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How to Help Your Child Develop Comprehension Skills
Madeline Waters • Jun 13, 2024
Comprehension is the ultimate goal of reading. As literate adults ourselves, we know it's not enough to simply read the words on the page—we have to truly understand and engage with the text. Helping your child develop strong comprehension skills will set them up for success in school and beyond. Here are some strategies you can use at home to support your child’s reading comprehension development:
- Embrace Storytelling: When reading aloud, bring the text to life by changing your voice for different characters or ideas, using appropriate expressions, and varying your phrasing to match the content. For example, give emphasis to important points with a firm tone, or use a questioning tone when asking something. Use gestures to demonstrate actions or concepts in the text. These techniques not only make the content more engaging but also guide your child through the text with extra support, making it easier for them to understand.
- Model Metacognition: Show your child how to think about their thinking by verbalizing your thought process while reading. The think-aloud strategy involves pausing while reading to express out loud what you're thinking. This can include making predictions, asking questions, visualizing, or summarizing parts of the text. This helps children understand how to approach reading comprehension by seeing the thought process in action. Watch this video for an example of how to do this.
- Initiate Conversation: Engage your child in discussions about what they have read. Ask them to summarize the text and share their opinions. If you're reading together, use book-club style questions to deepen the discussion. These conversations help reinforce comprehension and critical thinking skills.
- Review Different Question Types: To help your child develop a deeper understanding of what they read, it’s important to teach them how to approach different types of questions. Each question type requires a different skill and strategy to answer effectively. You can find questions online, use AI to generate questions, or create your own using basic formats.
- Main Idea: Explain that the main idea is what the text is mostly about, not just a fact. Ask, “Is this what the whole text is mostly about, or just one fact?” Practice by having your child summarize the story or present several summary statements and have your child choose the one that best captures the main idea.
- Literal: Explain that literal questions have answers right there in the text. Teach your child to underline the exact sentence that contains the answer. Practice by asking your child questions that require them to find specific details directly from the text.
- Vocabulary: Use context clues by looking at the sentences before, during, and after the word. Ask, “What do these surrounding sentences tell us about this word?” Practice by selecting challenging words from the text and asking your child to infer their meanings based on the context.
- Inference: Explain that inferences are logical guesses based on clues in the text. Encourage your child to look for hints or clues the author left behind to draw conclusions. Practice by posing questions that require your child to read between the lines and make educated guesses based on the information provided.
- Short Answer: Teach your child to restate the question in the answer. Identify key words from the question and incorporate them into the answer. Practice by asking open-ended questions that prompt your child to provide more detailed responses and explanations.
- Use Graphic Organizers: Use tools like flowcharts, story maps, Venn diagrams, and K-W-L charts (Know, Want to Know, Learned) to help your child organize their thoughts and understand the structure of the text. Graphic organizers visually display information to help children see relationships between ideas and concepts.
- Find Everyday Opportunities: Find opportunities for your child to practice reading comprehension in everyday situations. Let your child read recipes and help you prepare a meal, which involves following instructions and understanding measurements. Have your child read the weather report and find the high for the day. Ask your child to read the instructions for a new game and explain the rules to everyone.
- Subscribe to One Minute Reader: The One Minute Reader program supports reading comprehension and allows children to develop skills independently through a structured approach that combines short reading activities with immediate feedback.
By incorporating these strategies and tips into your reading routine, you can help your child become a more confident and skilled reader.
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Your struggling readers have likely asked themselves, or you, “Why is reading hard for me?” Sometimes, there is not a clear reason. With a little extra help, many struggling readers are simply able to crack the code and catch up. Other times, there is a clear reason: For millions of people, it’s dyslexia. Unfortunately, many individuals with dyslexia remain undiagnosed and have a more difficult time catching up to their peers. Dyslexia is the most common learning disability in the country, affecting about 1 in 10 individuals. People with dyslexia have normal IQs, but differences in their brains make reading much harder for them. The dyslexic brain has a more difficult time understanding how letters and letter combinations represent sounds, and how letters are combined to form syllables and words. The symptoms of this learning disability include trouble with decoding, spelling, rhyming, and phonological awareness. If you have a child who may fit this criteria, visit the International Dyslexia Association page for self-assessment tools that provide information about diagnosing dyslexia in specific age groups. Humiliation about their learning struggles often causes students with dyslexia to retreat from class participation, lose confidence in their abilities, and underperform in school. Many go on to struggle in other key areas of their lives. To break this cycle, a greater understanding of dyslexia is essential. Teachers must be trained to identify dyslexia early on and provide appropriate intervention. When students with dyslexia receive the right kind of support, they are just as capable of performing well in school as their peers. Students who get additional support at home are more likely to reach their literacy goals more quickly. Sally Shaywitz, renowned dyslexia researcher and author of Overcoming Dyslexia , states that students with dyslexia typically need intensive, individualized instruction with feedback, guidance, and ongoing assessment in phonemic awareness, phonics, and reading fluency. Instructional programs should emphasize these core elements as well as building vocabulary and increasing comprehension. Reading researchers, including Shaywitz, recommend Read Naturally programs for providing this type of instruction. Read Naturally is the parent company of One Minute Reader. One Minute Reader was adapted from Read Naturally programs so that kids could use an effective reading tool independently at home. One Minute Reader and Read Naturally programs build phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension through high-interest nonfiction stories. The strategy used in these programs was designed to help students build confidence and motivation through self monitoring of progress. One Minute Reader and Read Naturally programs have helped countless students with dyslexia become competent readers. Dyslexia is a clear barrier to learning to read, but One Minute Reader can provide a clear pathway around this barrier. It's an ideal program to use at home with kids who need extra help becoming competent readers. Try it out for a free week! After that, it's only $8/month.
Reading is a fundamental skill that opens doors to endless possibilities for children. As parents, we constantly seek ways to nurture our children’s reading abilities, making the process both enjoyable and educational. The One Minute Reader program is a fantastic tool designed to foster independent reading skills in children. Here are some tips to help you introduce this program to your child seamlessly and effectively. Start with an Overview: Before diving into the program, take some time to watch the “How Does One Minute Reader Work” video together with your child. This video provides a comprehensive overview of the program and helps your child understand what to expect. Set Up a Reading Routine: Establishing a consistent reading schedule is often a game changer. Choose a specific time each day dedicated to using the One Minute Reader program. Whether it’s right after school or before bedtime, consistency helps in building a habit. Create a Comfortable Reading Space: Designate a cozy and quiet reading nook where your child can focus without distractions. A comfortable chair, good lighting, or maybe a white noise machine can make this space inviting. Work Through the First Story Together: Help your child get started by working through the first story together. This hands-on guidance will help them feel comfortable with the steps involved and build their confidence to continue on their own. Start with a Positive Attitude: Your enthusiasm for the program can be contagious. Present the One Minute Reader program as a fun and exciting activity rather than a chore. Celebrate this new journey with your child, emphasizing the enjoyment and adventure in reading. Set Realistic Goals: Set achievable goals for your child. Start with shorter reading sessions and gradually increase the duration as they become more comfortable. Celebrate small milestones to keep them motivated. Track Progress Together: Use the program’s tracking features to monitor your child’s progress. Discuss the improvements you both notice, and set new challenges together. This shared involvement can boost your child’s confidence and motivation. Celebrate Achievements: Celebrate your child’s reading achievements, no matter how small. Whether it’s a special treat or a simple acknowledgment, recognizing their efforts reinforces positive behavior and encourages continued progress. Introducing your child to the One Minute Reader program can be a rewarding experience that sets the foundation for a lifelong love of reading. By creating a supportive and engaging environment, you can help your child develop essential reading skills while fostering their independence and confidence.
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