Visualization - A Big Key to Reading Comprehension and Life!

Can you imagine not seeing pictures or movies in your head when you read? Many of my clients don't see pictures in their imagination, and it is often the main reason they don't like reading or think reading is boring. If you read "The dog is chasing the ball," you should see some kind of dog, some kind of ball, and where this is happening in your imagination. The brain works most efficiently by converting what is heard or read into pictures in the mind's eye.

However, a significant portion of the population doesn't see images in their imagination, and this leads to a large variety of learning issues - including academic and attention problems. Some of my clients are misdiagnosed with ADHD which is an issue with focus and attention. The average brain can only hold 7 non-meaningful units of information at a time. Any number or word not visualized or made into an image in the imagination is not as meaningful to the brain. Therefore, a student that isn't picturing in the classroom will not be able to pay attention well, and they will typically not enjoy reading, among a host of other learning issues.

I often tell my clients that if you picture well, which creates strong comprehension and memory skills, then what can you NOT do in life? If you think about both school and work, a good portion revolves around understanding and remembering what you hear and read. Unfortunately, other than rare instances, you can't just tell students they need to visualize. It is a skill that needs to be learned. Most of my clients, when they see me in the office once or twice a week, take 6 to 9 months to make visualization a habit. My online Read-A-Rific Reading Comprehension - The Smart and Easy Way program has been shortening that time frame, as there are 60 lessons that are done daily for 15 minutes so they get extra practice in a shorter time frame. There needs to be a significant amount of practice sessions to learn this very important skill. The good news is this skill can be learned in months, not years.

Making visualization a habit can literally change lives in a variety of important ways. Reading should be fun and strong picturing skills can make that a reality.