It's been said many times that knowledge is power. The most common way that people obtain and enhance their knowledge base is through reading.
For people who start reading at a young age and develop a love for it, they gain access to a world of information. However, what can people do if they don't enjoy reading or if they struggle to read? Low reading comprehension has been shown to affect a person's confidence and willingness to pursue education opportunities. For those who wish to increase their reading abilities, there are reading classes available. These can be designed for people of any age.
Information. Reading classes come in many forms. For people who are younger or older, then it's more likely to be a group based class. These classes focus on two aspects. The first is on reading the words in front of you. Many classes are taken by people who are learning English as a second language and wish to improve their reading. For younger students, it's an effort to help them read better so they learn their upcoming curriculum better. The second aspect is reading comprehension. Being able to read the words on a page is the first step. Understanding what those words is the second step.
Reading comprehension. Reading comprehension is a tricky concept to teach. After reading classes have worked to establish a person's understanding of a word, the comprehension begins. Classes for reading comprehension will focus on what has been said, and deeper themes. A common story used for advanced reading comprehension is the Joseph Conrad story Heart of Darkness. One one hand, it's a travelogue about a trip up a river and the various things that are seen. Comprehension starts with being able to understand what is happening during the trip. The further themes of imperialism, exploitation, and corruption (among others) are the secondary comprehension goal.
Children's classes. Teaching kids to read often starts at home before getting to school. However, not all parents are born teachers. Many people can choose to give their children help through reading classes. These classes can be offered after school, through churches, community groups or from tutors. Children's classes typically work on getting a child to understand the basics. They are taught to sound out words. From there, they can learn more about the tricky behavior of the English language. Most children's classes start with a teacher reading, and then going around to each of the students to help them as they have issues. Worksheets are typically used to help ensure some comprehension.
Teen classes. These classes are arguably the most difficult to fill and get involved with. Teen's are often very touchy about many things. One of them is an underlying insecurity about their intelligence. Any perceived slight to them can be taken weirdly. Reading classes for teens are often best set up using a tutor to provide one on one assistance. This can keep teens from feeling they are being slighted in front of their contemporaries. Teens who are completely illiterate are fairly rare at this point, but they do exist. Most classes for teens are intended for improvement instead of beginning.
Adult reading classes. These classes are some of the most common out there. Lifelong learning centers, community centers, libraries and community colleges will offer classes to help people read. The first step to taking an adult reading class is accepting that a person has trouble reading. Some feel very worried about being classified as "illiterate". Once the stigma about being in an adult reading class has passed by, then it's a chance to learn. Adult students are some of the most eager in reading classes. This means that they may work well in larger class settings. Most are self motivated and legitimately want to get better. A good teacher in an adult reading class will be sure to let their students feel a sense of improvement to help drive them forward.