Comprehension is Key!

Adults face comprehension barriers just as children do. Just because we know how to read words on a page does not mean we comprehend what we are reading. Understanding things that inhibit and/or aid reading comprehension can help children grow and become readers that don't just know the words but also construct meaning. The construction of meaning is after all the whole point of words right? The following is a list of possible things to consider when teaching comprehension to children.

Do's

Make Connections
When a child is taught to connect words with ideas about things they already know or things they would like to know more about then comprehension is more likely to take place.

Ask Questions
Before and after reading with students get them to think about questions they have about the text. A good reader is always asking questions.

Vocabulary
Ask students to identify words they don't know and help them to define the word with concrete examples.

Mind Movies
This is a great way to get kids to use their imaginations constructively. In the Gregory article children use mind movies to visualize what is happening in the story and then to relate back and see if what they visualized was in the text.