What are factors that affect reading?

Many factors that affect reading include comprehension/fluency, vocabulary, background knowledge, and frequency.

Comprehension/fluency: You can be a good reader and tear through a book quickly, but if you don’t understand what you just read, it’s useless.  Taking an active role while you read will help with comprehension.  Take notes, mark in the margin, and interact personally with the text. 

Vocabulary:  If you don’t know the words, it will be hard to comprehend what you are reading.  Understanding the meaning of words will greatly enhance your reading abilities.

Background knowledge:  What you already know about the subject of the text you are reading will help you with your ability to read.  If you are ignorant of a topic, reading may be harder than if you have previous experience with the topic.

Frequency:  Reading is like a sport; the more you read, the better you will become.  Frequency enhances vocabulary and background knowledge.  Reading a variety of different texts will also help improve your reading.  Don’t limit yourself, for example, to only science fiction.  Read a good assortment of books, magazines, newspapers, and scholarly texts to help. 

*When reading a textbook, it is also helpful to understand how a textbook is formatted and how to find major ideas.  For example, look for highlighted words, look at charts and pictures, and learn how to identify the passage’s main idea.  All of these tips will affect your reading and make it better.