Avid Readers Perform Better On High School Equivalency Tests

~ 30-Minutes A Day Is All It Takes ~

Want to be successful on your GED® or HiSET® high school equivalency test? One of the best ways to do that is by becoming a “reader.”

There’s no shortage of research that demonstrates readers have higher vocabularies and tend to be better writers than their non-reading counterparts. But reading improves skills that benefit other sections of the test, as well.

“I tell all of my students that they can improve their skills for EVERY SECTION of the test simply by reading more,” explains Kara Krawiec, Seeds East Site Coordinator. “Comprehension, critical thinking, analysis – these are all skills needed for Math, Science, and Social Studies, not just Language Arts.”

Reading also advances these critical LIFE SKILLS:

• Comprehension
• Vocabulary
• Critical thinking
• Analysis
• Focus
• Concentration
• Speech

Why aren’t more people readers?

They are simply distracted.

“How many times have you looked up a video on YouTube, and before you know it, you’ve lost half an hour because you were sucked into watching video of unnecessary, strange, or hilarious videos of unlikely animal friendships?” Krawiec asks. “How many times have you logged on to Facebook to check a notification, and found that you are still aimlessly scrolling thirty minutes later?”

If you get sucked into those wasteful rabbit holes, you’ve certainly got the time to read 30 minutes a day, she insists. “Pick up a book instead. You’ve got time.”

The Challenge

For the next month, Krawiec and Seeds is challenging students, staff, and tutors to read 30 minutes a day. The general public, too.

“It doesn’t matter what you read – novels, magazines, newspaper articles – pick what interests you and start reading,” she says.

Common research indicates it takes between 1 to 3 months for new habits to form.  “Our hope is that people will discover reading is something they ENJOY in a month and will want to continue it in their daily lives,” she says.

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KLK