Reading comprehension is one of the most important skills that a child can learn. It is the ability to understand and remember what is read. It is a complex process that involves several different skills, such as decoding, fluency, and background knowledge.
Unfortunately, reading comprehension is often taught in a way that is ineffective and does not take into account the different ways that children learn. In this blog post, we will discuss reading comprehension strategies for every classroom.
Why teachers should focus on reading comprehension
Reading is such a joy! It can take us to different worlds, teach us new things, and give us a break from reality. But did you know that there's more to reading than just sitting down with a book and turning the pages?
In order to become a fluent reader, there are three important things you need: decoding skills, fluency, and background knowledge. Decoding skills are all about being able to read the words on the page. Fluency is being able to read those words smoothly and quickly. And background knowledge is knowing all the stuff that you need to know in order to understand what you're reading.
If you want to become a better reader, work on developing all three of these things. With a little practice, you'll be reading like a pro in no time!
3 Reading Comprehension Strategies For Every Classroom
When it comes to teaching reading comprehension, there are a number of strategies that can be used in the classroom to help students better understand what they are reading. Some of these strategies include:
asking questions
having students summarize what they have read
having students make connections to their own lives.
Asking questions
When you're reading a text, it's important to ask yourself questions to ensure that you understand what you're reading. Doing this will also help you to remember the information better. Here are some tips on how to ask questions when you're reading:
- Preview the text before you start reading. This will give you a good idea of what the text is about and what you should be looking for.
- As you're reading, stop periodically to ask yourself questions about the text. You can ask yourself questions about the main idea, key concepts, characters, plot, etc.
- After you finish reading, take some time to reflect on what you've read. You can ask yourself questions about your overall understanding of the text, what you liked or didn't like, etc.
Asking questions while you're reading can be used as an assessment tool as well. By spotting issues early, you can determine the next course of action.
Having students summarize what they have read
When you assign your students a text to read, you can have them summarize what they have read in a short, 1-2 paragraph write-up or they can tell you verbally. This is a great way to check for understanding and to ensure that your students are engaged with the material. Moreover, it allows you to provide feedback and help the student where they lack.
Students make connections to their own lives.
One of the best things about teaching is seeing students make connections to their own lives. When they're able to see how what they're learning applies to them, it really brings the material to life.
There are a few things you can do to encourage this kind of connection-making. First, make sure to give examples that are relevant to your students' lives. Second, provide opportunities for them to share their own experiences. And finally, encourage them to think about how the material applies to their own lives outside of class.
When students are able to make connections to their own lives with the text they are reading, they are better able to understand and retain the information. This can be a difficult task for some students, so it is important to provide scaffolding and support.
One way to do this is to provide sentence starters or frame questions that will help students make connections. For example, if you are reading a text about a character who is experiencing a difficult time at home, you might provide sentence starters like, "I have felt like this before when...." or "This reminds me of a time when...."
How to improve reading comprehension
There are many other strategies you can use to support your students' reading comprehension. If you're looking for more ideas, try our reading comprehension worksheets for 1st - 3rd grade.
As the students become more familiar with the text, the teacher can provide less and less support. Eventually, the students will be able to read and comprehend the text on their own.
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