Reading Comprehension Skills and Strategies for Better Understanding

What is Meant by Comprehension in English?

Reading is divided into two skills in the National Curriculum: word reading and comprehension. Recognising words on a paper or screen is referred to as word reading. Phonics is frequently employed in English primary schools to assist youngsters with this aspect of reading. But that's just half the story; a child must be able to interpret the words in order to comprehend what they're reading. This is referred to as understanding.

The National Curriculum emphasises comprehension, which is examined in both the Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 SATs (Statutory Assessment Test).

The capacity to read a text and comprehend its content is known as reading comprehension.

Comprehension at School

Throughout primary school, your child will learn about reading comprehension as part of learning to read. From Year 2 onwards, the focus will most likely shift away from phonics and towards comprehension as your child gains confidence with word reading.

Reading Comprehension

How to Help at Home?

You may assist your child with comprehension in a variety of methods that are both simple and effective. Here are a few ideas.

1. Read with your child

Reading with your child will encourage them to enjoy reading, improve their comprehension skills, and develop their own confidence as readers.

Children gain from listening to novels, they can't read yet because they will see and hear innovative language and concepts that they might not have come across in their independent reading. Non-fiction books about topics they care about, as well as longer stories, are excellent for broadening your child's reading horizons.

2. Talk about books, stories, words, and pictures

Asking your child questions about what they're reading can encourage them to think about what they're reading. Ask open-ended questions that begin with the words "how" and "why." Examine the text and illustrations to see if your child can explain how they know the answer.

Early reading abilities are developed by discussing what is happening in a picture, what the characters might be thinking, and what might happen next.

3. Read for a purpose

Your child will most likely need to read for certain objectives as they become older, in addition to reading for pleasure. They read for information, to learn something new, or to discover answers to questions. Practising this can help you succeed in school (not to mention later life).

Your child might be asked to research a topic or find solutions to class questions. You can aid their research abilities by discussing where to go for answers; however, you may need to remind them to look in books and utilise the library in addition to the internet.

Because children are prone to information overload, they will most likely require your assistance in 'searching and sifting' both sites and information in order to make decisions.

4. Decrease subvocalization

When youngsters first start to read, they speak the words softly or whisper them. They read silently at the next level but move their lips as though pronouncing each word. We say the words in our heads as adults, which is known as "subvocalization." Subvocalization, on the other hand, does not assist us to read quicker because we can only talk as fast as we speak.

Take a 50-word-per-minute speaking and reading pace as an example. So, in order to read faster, we must mute that inner voice. How? While reading, listening to music can help. It will affect your comprehension at first. However, you'll soon find that your concentration has improved. Surprisingly, the music that had previously distracted you will now assist you in focusing and learning more quickly.

5. Read a group of words

Beginning with linking syllables, children learn to read. Later, they put words together to form sentences. We frequently come to a halt there. There is, however, a higher level of comprehension: absorbing large groupings of words at once. To get started, follow these steps: With a pencil, split the page into three columns, each with two to four words in a row.

Try reading them all at once, jumping from one column to the next. It's not as difficult as you may believe. You won't need the columns after you get the hang of it. We usually apply the same rule that we used to understand words. We don't read every letter, but we understand the entire phrase. Instead of reading individual words, you are now reading groups of words at the same time.