Reading is more important than math: tips from a math teacher

“So, what skill should I work on?  I really want to pass this test!”

Another student on another day asking the same question.  They want to pass this test and they want specific problems and topics to study.  I generally reply by giving the student more problems to work through or I point out problems that will be similar to the ones on the test. 

But I always want to respond with reading exercises.

Most of my students need to improve their reading comprehension skills.  They can do the math when it is just equations, but get confused when those same problems are encased in words.  Word problems have become nearly impossible for students to solve, and heaven forbid you add nonstandard instructions!

I hear the same complaints from my science and history teacher friends.  These problems all come from issues with reading comprehension.  Every class’s grades would be improved if students would only read more.

Reading well is the most important skill a person can learn

And I say that as a Math teacher.

If you can read, and understand what you read, you can learn the math you need to function in daily life.  But knowing math won’t help you understand what is written in the newspaper or read your ballot at the ballot box.

When I went through school, we had reading incorporated in every subject.  My teachers would often instruct us to read a passage of a book and then we would discuss it in 10 minutes. 

Teachers aren’t allowed to do that anymore.  It is seen as too passive, and that is a shame.  We are reading less in school, and as a result my students frequently misinterpret directions and really struggle with word problems.

The pace of our world means the only usable skill I can teach is the ability to learn.

Our world is moving so fast.  Technology doubles every few years, and that growth is getting exponentially faster.

I cannot begin to predict what jobs any of my students will be doing in the future.  By the time my daughter grows up, none of the jobs we are familiar with today may even be a possibility.

Everything I am teaching could turn out to be more or less useless for your career.  But the ability to pick up new information quickly– that is indispensable.

In order to pick up new information quickly and efficiently, you need a strong reading game.  The most successful people in their fields commit themselves to always learning.  They are voracious readers and strive to understand and apply all that they learn.

Improve your reading game

Everyone can improve their reading abilities.  

Start by finding a book that interests you.  

Read it.  Then read another one.  Make a reading goal, then try to meet it.

If you are just beginning to build a reading habit, make the goal easy.  Strive to read 10 minutes before bed, or set a goal to read a book a month.

As you meet your goals, create new ones that are a little more aggressive.  I no longer set timed goals, I set book goals.  This year my goal is to read 52 books, or a book a week.  

Reading more will help you practice reading comprehension.  Each book you read will be easier to understand than the last.

To increase comprehension and recall,

pause after reading every chapter or article and summarize it in your mind.  Think of all the details you just read and then create questions for yourself and answer them.

What color were the protagonist’s shoes?  Where did they travel to?  What was the name of the person the article was about?  What did they do?  How did it affect them and the world around them?

Creating these summaries in your mind will improve the pathways your brain uses to recall information.  It will also help you order events and understand the content you just read. 

This same exercise is helpful when studying textbooks or reading passages on exams.  It is definitely worth practicing.

To get faster,

start by turning the subtitles on when you watch tv.  Subtitles are a little faster than most people read.  Once you can comfortably read the subtitles on your tv, you can use apps that speed up the text you see on a screen or do time trials when reading books.

To do a time trial, set a stopwatch and then read a page of text as fast as you can.  Use your finger to follow along the text.  Just using your finger to follow along with the text can increase your reading speed by up to 15%. 

When you finish the page, record the time it took and then try to remember everything that happened on the page.  Write it down, then read the page again slowly and double check your understanding.

If you want to read faster, I recommend doing time trials for 5-10 minutes every day.  It won’t be long before you notice the times getting faster.  

You need to read well to succeed in today’s world.

Everyone can improve their reading level and critical thinking skills through reading.  

Set goals and make reading a part of your every day.  The better you are at reading, the easier school and work will be.  

It is more important than math, more important than science.  Reading is the most important skill you learn in school.  Take the time to get really good at it.