{"id":239896,"date":"2023-07-21T17:05:49","date_gmt":"2023-07-21T17:05:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/buoyantbloomer.com\/?p=239896"},"modified":"2023-07-21T17:13:38","modified_gmt":"2023-07-21T17:13:38","slug":"reading-comprehension","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buoyantbloomer.com\/reading-comprehension\/","title":{"rendered":"Proven Strategies to Build Reading Comprehension Skills"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
Did you know that reading comprehension gives kids a head start in their learning journey? Do you dream of them breezing through books, comprehending complex passages, and coming up with creative questions about the texts they read? Shut out of a gifted and talented program<\/a> and wondering what you can do to set your child up for success? <\/p>\n\n\n\n Reading comprehension is one of those skills that sets your little one apart from their peers. They\u2019ll benefit not just now but long-term if they master this essential skill early on. To get started, this guide covers all things about true comprehension.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If readers can read the words but do not understand or connect to what they are reading, they are not really reading. Here’s what good readers do:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Phonemic awareness and phonics are the first step in a child\u2019s reading journey, followed by fluency. Our comprehensive phonics guide<\/a> gives you a grounding in the strategies and background knowledge you need to build your child\u2019s literacy foundation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The next big step is fluency. You can get your personal cheatsheet on how to unlock this skill in this guide to fluency in reading<\/a>, after which your child will just have these final steps on their reading journey:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2022 Vocabulary<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2022 Comprehension (woot – what we’re covering today)<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2022 Spelling<\/p>\n\n\n\n As parents, understanding comprehension strategies can help you transform your child’s education. Reading is not just about stringing words together, but about deriving meaning and building knowledge from the text. Encourage your child to interact with the text, asking questions before, during, and after reading. Build their capacity to summarize what they’ve read, and encourage them to visualize the story or information. Comprehension, in essence, is the heart of reading. It’s the tool that unlocks the rich world of literature and information, paving the way for lifelong learning and success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Vocabulary and comprehension are intimately connected, each one paving the way for mastery over the other. A robust vocabulary not only enhances a reader’s ability to understand the text, but also enables them to infer the meaning of new words from the context, thereby deepening their comprehension. Effective comprehension provides a foundation for vocabulary growth, as understanding the context in which words are used allows readers to deduce their meanings and incorporate them into their personal lexicon. This interplay between vocabulary and comprehension forms a critical component of literacy development, driving both academic achievement and a lifelong love for reading.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Many of you know that I am a huge fan of “The Knowledge Gap<\/a>” by Natalie Wexler. Her work is crucial exploration of the education system and its shortcomings in fostering comprehensive literacy development. Wexler argues that most schools focus too much on reading strategies while neglecting knowledge, leading to a significant knowledge gap, especially for economically disadvantaged students. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The book stresses that comprehension is intrinsically linked to background knowledge, touching on the idea that reading is not merely about decoding words but understanding their context. Wexler advocates for a shift in educational focus towards building a strong foundation of knowledge across a broad range of subjects, suggesting that this will not only improve reading comprehension but also level the playing field for all students. Additionally, the book highlights the significant interplay between vocabulary and comprehension, reinforcing the idea that a robust vocabulary can enhance a reader’s understanding and vice versa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Closing the knowledge gap then for me is crucial for ensuring equitable access to education and opportunities. In an increasingly information-driven society, those with strong comprehension skills have a significant advantage in accessing, understanding, and utilizing information effectively. Conversely, those who struggle often find themselves at a disadvantage, both acadically and professionally. I truly believe that addressing the knowledge gap is not just a matter of improving individual skills, but also a crucial step towards creating a fair and inclusive society.<\/p>\n\n\n\n *off my soapbox, back to reading comprehension*<\/p>\n\n\n\n The following section gives an overview of the different strategies your child might encounter in the classroom. This is helpful for you to have when you’re at parent teacher conferences <\/a>and want to know how reading is taught in your child’s classroom. I have a separate section in this guide as well on how parents can support reading comprehension at home. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The process of comprehending text begins before children can read, when someone reads a picture book to them. Building from that baseline, here is a flexible framework of proven steps to develop reading comprehension for when you’re reading with your child. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Using Prior Knowledge\/Previewing<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Previewing is an essential strategy in the process of reading comprehension, especially in a knowledge-rich environment. Before reading a new book, readers are encouraged to tap into their existing knowledge base to make predictions or form an initial understanding of the content. This could involve examining the title, subtitles, pictures, and other text features. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Previewing serves as a contextual anchor, aiding readers in anticipating the subject matter and setting a purpose for reading. By doing this with your child, you foster active engagement with the text, where children are not merely passive receivers of information, but active participants in the learning process. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Predicting<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Predicting involves making an educated guess about what will happen next in the text, based on one’s existing knowledge and the information presented in the text so far. This practice enriches the reading experience by promoting active engagement with the text. As readers formulate and then confirm or adjust their predictions, they are continually processing the text, which deepens understanding and promotes retention of the material. Moreover, this strategy encourages readers to think ahead and create a mental framework for the information that follows, which is particularly useful in a knowledge-rich curriculum where the integration and application of knowledge are key.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Identifying the main idea and summarization<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Identifying the main idea and summarization are two crucial practices that greatly enhance reading comprehension. The practice of identifying the main idea involves discerning the central point or concept that the author wants to convey in the text. It requires readers to sift through the text’s details and understand its overall theme or message, thus improving their ability to extract essential information from the reading material. <\/p>\n\n\n\n On the other hand, summarization requires readers to condense the text, retaining only key points and relevant details, and express them in a concise manner. This activity not only checks their understanding of the text but also aids in memorization and recall of information. Both these strategies foster critical thinking and a deeper engagement with the text, making children active participants in their learning process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Questioning<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Questioning is a strategy that bolsters reading comprehension. As annoying as this may be for parents exhausted at the end of a long day, it has benefits and can be modified to diminishing energy reserves by focusing on just 1-2 questions per stage of reading. <\/p>\n\n\n\n This practice involves readers actively posing queries before, during, and after reading a text. Prior to reading, questions can help set a purpose and generate curiosity. During reading, questioning can aid in identifying connections, contradictions, or ambiguities in the text, enhancing understanding and promoting critical thinking. Post-reading questioning enables reflection and consolidation of gained knowledge. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Retelling<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Retelling improves reading comprehension by encouraging readers to restate the main ideas and supporting details of a text in their own words. In this process, your child reorganizes and integrates the text information, strengthening their understanding and memory of the content. Retelling is not merely regurgitating the exact words of the text, but instead involves synthesizing the information, reflecting understanding, and showcasing the ability to communicate effectively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Enhancing reading comprehension is paramount for students to excel in their academic journey and beyond. From questioning, making connections, visualizing, inferencing, determining importance, to retelling and K-W-L, there are numerous effective strategies that can be employed to bolster comprehension skills. These strategies not only improve the understanding and retention of text but also foster a love for reading in students, making learning an enjoyable and enriching experience. Remember, the goal isn’t just to teach students to read but to help them understand the joy and power that reading can bring to their lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Are you a parent of a potentially gifted 3-6 year old who would benefit from a more comprehensive early childhood learning program? My signature early childhood education course, the Inquisitive Learner Accelerator,<\/a> transforms everyday parents into expert literacy, numeracy, and handwriting guides for their children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This comprehensive course provides insider strategies and step-by-step guidance, all designed to fit into the precious hours between daycare\/afterschool pickup and bedtime<\/strong>. It\u2019s about efficiency and effectiveness, and we\u2019ve got your back. Supplemental learning at home<\/a> gives you a way to advance your child\u2019s academic progress with minimal time and maximum benefits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now, here\u2019s the best part: you can join our exclusive waitlist today. By signing up now, you\u2019ll unlock a special founding member discount and get access to my popular bi-weekly newsletter full of learning hacks you can immediately use. Don\u2019t delay, join the waitlist today<\/a>!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Did you know that reading comprehension gives kids a head start in their learning journey? Do you dream of them breezing through books, comprehending complex passages, and coming up with creative questions about the texts they read? Shut out of a gifted and talented program and wondering what you can do to set your child up for […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":239871,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"off","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[55,66],"tags":[83],"class_list":["post-239896","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-accelerated-learning","category-preschool-at-home","tag-raise-a-reader"],"yoast_head":"\nWhat is reading comprehension anyway?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Essential Components of Reading<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Reading for Meaning <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Reading and Writing: the link between Vocabulary and Comprehension<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Strategies for building reading comprehension<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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A Framework for How Parents Can Develop Reading Comprehension At Home<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Summing up<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Calling parents of potentially gifted 3-6 year olds!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n