As a parent, you know that helping your child succeed in school is essential. But what can you do if your child is struggling with reading comprehension?
Reading comprehension is the ability to understand and remember what you read. It is a critical skill for success in school and in life.
Unfortunately, many children struggle with reading comprehension. In fact, according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress, only 34% of fourth and 24% of eighth graders are proficient in reading.
So what can you do to help your child improve their reading comprehension?
Here are five tips:
Read aloud to your child every day.
Have your child read aloud to you.
Talk about what you've read.
Encourage your child to ask questions.
Help your child find books that interest them.
Read aloud to your child every day.
One of the best ways to help your child improve their reading comprehension is reading aloud to them daily. When you read aloud, your child hears how words are pronounced and how sentences are constructed. This helps them to understand what they read when they read on their own.
In addition, when you read aloud together, you can model fluency and expression. This means reading with natural pacing, intonation, and pauses. This will help your child to understand the meaning of what they read, not just the words on the page.
Have your child read aloud to you
Reading aloud to your child is not only an excellent opportunity for them to practice their reading-aloud skills but also a great opportunity for you to hear how they are pronouncing words and sounding out words. As you listen to them read, you can work on their fluency and ask questions about the story. This back-and-forth reading can be a great bonding experience for both of you, and it will help your child practice and improve their reading skills.
Talk about what you've read.
You're not just recounting the story or summarizing the content when you talk about what you've read. You're engaging with the text on a deeper level, considering the story's implications and the different ways it could be interpreted.
This helps readers better understand the text and develop their opinions about it. When you encourage your child to talk about a text with others, they can also compare their ideas and thoughts and learn from others' perspectives. In short, talking about what they have read is an essential part of the reading process.
Encourage your child to ask questions.
As your child becomes a more independent reader, it's critical to encourage them to ask questions about the text. Questions can clarify understanding and engage your child in active reading. You can model the process if your child has difficulty asking questions. Start by asking your own questions about the text, then encourage your child to ask their own.
Remember, asking questions is a vital part of learning to read, so encourage and support your child in this important skill!
Help your child find books that interest them.
One way to help your child improve their reading comprehension is by finding books that interest them. If they are engaged with the material, they will be more likely to pay attention and understand what they are reading.
Talk to your child about what sorts of things they like to read about and help them find books that match their interests. Once you've found some titles that pique their interest, encourage them to read a little bit every day to see the most significant improvement in their comprehension skills.
Keep Reading!
One of the most important things to remember when trying to improve your child's reading skills is that it takes practice. The more they read, the better readers they will become. It can be challenging to encourage kids who are struggling with reading because it can be frustrating for them. But it's important to remind them that reading is a valuable skill for their education and personal development.
Help your child become a better reader by encouraging them to read every day, finding materials that interest them, and reminding them that it's okay to struggle as long as they keep working hard.