Reading Scoop of the Week...Reading Comprehension

Reading Comprehension
When you read with your child, ask them questions as they move through the book: Why did Mr. Smith do that? How do you think Suzy feels?
Help your child make text-to-self connections. Ask them how they feel about a situation in the book or what they would do if they were the character in the book.
Help them make text-to-text connections. Ask them: What other stories have you read that talk about going on a trip?
Make sure they are reading at their level. A book that is too hard frustrates a child. A book that's too easy doesn't challenge him.
Set aside at least 20 minutes to read every day.
Help your child find books that they enjoy. This keeps them motivated.
Make reading more important than TV.
Model reading yourself. Children need to see parents read for fun.
Encourage writing. Have children write about what they have read or keep a daily journal.

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So what is the best way for students to learn reading comprehension? That depends on the child. According to The International Reading Association, there is no single method that can successfully teach all children to read. Therefore, teachers must know several methods for teaching reading. They must also know their students so they can balance the methods needed for each child.

Dr. Patricia Edwards, a literacy expert with Michigan State University, says that all teaching methods work for some children — but not all children respond to every program. "When you go into our schools, you have a variety of different kids, and what I have argued vehemently for is that we need to look at what the child needs. We don't teach a method, we teach what the child needs," says Edwards. "It's like when you go to the doctor, he doesn't give you 'global' medicine. He would take your family history and examine you and give you what you need for your condition."

No one method is better than all the others. But there are many proven strategies that help children improve their reading comprehension. These include:

Identifying key elements in a story and summarizing
Predicting
Questioning
Making connections while reading
Using pictures to help figure out the text
Reading at the right level
Writing or journaling
The federal No Child Left Behind Act requires states to develop grade-specific content expectations for all core subjects, including reading. These guidelines provide teachers, parents and students with a detailed, focused list of skills students should know at the end of each grade.

The parent factor
Exposing children to the written word and books early on is crucial to their reading success. Teachers say these activities need to occur well before a child steps foot in a classroom. "When parents and day care providers start at a very early age to teach those concepts of print — what the front of the book is, what the back of the book is, how you hold a book, that the print carries message, that a picture can help you with the understanding and the comprehension of a story — a kindergartener's job is much easier because they have the basic understanding of print and that print carries message," explains Coscarella.

"Parents need to take some responsibility early on for nurturing early literacy," says MSU's Edwards. "Kids who come to school marinated — soaking and dripping in print — are the kids who have a sense of what's going on and will do well in school. Parents have to give their kids the basic skills and work on those building blocks."

Have a great Week,
Mrs. Papp