Reading comprehension        

Syndicated column from The Parent Institute

[DEC. 2, 2005]  Q: My daughter struggles with reading assignments. I know this is hurting her grades. She certainly knows how to read, but I think she needs help with reading comprehension. She has trouble understanding textbooks. How can I help her?

A: Your daughter has finally finished reading an assigned chapter in her textbook. She closes the book. Yes, she read it. But to learn if she understood what she just read, she should be able to answer these questions:

• What are the main ideas presented in the chapter?

• What are the supporting details for these ideas?

• How do these ideas compare with what I've learned in the past?

• What are the conclusions presented in the chapter?

If she can't answer questions such as these, she may need to read textbooks in a different way. Here is a system for her to try:

• Flip through the chapter before doing reading it. Look at headings, photos and words in bold or italics. Have her think of questions about the material. It helps to turn headings into who, what, when, where, how and why questions. Skim through the questions at the end of the chapter.

• Read the assignment carefully. She can go a little faster on sections she finds easy. She may need to read difficult sections a few times. She might also try reading aloud. Since it takes longer to read words out loud, your daughter might have more time to "process" the meaning of what she's reading. Can your daughter find answers to her own questions? Suggest that she take notes and highlight key sections.

• Restate what she's learned in her own words. She should focus on the most important points of the lesson.

• Try to answer the questions at the end of the chapter. She should continue reviewing them until she can answer all of them.

You're right to be concerned. Poor reading makes learning difficult. Comprehension is not only the ability required to fully understand what she has read. It also includes more advanced skills such as being able to draw conclusions based on the reading material. Encourage reading as a daily family activity.

[The Parent Institute]

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Copyright 2005, The Parent Institute.

"Ask the Learning Advisor -- Ideas for Raising Successful Children" is a free, syndicated column from the Parent Institute.