Reading is an ability many people take for granted, but the act of reading and properly comprehending a text is a dynamic and interactive process. It needs several different brain functions to work together and most frequently requires one to puzzle through several layers of context and meaning.
Since reading comprehension is so difficult, we can sometimes find ourselves knowing the most simple meaning of a text but lacking the emotional essence of the big picture. Or we may just find our minds spinning with no idea at all as to what a text is attempting to communicate.
It can impact students’ success in many subjects when they have difficulty reading. Weak skills and understanding of reading can lead to dissatisfaction, low self-confidence, and poor grades.
Yet reading and understanding challenges are something that can be strengthened with daily practice. Your child will develop abilities that will help enhance his or her reading skills and understanding through learning to read effectively.
What Is Reading Comprehension?
Understanding reading is the capacity to read a sentence and comprehend its meaning. It is the ability to look at written words and to process the meaning or ideas behind them.
Understanding reading is not about understanding a single word or its context. It is the ability to identify terms, phrases, and paragraphs and make sense of the overall meaning.
1. Find books that interest your child.
Picking out books that speak directly to your child’s interests sounds easy, but do not pick the book yourself. Let your child explore different books, and maybe your kid can have an interest in other books that you didn’t consider before.
2. Read aloud.
Hearing the words out loud allows many kids to have a clearer understanding of what they read than they would get in their mind when reading. Encourage your child to read aloud if a certain part of a book or a single word is struggling with him or her.
3. Listen to audiobooks.
Audiobooks provide similar benefits when reading aloud, particularly when it’s a family activity. You can use audiobooks anywhere, like in the car on road trips or even while walking around the area.
Kids learn the proper pronunciation of new words. Actors with crisp enunciation read many audiobooks, and children will learn how reading with language brings a book to life. If you buy an audiobook online, not only does it include a synopsis of the content, but it also contains a summary of the narrator’s reading style, which helps you to get an idea of what the book is going to sound like.
4. Re-read difficult sections.
Revisiting the frustrating sections for your child (or that may just need a quick refresh) will help your child get a full image of what he or she is learning. It also helps ensure that your child is able to comprehend the next content in the book.
5. Discussion about the story.
Yet reading and understanding challenges are something that can be strengthened with daily practice. Your child will develop abilities that will help enhance his or her reading skills and understanding through learning to read effectively.
When your child’s reading is over, chat about what he or she was reading. Ask your child what he or she has learned and his or her ideas. By this, you can see if your child has learned something or if he or she understand the text. For longer reading materials, such as book novels, ask questions that you and your child will explore together after each reading session.
6. Recap and summarize the main points.
When you speak to your child about the material, ask him or her to recap and summarize the key points. Explaining what your child has heard in his or her own terms helps ensure that your child knows what has been read. It also helps to connect the information to what he or she already knows.
7. Identify reading problems.
If your child is struggling to read continuously, look for red flags that he or she might have. Dyslexia is common, with up to 5 students in the classroom suffering from some kind of reading difficulty. If your child appears to be struggling with reading without any progress, it’s important to know if he or she has a reading problem so that you can take action to solve it.
8. Get a reading tutor.
Improving your child’s reading skills and understanding is something you should do at home every day. In the case of students who need an extra boost, a reading tutor will help develop these skills even further.
Thankfully, the Dicker Reading program is here to help and enhance your child’s ability to read and comprehend texts. With online reading tutoring, your child can learn even at home. They do not need to go to the reading center or meet their reading tutor. They can do it virtually without hassle!
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