Painless Reading Comprehension (Barron's Painless Series) (Paperback)

by Darolyn E. Jones (Author) "Just as two snowflakes are not alike, neither are any two readers..." (more)
Key Phrases: social studies selection, black female artist, anticipation guide, Let's Practice, Chris Crutcher, Faith Ringgold (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Reading comprehension is a skill that all students must develop for academic success, especially as they advance to college and beyond. This book for junior and senior high school students asks them meaningful questions about their reading preferences and difficulties. For example—

What kind of reader am I? Avid or reluctant?

What can I do if I don’t understand what I’m reading?

How do I keep the information in my head? All students can profit from this book, but reluctant readers will find it especially helpful. Guided by the author, who is an experienced teacher, they learn how to read with ease, and to comprehend what they are reading. Most important, they discover how to transform a once-arduous task into a pleasurable experience.

From the Back Cover
[back cover]


Really. This isn’t going to hurt at all . . .



If you think reading comprehension tests and assignments are tricky and confusing, take heart! They’re really quite easy—and even fun—once you open this book and learn the following things about yourself and your learning habits:

What kind of reader are you?

What can you do to “warm up” your brain before starting to read?

What can you do if you don’t understand what you’re reading?

How can you keep what you read in your head?



All students can profit from this book, but you’ll find it especially helpful if you think of yourself as a reluctant reader. Reading comprehension is a skill you’ll need to develop for academic and personal success, especially as you advance to college and beyond. This book will teach you to read with ease, and to comprehend what you are reading—painlessly. Most important, you’ll discover how to transform a once-painful task into a pleasurable experience.



Darolyn Jones is an Associate Faculty Member in the School of English at Indiana University Purdue University at Indianapolis (IUPUI) and an independent literacy consultant.



For Middle School and High School Students

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Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Barron's Educational Series (October 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764127667
• ISBN-13: 978-0764127663
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #50,099 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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• This item is part of The Painless Series.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A better supplementary text, July 12, 2005

By	JJ (California USA) - See all my reviews

I read this and several other books, including the "guaranteed to pass" books, but I still didn't pass. I ran out of preparation time, I knew I still didn't get it, and painfully I knew I failed. I have been out of school for some twenty-five years, so that's part of the problem right there. In desperation, I hit the bookstore the next day, clueless what to look for. Then it struck me, the basic children's gradeschool books, the thin ones with big letters, might be my ticket. I opened a few books, and Bingo! The material was step-by-step organized. For example: here is an essay, this is what a main idea looks like, here are some more essays, find the main idea and write it in the blank space. This "painless" book in review here does have plenty of tools and practice, including some unique approaches, so it probably makes a better supplementary study than most. For example, to nail your mind down, highlight some words. But it is also probably better suited to a reader who already has the basics down, and who needs a review or wants some extra tips.

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent for students, parents, and teachers!, November 24, 2004

By	Anthony Sturgeon (Noblesville, IN) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Everyone will benefit from the material found in this text. Middle school and high school students OF ALL READING LEVELS will enjoy the the writing style and the format, which introduces them to various ways to improve their reading skills. Teachers will also find this an invaluable tool when looking for ways to improve reading comprehension in the classroom. The Painless series has been very successful, and this book is the best I have seen.

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must for Improving Your Reading Skill, September 3, 2008

By	edrm - See all my reviews

I agree with the explanation on how to cope with your new words on from p.80 to p.83, because I believe it is less painful to tackle new words and expressions according to the explanation than to try in vain to just memorize as many words as possible. Just looking up the words isn't good enough to strengthen your vocabulary building. You need to use your imagination; first, of course, read the definitions of the words, second, judge whether the words have positive, negative, or neutral meanings, third, find other synonyms and antonyms mainly in your thesaurus, fourth, set the examples by making sentences including the new words, and finally draw the pictures to make sure you understand the meanings clearly. These 5 steps will deepen your understanding, that's for sure!
I personally feel that you can be an avid reader if you deal with the reading articles you are really into. The main reason is that I bet you won't give them up even if you encounter several new words and phrases. And you could get the gists instead of paying too much attention to each word. So let me get to the point; stop being a perfectionist, or eventually it is going to tire your mind! In other words, perfectionism makes you a reluctant reader.