What in the world interests you? Are you a big baseball fan? Do you like to cook? Is fashion something you want to keep up with, or, are you just a political buff? These are all topics you'll find, online, in your local newspaper. One article a day offers an opportunity to read content offering images you can clearly conjure up in your head. Mental pictures of read words will enhance your understanding of the written word. Picking topics of interest will motivate you to read. You want to know about the hottest swim suits for summer; what it'll take for the Red Sox to beat the Yankees, or why your City Council is so bent on slicing up the budget.
When reading a topic of interest, keep a little notebook and a good dictionary close at hand. Jot down your thoughts on each paragraph you read. What is the writer telling you? What message is he trying to convey? Sometimes, putting the words of another into your own words makes it easier to understand the words you are reading. On those occasions when you stumble upon a word with a foreign look, turn to the dictionary. When you come across a word you don't understand, the simple act of looking the word up in the dictionary improves your reading comprehension. Learning one new word a day, makes you a better reader and improves your vocabulary as well. In the space of a few days, you'll see an improvement in the way you understand what you read and so will those around you, as your improvements are reflected in the words you choose and the thoughts you convey.
As soon as you find yourself comfortable with the joy of reading, take a look at the construction of the written content. Articles of interest consist of paragraphs and like the article itself, each paragraph has a beginning a middle and an end. The first sentence of the paragraph tells you what the paragraph is about. The middle of the paragraph supports the statement made with the opening sentence and the end of the paragraph is merely a simple conclusion. This gives you the opportunity to anticipate what you are about to read. It opens the door on drawing your own thoughts and conclusions regarding the topic you are reading. You'll find yourself thinking about the things you are reading and effectively building your reading comprehension. Don't stop with short, easy to digest newspaper articles. Broaden your base of interest with articles outside your comfort zone and read a book. Discover what people mean when they say, "it was so much better than the movie."