Have you ever read something… and then completely forgotten what you just read? I call this “zoning out” and I do it a lot. I recently switched to audio books and it has helped improve my focus. But even still, unless a book is really interesting or captivating, it is really easy to “zone out” and forget what I read.
Kids often do this when they are still learning to read. Their minds are thinking about a million things and growing and socializing. No wonder their brains don’t have time for reading comprehension. They can easily “zone out” while reading and forget what they read or simply not have the skills yet to decode all the words and relate it to other things they know.
What is reading comprehension and why is it important?
“The process of comprehension is both interactive and strategic. Rather than passively reading text, readers must analyze it, internalize it and make it their own.” (from Comprehension: The Goal of Reading)
Reading comprehension is knowing about what you read. Can you interpret the data and summarize what’s important? It is important to have reading comprehension and to know strategies to fix it later in life. Imagine being given an important note or article in a future job. If you are not able to read it quickly and interpret the information, you may put yourself or others in jeopardy. Comprehension allows us to know what to do with the information we read, how we feel about it, and how important it is.
“Comprehension adds meaning to what is read. Reading comprehension occurs when words on a page are not just mere words but thoughts and ideas. Comprehension makes reading enjoyable, fun, and informative. It is needed to succeed in school, work, and life in general.” (from The Importance of Reading Comprehension)
As parents, our time is limited but we know we want to help. Here are 5 EASY ways you can help your child improve reading comprehension. It can be in the car or waiting in the drive thru or wherever.
- Ask Questions – before, during, after, and often. If you are reading together, ask your child questions about what they just read. After they have finished, ask what happened. Ask them who the main character was and how they felt about it.
“The ability of readers to ask themselves relevant questions as they read is especially valuable in helping them to integrate information, identify main ideas, and summarize information.” (from Key Comprehension Strategies to Teach)
2. Teach Vocab – when you find a new word together, look it up in the dictionary. Give your child resources to find answers to things they don’t understand. Then use the new words in a sentence together or in a conversation with them later.
“Improving their overall language skills increases the likelihood that they will understand the words they encounter in written text.” (from 5 Ways to Support Students Who Struggle With Reading Comprehension)
3. Visualizing or picturing what they are reading. Especially when a book has fewer pictures as they get older, it can help to ask your kids to tell you how they picture it in their head. Then you can tell them how you might see it differently in your brain.
“Visualizing helps bring a story to life.” (from 7 tips to help kids understand what they read )
4. Make predictions – this allows them to pull from previous knowledge and experience to decide how they will determine what comes next.
“Research has shown that better comprehension occurs when students are engaged in activities that bridge their old knowledge with the new.” (from What is the High 5 Reading Strategy?)
5. Reread to find things they missed. It’s ok to have them look back to find the answers to questions or to just better understand what was read. As adults we do this when we know it’s important or something we really want to know or care about. In school, children will have to learn to look back at the text and find keywords that help them answer the questions. In the same way, the more they read a familiar book they love, the more they will understand it.
“The more we engage with a story, the more we take away from it. That is often why, as adults, we choose to reread those classics we were assigned to read as students in school. We’re sure to get more out of the book that second or third time we read it.” (from 6 Benefits of Rereading Books (Over…and Over) for Kids)
There you have it… 5 EASY things we can do as parents (even as we chauffer them to dance and soccer). Find little moments to connect and help them better comprehend what they are reading.
I’d love to hear from you. What ways have you found help your child better understand what they read or improve their reading comprehension? Comment below.