If you’re an elementary school parent in Ohio, you’ve likely been hearing a lot about the science of reading — a body of research that shows how children learn to read through evidence-based instruction in word recognition and language comprehension — thanks to Ohio’s dyslexia laws.
As we work with our children, we spend a lot of time helping them learn how to accurately read words. But our main goal isn’t just reading accurately. We also want to help them understand what they read.
Components of Reading Comprehension
If reading comprehension is the goal, what do we need to do to get there?
While decoding skills are very important, we don’t want to wait until students are fluent readers to work on comprehension. Starting early, we also need to focus on language comprehension skills that support understanding, even as children are still learning to read. These skills include things like:
Background Knowledge. Your child’s understanding of the world. The more they know about how the world works, the easier it is to understand what they’re reading.
Vocabulary. The words your child understands and uses. A rich vocabulary helps them understand what words mean in context.
Language Structures. Understanding how sentences are put together helps children follow more complex texts.
Verbal Reasoning. The way your child thinks about and understands what words mean can help them make inferences, solve riddles, get jokes, and understand figurative language.
Literacy Knowledge. Knowing how books and written language work, like recognizing story elements and understanding how different genres are organized, helps children make sense of what they’re reading.
Reading Comprehension Strategies to Use at Home
With intentional moments, you can create experiences that help build the language skills needed for strong reading comprehension over time.
Notice Print in the Environment. For young children, point out and talk about familiar signs, labels and logos they see in everyday life. Recognizing environmental print helps them understand that words carry meaning.
Read Aloud to Your Child. Even if your child can read independently, reading aloud helps model fluent reading, exposes them to more complex language, and gives you an opportunity to connect.
Talk About the Books You’re
Reading. Reading aloud to your child is fun, but don’t stop there. Talk about what you’re reading. Ask your child questions and discuss new vocabulary words.
Model Your Thinking. Let your child know how you make sense of what you read. Talk through your process about how you made an inference, visualized a scene, or summarized the story.
Highlight Similarities and Differences. Encourage your child to compare and contrast characters, events, settings, or vocabulary words. You can also support their understanding by helping them group related ideas into categories.
Build Background Knowledge. Expose your child to new ideas and information. Watch a documentary, visit a new place, talk about current events, or choose a read aloud on an unfamiliar topic.
Not only can these strategies help build the language comprehension your child needs to be a strong reader, but they will also build emotional connections with positive
reading experiences— and with you.
Dr. Jennifer Murphy is an independently licensed school psychologist and the Director of Assessment at Achievement Advantage Assessment & Services. She specializes in psychoeducational assessments, focusing on learning differences and executive functioning. Dr. Murphy also volunteers on the advisory council of the Northern Ohio Branch of the International Dyslexia Association (NOBIDA).
