![]() While it is important to teach children strategies for decoding words, it is essential not to forget to help them develop reading comprehension skills. At KISJ during Reading Workshop, we focus on the idea that "reading is thinking." Reading is so much more than simply recalling sight words and applying word decoding strategies. In order to help children better understand the text they read, we recommend using some of the following strategies at home. 1. Have your child read aloud. This makes him or her go slower, which gives more time to process what is read, which improves reading comprehension. Seeing and hearing the words appeal to both visual and auditory learning styles. 2. Provide the right kinds of books. Make sure your child gets lots of practice reading books at their level (not too easy, and not too hard). Your child should recognize at least 90% of the words in a text without any help. If your child stops often to figure out a word, this makes it difficult to focus on the overall meaning of the story. 3. Reread to build fluency. To gain meaning from text and encourage reading comprehension, your child needs to read quickly and smoothly. This is known as fluency. Rereading familiar books gives your child practice at decoding words quickly, which allows him or her to become more fluent in reading comprehension. 4. Talk to the teacher. If your child is struggling with reading comprehension at home, he or she may need more help with reading - for example, building vocabulary or practicing phonics skills. 5. Supplement class reading. If your child is studying a particular topic in class, look for just-right books or magazines on the topic. Some prior knowledge will help him or her to read more difficult classroom texts and promote reading comprehension. In addition, it is important to keep reading at home in your child's home language in order to help them make connections to material learned in class. 6. Talk about what he or she is reading. This "verbal processing" helps your child remember and think through the themes of the book. Ask questions before, during, and after reading to encourage reading comprehension. For example:
Reference: http://www.scholastic.com/parents/resources/article/developing-reading-skills/improve-reading-comprehension
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AuthorThe Elementary ELL team! Archives
March 2019
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