Comprehension - Building Understanding - Dr. Scott Smith
Reading comprehension is a transfer skill that happens after the development of language comprehension. It is the ability to remember things and explain things through retelling. This process begins building pathways in the brain early in life. We learn that if we cry we get attention. Sometimes, if we get mad and have a fit we get our own way. There are other memory developments that take more special practice to perfect.
Understanding what we read is so important in our culture, but comprehending starts long before we learn to read. Growing up in the 1960s in a very traditional home it was common to have dinner together. I can remember my parents asking about our day along with them sharing about theirs. Without really realizing it they were teaching my sister and me how to use our memories to recall and retell information we had gained during the day.
Such an easy thing to do, having your child tell you about something they did during the day, can have an immense impact on your child's’ ability to build an understanding of what they read later. If a child cannot tell about events in their lives there is a strong probability they will struggle with reading comprehension later.
Take the time to have your children tell about activities and events during their day. If they are like many kids they will begin by saying, “Oh, nothing,” or “I don’t know.” That is a cue they may be struggling with the skill and you will need to give them some guided assistance. Stay calm, and use questions, “Well didn’t you have lunch?” Help them trigger memories so they can talk about the day. They will build the brain pathways and soon they will be able to tell you all about their day.
Today’s kids have access to so many devices, so use them. Give them your phone and send them out to make a selfie video about an object, flower, animal, or the beach. Have them watch it back and try not to give feedback other than things like, “What a great job.” They will see faults and take the initiative to make changes. Even if they do something completely different they will build upon their skills. You can also have them give you feedback about their video. Ask questions like, “What did you like?”, or “What bothered you about your video?”
Along that same line, have them retell a story in selfie-style. Preschoolers love to retell stories you read to them; just have them record/video it. You will be building stronger pathways in their brain so they will be able to apply them later when they start reading.
These activities are just as helpful for students who are currently struggling with reading comprehension. Asking simple questions about their day or having them tell you about a family event will quickly give you an idea of their language comprehension. Until their language comprehension is strong they will struggle with reading comprehension.
