The Optimal Time for Reading Learning

I’m having one of those all-inclusive vibes for this fine day. So, while I’ve been talking about the kiddos a lot lately, I must scratch my writing itch to address the more seasoned folks, as well. Therefore, today’s post is for the reader of ANY AGE. Not leaving the adults out of this one. Whoo hoo!

I had a recent tutoring session that really reminded me of the importance of creating an optimal learning environment for a student. And, it really only involved a little tweak of the time in which we meet.

Come to find out, the time we were meeting wasn’t the most ideal for the student. We were having our tutoring sessions in the afternoons when she was just waking up (or being awakened) from her afternoon naps. And, just waking up isn’t the best time to expect a child’s alertness, focus, or engagement in reading activities.

When I learned that my student is an early riser and has her energy peaking in the morning way before nearing her afternoon naptime, then I told her mother that we should move her sessions to the morning time when she’s not feeling the effects of naptime coming on or the effects of coming straight off of a naptime break.

Let’s just think about this for a minute (in light of creating an optimal learning/working environment for ourselves). We both know how WE (the adults) feel when we just wake up out of a sleep. Right? We may feel like . . .

• staying in bed a few extra minutes (snooze alert).
• not being bothered by ANYONE until we give them the go-ahead to speak to us.
• getting some stimulant in us before getting the brain gears churning. (Now, I’ve never been a coffee drinker, but those who know KNOW!)
• not doing any type of work until the brain fog has worn away after an extended sleep state.
• definitely not doing any activity that causes the brain to exert any type of specialized processing of decoding written words (like in reading text, for example).

So, it’s no surprise that timing can make all the difference in the world when it comes to our concentration, performance, and results when trying to learn something new (learning to read in the primary ages) or developing skills we’re trying to become proficient at (reading to learn a skill).

And with that in mind, please look for times in the day when you (or your young one) is ON! These are the times of the day when the TIME IS RIGHT because . . .

• the energy reserves are not depleted yet, and
• distractions can be limited or avoided altogether.

Here are a few steps that you can take to get you (or your young one) in optimal reading settings that can create the learning-to-read or reading-to-learn results you’re looking for:

1. Identify those times of the day when reading readiness is ON. (Note them.)
2. Identify the times of the day when certain activities, distractions, and interruptions tend to take place on a routine basis. (Note them also.)
3. If the items in #2 are of the “can’t be avoided” variety, block out time for them on the daily or weekly schedule/calendar/planner.
4. Then, take those timeframes in #1 that are outside of the timeframes in #2 and block out time for them on the daily or weekly schedule/calendar/planner.
5. Now, take the times blocked out in #4 on the daily or weekly schedule/calendar/planner and let those be the periods designated for the learning-to-read or reading-to-learn sessions. (Pencil in the session for a timeslot on the day or the sessions for timeslots throughout the week and follow through.)

Remember: the whole purpose of learning to read or reading to learn is to move closer and closer to the desired results expected from the reading. It’s all about life improvement over time. And, the only way to make the best use of your (or your kiddo’s) reading time is to make sure the TIMING IS RIGHT!