How many times do i need to read my textbook to gain understanding?

How many times do i need to read my textbook to gain understanding?

I keep reading and re-reading my textbook but i still don't have a good understanding. Is this normal, or should i try something else?How many times do i need to read my textbook to gain understanding?
You need to try something else. It is normal I might add.

The trouble is that people learn things in different ways. Very few actually learn from the words in a textbook directly.



At a teenage level I have found fewer than one in every hundred can read something, interpret it, and demonstrate understanding.



So how does it all work? Usually a person has many experiences that are loosely connected. The textbook simply helps to draw all that experience together and offer a simple explanation that you are able to put into context.



This is why experimentation is a key part of any science course. It is a structured experience that will help the theories to be made more concrete.



So what can you do?

Talk to others. Some people learn verbally better than visually.

Read other related books. Several different explanations are more likely to give insight than the same explanation repeated many times.



Experiment and play with real but related things. In mechanics, push carts, skateboards etc.

Hit balls and observe their actions critically. Suddenly it makes sense.



Similar things apply to structures ( Meccano sets), electricity, magnetism etc.

Without the experiences the book can do very little for you.How many times do i need to read my textbook to gain understanding?
I have always the best way to learn is to make sure u use more than one sense.



Reading aloud is better than reading silently (privacy may be required to avoid strange looks)



Write stuff down , take notes as you read this uses adifferent part of the brain and helps recall. To gain an understanding it helps to discuss with others. Not always easy i know.



A good way i have used is for a group of say four people to take a part of the material as their specialised area, they are then responsible for explaining this to the other members of the group. this helps as when we try to explain or teach others we learn very quickly ourselvesHow many times do i need to read my textbook to gain understanding?
Once, to understand it.

As many times as you need, to to learn it like a parrot. You may not understand it, even then.