Comprehension Strategies That Work: How to Improve Your Child’s Reading Skills

What Is Reading Comprehension?

Reading comprehension is the ability to understand, interpret, and engage with a text. Comprehension strategies go beyond recognizing words. Strong readers make connections, analyze information, and think critically about what they read. Developing good comprehension skills is essential for academic success, improved vocabulary, and overall literacy development.

Key Skills Needed for Strong Reading Comprehension

To improve reading comprehension, children must develop several essential skills:

1. Vocabulary Development

A strong vocabulary helps readers understand the meaning of words in context. Children with a larger vocabulary can comprehend more complex texts and make better inferences. Reading books, engaging in conversations, and playing word games are great ways to build vocabulary.

2. Background Knowledge

Prior knowledge about a subject helps readers make sense of new information. The more a child knows about a topic, the easier it is for them to understand related reading materials. Exposing children to a variety of experiences—such as visiting museums, watching documentaries, and discussing current events—can enhance their background knowledge.

3. Active Comprehension Monitoring

Good readers actively engage with the text by asking questions, summarizing key points, and clarifying difficult passages. Teaching kids to stop and reflect while reading improves their ability to retain and understand information.

3 Effective Comprehension Activities for Parents and Kids

If you’re wondering how to improve reading comprehension at home, try these engaging comprehension strategies to help your child strengthen their skills:

1. Story Retelling for Better Recall

After reading a book or passage, ask your child to retell the story in their own words. Encourage them to include key details, the main idea, and important events. You can guide them with questions like:

• What happened at the beginning, middle, and end?
• What was the main problem in the story?
• How did the character solve the problem?
• What was your favorite part, and why?

This activity enhances reading retention, improves sequencing skills, and helps children practice summarizing information.

2. Making Connections to Enhance Understanding

Help your child relate the text to their own experiences, other books, or real-world events. Ask questions like:

• Does this remind you of something that happened to you?
• Have you read another book with a similar theme?
• How does this story relate to something happening in the world?

Making connections helps deepen comprehension by linking new information to existing knowledge, making reading more meaningful.

3. Stop and Predict to Improve Critical Thinking

While reading, pause at different points and ask your child to predict what might happen next. Try these prompts:

• What do you think the character will do next?
• How do you think the story will end?
• What clues in the story helped you make that prediction?

Predicting keeps children engaged, encourages critical thinking, and teaches them to use context clues for better comprehension.

Final Thoughts: Helping Your Child Become a Stronger Reader

Improving reading comprehension takes practice, but with the right comprehension strategies, parents can help their children develop stronger literacy skills. By focusing on vocabulary, background knowledge, and active reading strategies, kids will become more confident and engaged readers.

Try these reading comprehension strategies at home and watch your child’s understanding and love for reading grow!

Is Your Child Struggling with Reading? We Can Help!

If your child has difficulty with reading comprehension or dyslexia, Apricot Tree Academy offers a specialized dyslexia intervention program designed to help struggling readers build confidence and skills. Our research-based approach provides structured literacy support tailored to your child’s needs.

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Let’s work together to unlock your child’s full reading potential!