How to Overcome Your Fear of Reading
Practice your reading passage as much as possible, whenever possible., Work on feeling and looking more calm., Move past mistakes.
Step-by-Step Guide
-
Step 1: Practice your reading passage as much as possible
Practice can’t guarantee perfection, but it will inspire greater confidence when reading in front of others.
If you know what you’ll be reading ahead of time, practice in front of a mirror, in front of friends, or in front of a video camera.
Practice reading slowly and clearly, as most people read aloud more quickly than they realize.If you don’t know what you’ll be asked to read aloud, work on building your overall public reading and speaking skills.
Emphasize deliberate speech and positive body language.
Try joining an organization that focuses on public speaking, such as Toastmasters. -
Step 2: whenever possible.
Many people get wobbly knees, trembling hands, and cold sweats when asked to stand up and read in front of others.
You can’t deny these natural manifestations of anxiety, but you can work on recognizing and managing them.Do calming exercises, like deep breathing or progressive muscle relaxation, before you enter the classroom or meeting room.
Try gesturing with your hands while reading, or holding a heavier book or stack of papers in order to reduce indications of trembling.
Practice making subtle shifts in body position and weight-bearing to limit signs of weak knees.
If you tend to sweat a lot, wear light layers of darker clothing to mask it. , No matter how much you practice the passage and calm yourself beforehand, you’ll likely flub a line or mangle a phrase here and there.
Keep going if it’s a minor error, or go back and restate the words more clearly if necessary.
Accept that we all make mistakes, and remain composed.
Overreacting to one mistake will likely just lead to more of them.
If you have a crippling fear of making mistakes while reading, or simply of reading out loud in general, you may have a treatable condition such as dyslexia.
Don’t hesitate to consult with a therapist and/or reading specialist. -
Step 3: Work on feeling and looking more calm.
-
Step 4: Move past mistakes.
Detailed Guide
Practice can’t guarantee perfection, but it will inspire greater confidence when reading in front of others.
If you know what you’ll be reading ahead of time, practice in front of a mirror, in front of friends, or in front of a video camera.
Practice reading slowly and clearly, as most people read aloud more quickly than they realize.If you don’t know what you’ll be asked to read aloud, work on building your overall public reading and speaking skills.
Emphasize deliberate speech and positive body language.
Try joining an organization that focuses on public speaking, such as Toastmasters.
Many people get wobbly knees, trembling hands, and cold sweats when asked to stand up and read in front of others.
You can’t deny these natural manifestations of anxiety, but you can work on recognizing and managing them.Do calming exercises, like deep breathing or progressive muscle relaxation, before you enter the classroom or meeting room.
Try gesturing with your hands while reading, or holding a heavier book or stack of papers in order to reduce indications of trembling.
Practice making subtle shifts in body position and weight-bearing to limit signs of weak knees.
If you tend to sweat a lot, wear light layers of darker clothing to mask it. , No matter how much you practice the passage and calm yourself beforehand, you’ll likely flub a line or mangle a phrase here and there.
Keep going if it’s a minor error, or go back and restate the words more clearly if necessary.
Accept that we all make mistakes, and remain composed.
Overreacting to one mistake will likely just lead to more of them.
If you have a crippling fear of making mistakes while reading, or simply of reading out loud in general, you may have a treatable condition such as dyslexia.
Don’t hesitate to consult with a therapist and/or reading specialist.
About the Author
George Edwards
Creates helpful guides on organization to inspire and educate readers.
Rate This Guide
How helpful was this guide? Click to rate: