Comprehension Strategies
Helpful tips and tools to help your child's comprehension
What is comprehension?
Common Problems
How can I help my child?
Comprehension Strategies
Before Reading: Wondering
Wondering is a pre-reading strategy that you can use with your child before reading a book. You can ask your child what they 'wonder' what the book will be about just by reading the title, blurb on the back and looking at the illustrations on the cover. This is a quick pre-reading strategy that should take a minute or two. It is important that your child makes predictions and wonderings before reading a text to get them thinking about it before reading.
During Reading: Visualizing
While you are reading with your child you can ask them to stop and visualize, or paint a picture in their mind of what is happening in the story. Sometimes it is fun for the reader to listen to a story without having the pictures being shown to them. You can ask your reader, 'What do you visualize is happening right now? Why do you think that?'. Visualizing can be challenging so it is important to practice and model it often. Visualizing will help your child to comprehend what is happening in the book while you are reading.
After Reading: Retelling
When the story is over close the book and ask your child to retell the story, or ask what is happening in the beginning, middle, and end of the book. If they are struggling you can open up to the beginning and show your reader the pictures to help guide them on what is happening in the story. You can also hold up your fingers to demonstrate, the beginning, middle and end.