1. Read for pleasure and read a variety of styles of writing: newspaper, social media, poetry, short stories, non-fiction, fiction 1. Increase your vocabulary: look up words you haven’t heard before, or aren’t sure of the meaning — keep a dictionary close at hand 1. Practice reading aloud: this can improve your enunciation and inflection 1. Reread a portion of text if you feel confused: attempt to decipher line by line if necessary, then summarize the whole 1. Discuss the text with a classmate or friend 1. Skim the text that is coming up — if what you are reading is confusing, perhaps information is forthcoming to help you understand the current text 1. Purposefully set aside time each day, or week, to read in a non-stress environment without the pressure of a deadline (like a teacher-assigned reading an hour before class) 1. Put your phone down, turn the TV off, and read in a distraction-free environment 1. Read with a pencil in hand — underline key phrases or sentences, or make notes in the margins to record what you are reading in your own words 1. If you get tired, take a 5 minute break