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Step 1
In order for children to build comprehension they first have to learn how to paraphrase a chapter or a paragraph. The more they paraphrase the more they are put in a position to search for meaning and understanding. Simply reading a book does not build comprehension it's reading then explaining the meaning behind the story that causes them to comprehend the message.
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Step 2
Focus on your child's vocabulary skills as this is another crucial skill to master when improving your child's reading comprehension. They can not find meaning in sentences if their vocabulary skills are weak. Playing word games such as scrabble or writing words on flash cards then asking them to create sentences from those words, really helps them build their ability to articulate themselves when they are put in a position to create meaning with limited words, which increases comprehension by causing them to be creative by forcing them to critically think.
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Step 3
Repetition is the mother of skill, put aside at least 30 minutes everyday to read or work on vocabulary. The more the child is exposed reading and then finding meaning from what they've read, the higher the level of comprehension they acquire.
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Step 4
As you can see improving your child's comprehension is like building any other skill. It takes time practice and exposure to multiple activities to foster a fertile environment for building competence.
