5 Tips to Improve Reading Comprehension of Kids

Reading is an essential skill for linguistic and academic development, along with writing and speaking. Reading comprehension refers to one’s ability to understand the text as one reads it. Some students comprehend well while for some, it takes two or three rounds of reading to understand what the text is saying.

Children can face challenges when learning how to read. As a parent, you should give the necessary personal attention to help your kid with reading comprehension. If you want to teach them how to learn from books and support their reading journey, this blog is for you.

1. Visualize Stories

One of the best ways to improve reading comprehension for UKG is to visualize what they read. Young kids relate to pictures and stories more than alphabets. By associating each sentence with a mental image, kids understand what they are reading and think of it as a fun activity.

To get them started, you can read along with them and describe each book in the form of a story. Pick a success booster book appropriate for your child’s creative and imaginative boundaries. Next, read out to them and encourage them to form their own images. You can also create simple drawings and doodles to bring out the story in a book. Or choose a book that is heavy on images with simple, easy-to-understand words.

2. Encourage Them To Read Aloud

Reading aloud makes children pronounce every word clearly and understand it along the way. Most kids skim through difficult words and never bother understanding them, especially when reading for themselves. By asking them to read aloud, you can track their performance and correct their errors. Moreover, children get to pause and hear the sentences.

Reading aloud also allows you to ask them questions. “What did the elephant do in the last sentence?” or “Can you explain what happened on the last page?” are a few examples you can use to probe their understanding. If they have trouble answering a question, you can reiterate the page using simpler words and help improve sentence reading for UKG.

3. Evaluate Reading Problems

Though reading is difficult at first, some children develop reading problems that become a habit if left unchecked. By making them read age-appropriate material, like English reading books for class 1, you can try detecting problems. Problems can range from wrong pronunciation and poor vision to even concentration troubles like ADHD. Whatever the issue is, it is best to address it early.

The only way to spot reading problems in children is to participate in their reading activity. Make sure to free up your time regularly and read with your child. Carefully evaluate their reading style, speed, and concentration levels. Do they repeatedly mispronounce the same word? Does correcting them improve the situation? Questions like these let you gauge the severity of the issue and get the required help for your kid.

4. Read Along With Play

One of the best ways children learn is through play. Using fun activities and toys, you can plan games around reading. For example, hopscotch with synonyms or a treasure hunt with flashcards helps build vocabulary along with being fun. Additionally, you can use your smartphone to find suitable apps that combine reading with play.

Another method for parents to encourage children to learn from books is by setting the games as rewards. Set game times depending on how much they read and how well they concentrated. Remember, their focus and understanding are more important than the number of books they read.

5. Make Them Listen

Listening, rather than reading sentences for UKG, makes it easier for children to process information. But while reading aloud isn’t always possible, you can use pre-recorded audiobooks made for young kids. These audiobooks give a voice to the sentences, and kids can comprehend the mood of a story based on the tone and voice modulation.

You can record their voice and play it back for slightly older kids. Work with them to spot their mistakes and ask them where they wish to improve. This not only builds reading comprehension but also introduces them to self-evaluation.

Help Them Without Comparison

Reading and comprehending are two skills that come with their own set of challenges. While it is natural to face difficulties, some kids might find it more complicated than others. As a parent, it is important that you provide them with unconditional support. It is best to refrain from comparison with their peers and let them continue their own reading journey.

Conclusion

Parents play an essential role in a child’s learning phase. Teaching them how to read and comprehend what they have read is foundational for their academic growth. Using the above tips, you can help your child with paragraph reading for UKG while improving their comprehension skills. Focusing on reading comprehension in the early years of your child’s education would help them become better at self-learning later in their academic life.

At LEAD Powered Schools, we pay special attention to activities and strategies to improve kids’ reading comprehension, not only in English but also in other languages taught in the schools. We aim to focus on the 360-degree development of all the students learning in LEAD Powered Schools.