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Comprehension is understanding the meaning of what you read. Children from a very early age can begin thinking about what they have just read and tell you what a story is about. When children read, they must turn their “minds on” and actively think about the meaning of what they are reading.
The goal is for children to understand the books they read and the books that are read to them. They should be able to answer questions about the story and find evidence by flipping through the book’s pages to point out and prove their answer.
They show their understanding by retelling about the characters, setting and important events from the story. If the book is nonfiction, they can describe important facts from the book. They can even act out a story.
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Reading at home for enjoyment is the best and easiest daily routine you can do to help strengthen your child’s understanding of stories. Asking simple questions about the characters and talking about the best parts of a book gets your child thinking about the story and making connections to their own life.
Conversations about books should be fun. Quizzing a child for correct answers after reading their favorite book can suck the joy out of the reading experience. Instead, try to ask questions from a place of curiosity and wanting to know what your child thinks. This makes them feel that their opinions and thoughts have value.
After reading a story, use your hand to help you remember the most important elements of the story. This technique can be used for people ages 4 to 94!
When reading with your child, a great technique is to pause after a few pages and check in to see if your child is truly grasping what they are reading. Asking open-ended questions allows them to explain their thinking. If what they tell you does not match the story, you can help redirect them back on track:
You say, “Did you see the wolf dressed up in the grandmother’s clothing? Why is the wolf doing this?”
Your child says, “I don’t know….Maybe the wolf likes dressing up.”
You say, “Do you see the wolf licking his lips and drooling? What does it mean when you see our dog doing that? Do you think the wolf is hungry? What might the wolf be trying to do?”
Allow your child enough undisturbed “think time” to process what is happening. If you ask a question about the story, let them look at the pages and take a few moments to think, at least 3 seconds. We typically only wait one second before jumping in with the answer. Providing answers too quickly takes away a child’s “thinking time,” robbing them of the opportunity to form conclusions on their own.
It’s easy to fall into the trap of always asking simple, straight-forward questions that elicit one word answers about your child’s reading. These are questions such as “Who is the main character?”
Instead, try asking a question that stretches your child’s thinking and allows them to explain their feelings. “Did you agree with what the character did? What would you have done?”
This taps into higher-level critical thinking skills, deepening their comprehension while giving you a window into their thoughts.
As your young reader matures, they can demonstrate their understanding in more sophisticated ways. When asking them questions from the story, ask them to prove their answers by showing you the pages and words that describe the event.
Books are the best way to expose children to new vocabulary, stories and higher-level thinking skills. But reading on their own is not the only way to access stories.