Teaching Reading Comprehension at Home Reading aloud together at home will be one of the strongest methods of teaching reading comprehension. Parents can help by using techniques that help children become active readers.
By: LuAnn Schindler
Teaching reading comprehension at home helps parents determine the level of text their child understands while reading. Comprehension means that a child has mastered the combination of vocabulary, phonics and fluency with cognitive skills. Reading aloud together at home will be one of the strongest methods of enhancing comprehension. Parents can help by using techniques that help children become active readers.
Prior Knowledge
It doesn’t matter if you are reading fiction or non-fiction. Readers who use what they already know to help understand new concepts while reading are developing an understanding between the written word and life experiences. It makes sense. The more you know about a topic, the better you comprehend and learn. Prompt students to consider what they know about the topic of what they are about to read. Predicting a book’s premise, based on its title or illustrations, is a good way to build basic comprehension.
Making Connections
Building a bridge between a story and real life encourages reflection during reading. Ask open ended questions or prompts that require your child to respond and justify why he responded in that way. Prompts, including “I remember when . . .” or “I felt like that character when . . .” help teach your child to connect to the stories he is reading.
Questioning
Simply asking questions about the reading material helps a child to understand important sections of text. You will want to ask questions that deal with concepts mentioned in the reading. “Why?” and “What if?” questions fall into this category.
Parents should also address select content by using questions leading off with “When?” or “How many?” Questions pertaining to sequential order also enforce comprehension. Tie questions together by using the before-during-after method. List any questions prior to reading, answer questions or generate new queries during reading and make a connection after finishing the selection.
Visualizing
Visualize what you are reading by creating a picture or movie in your mind. Draw pictures and talk about what your child sees while he reads. Don’t limit mental pictures to plot; include characters, setting and symbols.
Inferring and Summarizing
Read between the lines and explain what is important. Question your child about the beginning, middle and end of the story. Doing so will help set parameters for sequencing.
Evaluating and Synthesizing
These two skills are the most difficult in the learning hierarchy. Evaluation involves making a judgment about the text. Synthesis involves pulling all elements of comprehension together and putting them in a new light. To build evaluation skills, ask your child what he liked or disliked about the material. Synthesis shows if your child can give the text an original meaning. It’s sometimes considered the “a-ha!” moment.
Parents can help teach reading comprehension at home by modeling reading behaviors. Reading aloud and openly discussing text is a good starting point. And, depending on the age of your child, you can add different strategies to aid with comprehension.
Judith Lee Ladd Gives Advice on the Transition to Middle School
- Don't create unnecessary stress about the transition. Successful students need to know that the same practices that made them successful in elementary school will make them successful as middle-school students, too. Focus on what will remain consistent.
- Begin now to help your child expand his peer contacts and practice good social skills. Too often parents want to keep a child with former classmates because it seems easier than making new friends. This limits a child's growth experience.
- Begin letting your child make decisions about how to spend and use his time (within limits of course) so that he can learn how to build play time or free time, homework, TV, lessons, sports, and social time into each week. Balance is the key!
- Learn how to listen and not take over a situation. Yes, it is often easier to just do it yourself as the parent, but your child will never learn how to solve problems with confidence if you don't let him. Helping your child review the options, and evaluate the pros and cons of the decisions, is critical.
- Build open communication with your child. Even if your child tells your everything now, that will change. Being a good listener keeps these channels open.
- Learn how to communicate with the school. Identify who your contacts will be and practice making connections with the new system and new people in your child's school day. Knowing the ropes will reduce your anxiety.
- Don't be afraid to volunteer at the school to see your child in action. You will quickly recognize the wide range of student differences that characterizes the middle-school years. Even the child who pleads with his parent not to come to school or volunteer usually feels proud of Mom and Dad for being there.
“Why Can’t I Skip My Twenty Minutes of Reading Tonight?”
Let’s figure it out --- mathematically!
Student A reads 20 minutes five nights of every week;
Student B reads only 4 minutes a night… or not at all!
Step 1: Multiply minutes a night x 5 times each week.
Student A reading 20 min. x 5 times a week = 100 minutes/week
Student B reads 4 minutes x 5 times a week = 20 minutes/week
Step 2: Multiply minutes a week x 4 weeks each month.
Student A reads 400 minutes a month.
Student B reads 80 minutes a month.
Step 3: Multiply minutes a month x 9 months/ school year
Student A reads 3600 minutes in a school year.
Student B reads 720 minutes in a school year.
Student A practices reading the equivalent of ten whole school days a year.
Student B get the equivalent of only two school days of reading practice.
By the end of 6th grade if Student A and Student B maintain these same reading habits,
Student A will have read the equivalent of 60 whole school days
Student B will have read the equivalent of only 12 school days.
One would expect the gap of information retained will have widened considerably and so,
undoubtedly, will school performance.
How do you think Student B will think about him/herself as a student?
Some questions to ponder:
Which student would you expect to read better?
Which student would you expect to know more?
Which student would you expect to write better?
Which student would you expect to have a better vocabulary?
Which student would you expect to be more successful in school…
and in life?
Source: U.S. Dept. of Education, America Reads Challenge. (1999) “Start Early, Finish Strong: How to Help Every Child
Become a Reader.” Washington, D.C.
Let’s figure it out --- mathematically!
Student A reads 20 minutes five nights of every week;
Student B reads only 4 minutes a night… or not at all!
Step 1: Multiply minutes a night x 5 times each week.
Student A reading 20 min. x 5 times a week = 100 minutes/week
Student B reads 4 minutes x 5 times a week = 20 minutes/week
Step 2: Multiply minutes a week x 4 weeks each month.
Student A reads 400 minutes a month.
Student B reads 80 minutes a month.
Step 3: Multiply minutes a month x 9 months/ school year
Student A reads 3600 minutes in a school year.
Student B reads 720 minutes in a school year.
Student A practices reading the equivalent of ten whole school days a year.
Student B get the equivalent of only two school days of reading practice.
By the end of 6th grade if Student A and Student B maintain these same reading habits,
Student A will have read the equivalent of 60 whole school days
Student B will have read the equivalent of only 12 school days.
One would expect the gap of information retained will have widened considerably and so,
undoubtedly, will school performance.
How do you think Student B will think about him/herself as a student?
Some questions to ponder:
Which student would you expect to read better?
Which student would you expect to know more?
Which student would you expect to write better?
Which student would you expect to have a better vocabulary?
Which student would you expect to be more successful in school…
and in life?
Source: U.S. Dept. of Education, America Reads Challenge. (1999) “Start Early, Finish Strong: How to Help Every Child
Become a Reader.” Washington, D.C.
ABCs for Parents
(Source: unknown)
Ask your child about the school day.
Begin your child's day with a nourishing breakfast.
Congratulate you child for doing well.
Discuss homework with your child.
Encourage your child to read.
Find a quiet place for your child to study.
Give your child responsibility.
Hug your child to build self worth.
Include your child in making simple family decisions.
Join a library with your child.
Keep your child on a schedule that includes exercise and sleep.
Limit TV viewing by selecting programs with your child.
Make the time you spend with your child special.
Notice and discuss changes in your child's behavior.
Offer to help your child organize school papers.
Provide your child with good role models.
Question the activities your child shares with friends.
Respect your child's right to have opinions different from yours.
Share an interest or a hobby with your child.
Take time to listen to your child.
Urge your child to say "NO!" to unwanted touching.
Visit places of interest with your child.
Work with your child to set up rules of behavior.
Xerox and save records or articles that benefit your child.
Yield results by encouraging your child to do better.
Zoom through these ABCs again and again!
Which Parent Will I Be?
"I got two A's," the small boy cried.
His voice was filled with glee.
His father very bluntly asked,
"Why didn't you get three?"
"Mom, I've got the dishes done,"
The girl called from the door.
Her mother very calmly said,
"Did you sweep the floor?"
"I've mowed the grass," the tall boy said,
"And put the mower away."
His father asked him, with a shrug,
"Did you clean off the clay?"
The children in the house next door
Seem happy and content.
The same thing happened over there,
And this is how it went.
"I got two A's," the small boy cried,
His voice was filled with glee.
His father proudly said, "That's great;
I'm glad you belong to me!"
"Mom, I've got the dishes done,"
The girl called from the door,
Her mother smiled and softly said,
"Each day I love you more."
"I've mowed the grass," the tall boy said,
"And put the mower away."
His father answered with much joy,
"You've made my happy day."
Children deserve a little praise
For tasks they're asked to do.
If they're to lead a happy life,
So much depends on you !
Author Unknown
"I got two A's," the small boy cried.
His voice was filled with glee.
His father very bluntly asked,
"Why didn't you get three?"
"Mom, I've got the dishes done,"
The girl called from the door.
Her mother very calmly said,
"Did you sweep the floor?"
"I've mowed the grass," the tall boy said,
"And put the mower away."
His father asked him, with a shrug,
"Did you clean off the clay?"
The children in the house next door
Seem happy and content.
The same thing happened over there,
And this is how it went.
"I got two A's," the small boy cried,
His voice was filled with glee.
His father proudly said, "That's great;
I'm glad you belong to me!"
"Mom, I've got the dishes done,"
The girl called from the door,
Her mother smiled and softly said,
"Each day I love you more."
"I've mowed the grass," the tall boy said,
"And put the mower away."
His father answered with much joy,
"You've made my happy day."
Children deserve a little praise
For tasks they're asked to do.
If they're to lead a happy life,
So much depends on you !
Author Unknown
graphicshunt.com
Websites for Parents:
http://kidshealth.org/parent/
http://www.bookadventure.org/pa/index.asp
http://www.louisianaschools.net/
http://www.crayola.com/parents/index.cfm?n_id=4
http://life.familyeducation.com/parenting-preteens-children/elementary-school/42867.html?detoured=1
