Focus on Learning  

Reading for Comprehension

Comprehension is the reason for reading. If readers can read the words but do not understand or connect to what they are reading, they are not really reading. Good readers are both purposeful and active, and have the skills to absorb what they read, analyze it, make sense of it, and make it their own.

In the context of effective reading instruction for the early years, it is important to understand that while students are learning the alphabet the majority of comprehension instruction should focus on oral language.  

We need to be reading to or with our children!

Strong readers think actively as they read. They use their experiences and knowledge of the world, vocabulary, language structure, and reading strategies to make sense of the text and know how to get the most out of it. They know when they have problems with understanding and what thinking strategies to use to resolve these problems when they pop up.

Parents play a critical role in helping their children develop their comprehension skills. Reading research has shown that children who were exposed to more storybooks showed a greater inclination to read for pleasure and in turn, had more advanced literacy skills as adolescents.

What can you do at home? 

Prioritise a 10-15 minute break in your busy day for reading.

1. Have your Child  Read Aloud

This encourages them to go slower, which gives them more time to process what they read and in turn improves reading comprehension. Plus, they're not only seeing the words — they're hearing them, too! You can also take turns reading aloud.

2. Provide Books at the Right Level

Make sure your school-aged reader gets lots of practice reading books that aren't too hard. They should recognize at least 90 percent of the words without any help. Stopping any more often than that to figure out a word makes it tough for kids 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 — a skill known as fluency. Rereading familiar, simple books gives your child practice at decoding words quickly, so they'll become more fluent in their reading comprehension.

4. Talk About What They're Reading

This "verbal processing" helps them remember and think through the themes of the book. Ask questions before, during, and after a session to encourage reading comprehension. For example: 

• Before: "What are you interested in about this book? What doesn't interest you?" 
• During: "What's going on in the book? Is it turning out the way you thought it would? What do you think will happen next?" 
• After: "Can you summarize the book? What did you like about it? What other books does it remind you of?"