percent and 5.4 percent, respectively, over the course of a year.

Those results show that it is never too late to improve high school students ' math skills , Nicely says.

Provided by Ohio University

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• Problem Solving

How to Improve Problem Solving Skills

Last Updated: July 24, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Erin Conlon, PCC, JD . Erin Conlon is an Executive Life Coach, the Founder of Erin Conlon Coaching, and the host of the podcast "This is Not Advice." She specializes in aiding leaders and executives to thrive in their career and personal lives. In addition to her private coaching practice, she teaches and trains coaches and develops and revises training materials to be more diverse, equitable, and inclusive. She holds a BA in Communications and History and a JD from The University of Michigan. Erin is a Professional Certified Coach with The International Coaching Federation. There are 11 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 242,660 times.

The ability to solve problems applies to more than just mathematics homework. Analytical thinking and problem-solving skills are a part of many jobs, ranging from accounting and computer programming to detective work and even creative occupations like art, acting, and writing. While individual problems vary, there are certain general approaches to problem-solving like the one first proposed by mathematician George Polya in 1945. By following his principles of understanding the problem, devising a plan, carrying out the plan, and looking back, you can improve your problem-solving and tackle any issue systematically.

Define the problem clearly.

• Try to formulate questions. Say that as a student you have very little money and want to find an effective solution. What is at issue? Is it one of income – are you not making enough money? Is it one of over-spending? Or perhaps you have run into unexpected expenses or your financial situation has changed?

State your objective.

• Say that your problem is still money. What is your goal? Perhaps you never have enough to go out on the weekend and have fun at the movies or a club. You decide that your goal is to have more spending cash. Good! With a clear goal, you have better defined the problem.

Gather information systematically.

• To solve your money shortage, for example, you would want to get as detailed a picture of your financial situation as possible. Collect data through your latest bank statements and to talk to a bank teller. Track your earnings and spending habits in a notebook, and then create a spreadsheet or chart to show your income alongside your expenditures.

Analyze information.

• Say you have now collected all your bank statements. Look at them. When, how, and from where is your money coming? Where, when, and how are you spending it? What is the overall pattern of your finances? Do you have a net surplus or deficit? Are there any unexplained items?

Generate possible solutions.

• Your problem is a lack of money. Your goal is to have more spending cash. What are your options? Without evaluating them, come up with possible options. Perhaps you can acquire more money by getting a part-time job or by taking out a student loan. On the other hand, you might try to save by cutting your spending or by lowering other costs.
• Divide and conquer. Break the problem into smaller problems and brainstorm solutions for them separately, one by one.
• Use analogies and similarities. Try to find a resemblance with a previously solved or common problem. If you can find commonalities between your situation and one you've dealt with before, you may be able to adapt some of the solutions for use now.

Evaluate the solutions and choose.

• How can you raise money? Look at expenditures – you aren’t spending much outside of basic needs like tuition, food, and housing. Can you cut costs in other ways like finding a roommate to split rent? Can you afford to take a student loan just to have fun on the weekend? Can you spare time from your studies to work part-time?
• Each solution will produce its own set of circumstances that need evaluation. Run projections. Your money problem will require you to draw up budgets. But it will also take personal consideration. For example, can you cut back on basic things like food or housing? Are you willing to prioritize money over school or to take on debt?

Implement a solution.

• You decide to cut costs, because you were unwilling to take on debt, to divert time away from school, or to live with a roommate. You draw up a detailed budget, cutting a few dollars here and there, and commit to a month-long trial.

Review and evaluate the outcome.

• The results of your trial are mixed. On one hand, you have saved enough during the month for fun weekend activities. But there are new problems. You find that you must choose between spending cash and buying basics like food. You also need a new pair of shoes but can’t afford it, according to your budget. You may need to a different solution.

Adjust if necessary.

• After a month, you decide to abandon your first budget and to look for part-time work. You find a work-study job on campus. Making a new budget, you now have extra money without taking too much time away from your studies. You may have an effective solution.

Do regular mental exercises.

• Word games work great. In a game like “Split Words,” for example, you have to match word fragments to form words under a given theme like “philosophy.” In the game, “Tower of Babel,” you will need to memorize and then match words in a foreign language to the proper picture.
• Mathematical games will also put your problem solving to the test. Whether it be number or word problems, you will have to activate the parts of your brain that analyze information. For instance: “James is half as old now as he will be when he is 60 years older than he was six years before he was half as old as he is now. How old will James be when his age is twice what it was 10 years after he was half his current age?”

Play video games.

• Play something that will force you to think strategically or analytically. Try a puzzle game like Tetris. Or, perhaps you would rather prefer a role-playing or strategy game. In that case, something like “Civilization” or “Sim-City” might suit you better.

Take up a hobby.

• Web design, software programming, jigsaw puzzles, Sudoku, and chess are also hobbies that will force you to think strategically and systematically. Any of these will help you improve your overall problem solving.

Expert Q&A

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://www.healthywa.wa.gov.au/Articles/N_R/Problem-solving
• ↑ https://asq.org/quality-resources/problem-solving
• ↑ https://ctb.ku.edu/en/table-of-contents/evaluate/evaluate-community-interventions/collect-analyze-data/main
• ↑ https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newCT_96.htm
• ↑ https://www.skillsyouneed.com/ips/problem-solving.html
• ↑ Erin Conlon, PCC, JD. Executive Life Coach. Expert Interview. 31 August 2021.
• ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5930973/
• ↑ https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2018/oct/13/mental-exercises-to-keep-your-brain-sharp
• ↑ https://www.apa.org/monitor/2014/02/video-game
• ↑ https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-018-05449-7

About This Article

To improve your problem-solving skills, start by clearly defining the problem and your objective or goal. Next, gather as much information as you can about the problem and organize the data by rewording, condensing, or summarizing it. Then, analyze the information you've gathered, looking for important links, patterns, and relationships in the data. Finally, brainstorm possible solutions, evaluate the solutions, and choose one to implement. For tips on implementing solutions successfully, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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