What Was That About?

When we are trying to teach our children how to read words and simple texts, we get very caught up in the blending of sounds and learning of sight words ... but we need to remember that comprehending WHAT they read is so important! As your child is reading, they should be doing a few things periodically through the story.

Have them stop every so often and check for understanding in what they are reading - make sure that the story isn't getting by them and that they aren't just reading the words without attaching meaning to what the words are saying.

When they pick the book back up, have them reread a bit to make sure that they are aware of where the story left off and that they aren't missing any important parts :) This is an effective strategy used by most adults in their reading, even though they aren't aware that they are doing it!

These two simple strategies will help your child understand what they are reading - comprehension! Have a conversation to extend their knowledge - this will help them master the thought processes necessary to respond to reading in school - when they have a reading comprehension story to tackle!