ACTIVITIES TO IMPROVE READING COMPREHENSION

We’ve all experienced it – we finish reading a page in a book and have no idea what
we’ve read. For most advanced readers this is because we are tired or distracted.
However, many young readers struggle with reading comprehension every time they
read. They may “read” the passage perfectly but have no real understanding of the
story. Reading comprehension is an important part of achieving full literacy. If you have
a kiddo struggling with reading comprehension, try some of the following activities.
Read-Aloud Questions
No matter a child’s age, it’s always good to do read-alouds together. One benefit of
reading together is it allows the adult to ask questions along the way. Asking questions
such as, “What do you think will happen next?” or “I wonder why the character did
that?” helps the child to engage with and think critically about the text and allows the
adult to judge how well the passage is being comprehended. Take a look at these
questions to increase reading comprehension from My Story Time Corner.
Story Sequencing
Sequencing is another way you can help a little one gain reading comprehension.
Being able to order the sequence of events in a story is a key component in
understanding plot. There are several ways you can practice story sequencing with
your reader. You could simply have him write a sentence or draw a picture about what
happened at the beginning, middle and end of the story. You could also create these
cute story stones if you wanted to get extra creative. Visit Imagination Soup for
complete story stone instructions.
Retelling
Closely related to story sequencing, retelling is also good practice for achieving reading
comprehension. The rainbow reading bracelet is the perfect tool for gaining proficiency
in retelling. Using colored beads on a bracelet as prompts for retelling (green – get
ready for a few more details) the child learns how to summarize a story in an orderly
fashion. Check out directions for making your own rainbow retelling bracelet at Growing
Book by Book.
Close Reading
Learning to pay careful attention to a text is a skill that doesn’t always come naturally to
beginning readers. Children have to be taught how to look closely at a passage in order
to glean the most details and thus gain a better understanding of the author’s intent.
Teaching a child to reread a passage slowly and thoughtfully will help her better
comprehend what she has read. Close reading with Oreos is a great (and delicious)
way to hone careful reading skills and will have your kiddo begging for more close
reading practice. Visit Who’s Who and Who’s New for details on implementing this fun
activity.
Inferencing
Learning to infer (draw conclusions) is crucial to gaining reading comprehension. There
are many subtleties in stories that the author expects readers to notice; if these
nuances aren’t picked up on the reader may miss important points of the story.
Ashleigh at Ashleigh’s Education Journey uses wordless picture books to demonstrate
this skill. Click on the above link to learn more about using wordless picture books to
teach your child how to make inferences.