In contrast to the previous century, the accelerating pace of life and the mass transition to e-learning, lead people to simple and quick solutions. But we lose our reading skills. If velocity reading or at least acceptable speed of “scanning pages” is not developed, a person immediately refuses a book in favor of simpler, quicker entertainment. This can also be caused by a low focus of attention or a negative attitude towards reading formed from childhood.
Top 5 Benefits of Reading
Ultimate advantages of reading cannot be overestimated. Online classes have both pros and cons, but, contrary to popular belief, they help develop reading skills better. When honing reading abilities, brain connectivity improves, vocabulary expands, and stress levels decrease.
Classroom learning vs online learning is the dilemma of our times. Why is online schooling better? With a remote approach, hundreds of useful lectures and courses await our eyes and ears. According to the University of the Potomac, in-person vs online learning statistics show that 70% of students consider online learning to be more engaging and long-term efficient than classroom learning.
1. Mental Abilities Stimulation
Regular reading slows down the development of diseases like dementia. Active brain work eliminates the main symptoms, preserving and developing other mental abilities at the same time. Our brain needs as much training as our body.
2. Enhanced Memory
Daily reading makes the brain super powerful. It produces benefits for memorizing large amounts of data and creating new neural pathways and connections. Memory improves, mood stabilizes, and short-term memory is restored as well.
3. Development of Analytical Thinking
Another significant benefit is the improvement in the ability to analyze information, compare facts, and formulate conclusions based on the data studied. With distance learning, the student independently searches for information, studies, and filters. And this is the ultimate answer to the question: is remote learning effective?
4. Improved Concentration
Reading and concentration are interconnected. Without concentration, there is no way to delve into text plot or theme. In the digital age, our focus is greatly dispersed, so regular concentration training is essential. Reading is an activity that takes all your attention and improves your focus.
5. Reduced Stress
Daily routine absorbs and creates background stress. Reading immerses you in a unique and interesting world that relaxes the brain and nervous system. This is the difference between classroom learning and online learning. E-learning allows you to read and study information at your own pace.
Reasons Why People do not Like to Read
It is relevant to compare online school vs in-person and find a possible reason for this matter. For example, in-class, there is no way to build your own learning pace and you just need to follow the program. So interest in studying and reading gradually dies out. The distance approach allows students to develop their own rhythm. There are also differences in concentration terms, which plays an important role in reading.
1. Negative Childhood Experiences
A negative experience of any sort reduces cravings for a thing at the center of that experience. For instance, when you associate reading with frustration or work, you simply cannot force yourself to pick a book as a form of entertainment or learning. The school program also creates a reading list. But not all literature on it matches one’s field of interests or mental age. Wrong literature is usually what spoils overall impressions from reading.
2. No Understanding of Text Meaning
Another reason for non-readers, especially in college classes online or offline, is a misunderstanding of the book's impact on their life. Students note that it is faster to learn from videos on YouTube or other online platforms. Here are some reasons why online school is better. On the Internet, you can quickly find an incomprehensible term meaning, fastly ask a teacher a question about the text, or discuss a book with classmates. A quick text meaning understanding motivates people to read more.
3. Little Reading Knowledge
You cannot find pleasure in something where you lack necessary skills. For example, you would not like working around the house if you do not know how to repair appliances. This applies to reading, too. If a person does not experience the joy of books, they probably do not dedicate time to that pass time at all, lacking basic abilities. The most key skill is reading at the right speed. If the reading progresses too slowly, then it only frustrates and becomes unnecessary and time-consuming. Thankfully, a few days of reading easily recovers such skills.
4. Info overload
In just a day, a person processes massive information flows that need to be filtered. This factor just makes it difficult to spend leisure time productively and read at the end of the day or take a training course. Also, people want to do things that require the least amount of mental effort. This is where the right literature pick plays the most important role.
5. Lack of concentration
Everyone knows this problem when a person tries their best to focus on the text, but their thoughts wander and they are not immersed in the book's theme. With the advent of smartphones, our concentration span dropped from 12 to 8 seconds in the 15 years between 2000 and 2015. This was influenced by information overload and social media. A person is looking for the path of least resistance and chooses «quick content» that does not require a long focus of attention.
Tips
Reading is a daily routine for many, but if it doesn’t please you, don’t worry: you are not alone. Since the end of the 20th century, the number of people who do not read has tripled. Perhaps, you were forced to read boring texts as a child or maybe you didn’t like certain genres. You can catch up and hone reading skills online. How to study for online classes?
1. Choose an Interesting Piece and Discuss It
A proven way is to choose a book or a short story on a topic of interest. It is great when you can discuss it with classmates or friends. Dwelling on an exciting book chapter-by-chapter with like-minded people flares up the overall interest in reading.
2. Set the Time
A person should start reading in short periods so as not to discourage desire and increase the degree of interest in the book. This approach helps to smoothly introduce reading as a habit.
3. Develop Speed Reading
This is an ideal option that helps not only to improve reading skills but also gain more control over the work matters. Speed reading develops memory, evolves the brain more actively, and accelerates information grasping.
10 Books for Real Book Haters
You can't force someone to love doing something. Perhaps, people gained a negative experience during courses where they were required to perform certain actions. It is necessary to start with small steps. You can read a story that deeply immerses you from the very beginning. We offer to consider 10 books that hook even the most principled book haters.
1. "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" by Douglas Adams
This book is for fans of science fiction and comedy. The plot is witty yet easy to read. The story follows the character's journey through the galaxy after the Earth's destruction to find his way.
2. "The ABC Murders" by Agatha Christie
This is one of the best books by the detective queen, which is read in one breath. In the story, the killer selects the victims alphabetically. The investigation is handled by the famous detective Poirot. But can he uncover the mystery killer?
3. "The Old Man and the Sea" by Ernest Hemingway
If this book hasn't hooked you before, then it deserves a second chance. It is very easy to read and has a bright emotional range. The book has a deep meaning and stretches over only 100 pages.
4. "The Diary Of A Young Girl" by Anne Frank
In the Second World War, a Jewish girl of 13 is forced to hide with her family from the fascist regime. She can only keep a diary where she registers thrilling experiences.
5. "Lies My Teacher Told Me" by James W. Loewen
This book dispels the myths about historical facts that teachers tell in school. From the exploits of Columbus to the present day.
6. "Milk and Honey" by Rupi Kaur
This collection is suitable for lovers of poetry. The poems describe different moments of life and you can read half of the collection at a time.
7. "1984" by George Orwell
A masterpiece of romantic dystopia that is very relevant in the current period. The book describes the protagonist's internal and external struggles with the government and control of Big Brother.
8. "Eleanor & Park" by Rainbow Rowell
The book responds even to adults since we all fell in love for the first time. The story reminds you of these feelings and describes the two teenagers' lives.
9. "Kane And Abel" by Jeffrey Archer
This is a bestseller book that tells the story of two men who only have a date of birth in common. It is interesting to read about their lives.
10. "A Touch of Jen" by Beth Morgan
The book resonates with the younger generation as the plot is about parasocial relationships with the social media advent. It tells about the one-sided relationship between a fan and his idol.
Conclusion
Having no desire to pick up a book is normal and not critical. But if you care about your mental health and self-development, you will think about developing reading skills. Books improve memory, evolve vocabulary, allow you to think analytically and make quick decisions. Follow the tips in this article and read the recommended books. We hope this article helps grow your relationship with books as a whole.