Reading is not just about saying the words on the page. Understanding the story is just as important.
The good news? You can build reading comprehension simply by talking about the story together.
🌟 5 Easy Ways To Build Comprehension
1. 🔮 Predict
Before reading, ask: "What do you think this story will be about?"
2. 💭 Ask Questions
While reading, ask: "What do you think will happen next?"
3. 📖 Retell
After reading, ask: "What happened first, next, and last?"
4. ❤️ Make Connections
Ask: "Has something like this ever happened to you?"
5. 💡 Find The Big Idea
Ask: "What was this story trying to teach us?"
A young child's answer might be as simple as "be kind", "don't give up" or "help your friends". And that is comprehension.
📚 Stories Worth Talking About
These questions work best with a story that actually has something to say. Every one of our story books is built around one simple idea a child can name afterwards, which makes that last question easy to answer. Be a Friend is a good one to start with, because "what does being a good friend look like?" is a conversation most children want to have.
🏡 Perfect For Homeschoolers, Too
These five simple questions can turn any storybook into a reading-comprehension lesson, with no complicated lesson plan required.
Don't just ask, "Can my child read this?" Ask, "Does my child understand this?" ❤️
