Every time your teen reads, she's reading for a purpose. When she reads the sports page, her purpose is to see who won. If she is reading a mystery, her purpose is entertainment. Sometimes people read for information. Want to know how many calories are in the cereal? Read the box. Want to learn how to program the DVD player? Read the instruction manual.
Knowing the purpose for reading actually helps readers decide how to read. For example:

* To find the calories in the cereal, your teen won't have to read the entire box. She'll just look quickly until she finds the nutrition label.
* To program the DVD player, your teen doesn't have to read the whole instruction manual. She can skip the part about how to set the time and move right on to the section she needs.

Setting a purpose for reading is also helpful when your teen reads school assignments. For example, if your teen is reading:

* A novel for English, she needs to start on page one and read completely through to the end.
* A chapter in science, she needs to skim quickly for key points. Then read more carefully to learn the major ideas.

Teens (and adults) are better readers when they know their purpose for reading!

Reprinted with permission from the March 2010 issue of Parents Still make the difference!® (High School Edition) newsletter. Copyright © 2010 The Parent Institute®, a division of NIS, Inc. Source: Shelly O'Hara, Improving Your Study Skills, ISBN: 9780-7645-7803-8 (John Wiley & Sons, www.wiley.com).