Your child can read a story, tell you it was great, and even tell you a bit about the plot or the main idea, but he or she may not fully understand all aspects of the story.
You can find out if your child truly understands a story (understanding the elements of a story involve many curriculum standards and expectations).
Here is a list of some strategies you can use in order to determine if your child comprehends a story.
There is nothing wrong at all with a child reading a book for the second or third time. We have all read articles or books more than once and we can agree that we gain different insight when we read something more than once. It is important for your child to read a new book in this case because you will able to determine your child's true comprehension with new text. So, try to have your child read a new book in order for you to gain honest insight as to whether or not your child understands the story.
Character, Plot, Setting
Characters First, have your child tell you who the characters are in the story. Ask your child about the characters. Ask your child what the characters' goals are, what their personalities are like, and about their relationships.
Character Development This is a difficult concept for students to express. Ask your child about the main character's problem and personality in the beginning of the story. Ask your child how the character's personality has changed throughout the story. For example, a character may be developing more confidence, a greater sense of family, self awareness, courage, etc...
Plot Have your child explain the plot (i.e. the actual story) to you. Make sure your child tells you about the storyline in chronological order. They should include the problem (which is usually at the beginning), the main events in order, and the ending (i.e. how the problem was solved).
Setting Your child should be able to tell you the locations of the events of the story. Your child doesn't have to tell you every single location; rather, he or she should tell you the locations of the main events.
Details
Ask your child specific questions that require detailed answers. Randomly ask your child questions in order to find out more about the story. When your child doesn't give you detailed answers, ask him again for more detail.
You can use these recommendations whenever your child reads any story regardless of your child's age. These strategies are applicable from Dr. Seuss to Shakespeare.
