Learn how to – Strategies to Improve Reading Comprehension

Learn how to – Strategies to Improve Reading Comprehension.

Developing reading comprehension abilities is critical for early readers, starting with picture books. The ability to read and understand text is a fundamental skill that will help your child be successful in school and life. In that way, it is essential to pay attention to this issue and help your child develop it easily and efficiently.

If you have an older child, you can learn more about the things to pay attention to when they read. They will help understand the theme and the idea better, which improves the understanding of the author’s intention. Here are some strategies to help your child develop reading comprehension skills:

1. Read aloud to your child every day 

This is one of the most important things you can do to help your child develop reading comprehension skills. When you read aloud to your child, they hear how words are pronounced and how sentences are constructed. This helps your child internalize the rhythm and flow of language, which will be helpful when they start reading on their own.

Don’t hesitate to repeat some sentences several times if necessary or stop and explain the meaning of certain words. You can discuss everything you’ve read or make short breaks if required. This will help your child understand the text better and pay more attention.

2. Have your child retell the story to you

After you have read a book with your child, ask them to retell the story to you. This will help your child remember the story better and identify the main events. You can also ask specific questions about the story, such as: 

• what happened at the beginning, middle, and end; 
• who are the main characters; 
• and what was the most important event.

Retelling the story will also help your child develop language and communication skills. This is a great way to remember new words your child has learned and to practice using them in a sentence. If your child is having trouble retelling the story, you can prompt them with questions or cues. For example, you might say, “Tell me what happened when the character went into the forest.” 

3. Help your child make connections 

When you’re reading a book with your child, help them make connections between the story and their own life. This will help your child understand and remember the story better.

You can also encourage your child to make connections between different books or stories. For instance, you can ask them to compare and contrast two characters from different stories. This will help improve reading comprehension by encouraging critical thinking.

4. Encourage your child to ask questions 

When you’re reading a book with your child, encourage them to ask questions about the story. This will help improve your child’s comprehension by making them think more deeply about what is happening in the book.

You can discuss everything, starting from the characters’ motivations to the setting of the story. It will also be helpful to ask your child to predict what might happen next in the story. Moreover, you can discuss the feelings and the motivation of the characters, which is also helpful in developing communication skills.

5. Encourage your child to read independently 

One of the best ways to help your child develop reading comprehension skills is to encourage him or her to read independently. This will help your child practice and consolidate what he or she has learned.

You can start by providing books that are appropriate for your child’s level. Then, you can gradually increase the difficulty of the books as your child’s reading comprehension skills improve.

6. Help your child develop other language skills 

It is also important to help your child develop other language skills, such as writing and speaking. This will help your child understand and remember what he or she reads better.

You can encourage your child to keep a journal where he or she can write about the books he or she has read. You can also ask your child to retell the story in his or her own words. This will help improve reading comprehension by promoting active engagement with the text.

Final Words

These are some strategies that can help your child develop reading comprehension skills. However, it is important to remember that every child is different and that some children may need more help than others. If you think that your child is having difficulty understanding what he or she reads, don’t hesitate to seek professional help.