| Tips > Reading Tips |
|
Reading Skills - How Can I Improve My Son's Reading Skills? TutorGiant.com
Does it seem strange that your child understands some literature and not others? A child’s choice for books at home may be hindering his reading comprehension in school. All too often, students are reading books well below their reading level. For example, it is common to find grade 5 students reading graphic novels that are at a grade 3 reading level (there’s nothing wrong with graphic novels, at the appropriate level they are great tools for learning). When these students are exposed to grade 5 or grade 6 level books in class, they are at a loss. It is hard for them to infer (critically think), compare and contrast, analyze characters, see connections in the plot, or perform other higher order thinking skills. In other cases, students (especially boys) are just not all that interested in the content of the literature. Unfortunately, such themes as friendship, love, and interpersonal relationships are not as compelling as non-fiction, According to the New Zealand Council for Educational Research in Wellington, Hansen,S. (2002) “Writing Sux!” states that, “studies show that boys and girls like to read different types of books. Girls prefer romance and poetry, while boys prefer sports, technology, science fiction, and adventure.” Quite often, a complete lack of interest by is mistaken for a lack of ability. How do you solve these problems? 1. Choose books at the appropriate reading level. You can simply ask your child’s teacher for some guidance to find reading material that suits your child’s level. Clearly, your child will learn new vocabulary, themes, concepts, and improve comprehension when he reads books at his level. 2. Ask your child ‘opposite gender’ types of questions. For example, if your son likes sports and prefers to read books on baseball, try to ask him questions that could be asked in a fiction story. That is, assume he is reading an article about a great baseball player. You could ask him, “How do you think his wife and kids felt being home while he (the baseball player) went on road trips for most of the year?” This is the type of thinking that your son probably wouldn’t think on his own yet it is exactly the type of question that he would be asked in school. Ultimately, you want to have your son start to think differently about what he reads. The same can apply to your daughter who only reads poetry or romance. Be creative! Find ways to open your child’s mind to different perspectives. 3. Show your son how to become interested. Let’s say your son is reading a book in school about a family or friendship that is in conflict. Ask him what the story is about. Perhaps the story involves some aspect of sports, technology, history, (or something else your son is interested in). Then, go online or to the library and read up on that topic. Get your son to find some aspect of the ‘boring’ story and make it exciting. ©Tutorgiant.com Tutorgiant.com provides complete Reading Comprehension lessons with worksheets. See some of the lessons in our video library. |
  |
