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Tips for improving your child's reading comprehension

For ALL struggling readers
 

Friendly Phonics

Coming soon

FREE worksheets reinforce the concepts taught in this book. To view the worksheets, click here.

(Even if you do not buy the book, you are strongly encouraged to use these worksheets with your child to improve his word analysis skills.)

 
 
  
 
For beginning readers
 

Simple short-vowel stories and large, bright pictures make learning to read fun.

FREE worksheets for these books are located on this site instead of mailed with the books. To view the worksheets, click here.

For first graders
 
 

Let your child e xperience the excitement of reading a whole book independently!

Questions for these books are printed right in the back of each book.

 

Bible Stories for Early Readers - Level 3
$24.95

These books are just a bit harder than Level 2.

Questions for these books are printed right in the back of each book.

For second graders
 
 

Satisfy curiosity while reading an entire book in one sitting!

The reading comprehension/study guide is included with the set.

To purchase these books individually, click here.

 

      

The following books all come with free reading comprehension/study guides.
For additional pages to go with these books, click here.

For third and fourth graders
 
 

The Land Beyond the Setting Sun
$14.95

The life of Sacagawea is a great choice for a girl's first biography.

 

 

Unfading Beauty
$14.95

Dolley Madison, a truly great First Lady, is also a great choice for a girl's first biography.

 

 

History is definitely not boring in this beautifully illustrated, action-packed retelling of the writing of our national anthem.

 

The Legend of the Teddy Bear
$16.95

The true story of the origin of Teddy's bear is a delight to read, easy to write about, and fun to share orally. A great book for a first book report.

For fourth graders
 

 

Science is exciting as you travel with Col. James Irwin to the moon and drive the first moon car. A great book for boys (and girls, too)!

     

The following books all come with free reading comprehension/study guides.
For additional pages to go with these books, click here.

For fifth graders
 
 

After the Civil War, life was hard and racial tensions were high. Read the amazing story of a most resourceful man who helped to forever change the history of the South.

 

The President gave him an almost impossible assignment.

His mission? To boldly go where no explorer had gone before, cross the continent to the Pacific Ocean, and return to give a full report of the land and its bounty.

 

An American woman taking care of thousands of orphans in Egypt all by herself? Sometimes the truth is more amazing than fiction.

 

She was wanted, dead or alive, and there were many who would have preferred her dead. But she never quit risking her life to save the lives of others.

 

A pioneer, teacher, farmer's wife, and storyteller, Laura Ingalls Wilder experienced one of the most exciting times in American history - history that this gifted writer brought to life for millions and preserved for generations to come.
 
    
For sixth graders
 

 

Alone, yet not Alone
$14.95 (study guide incld.)

The Leininger family settled deep within America's new frontier in the Blue Mountains of Pennsylvania. A sudden Indian raid changed their lives forever. This story retells the heroic and daring escape of Barbara Leininger, and the touching reunion with her sister, Regina, after nine years.

      

 

Tips for improving your child's reading comprehension

  • Listen to your child read aloud.
    • If your child stumbles frequently or mispronounces a number of words, the material may be too hard for him. It may be best to switch to something easier. If he must read the material because it is an assignment, take the time to help him learn to read the words causing problems. Then he should reread the material paying attention to the content.
    • If your child reads in a frantic rush, have him slow down and read at a rate more comfortable to listeners.
    • If your child reads very slowly, pausing often to sound out words, he needs to read the material several times. This will allow him to become comfortable enough with the words to concentrate on comprehension.

      Just think what it would be like if someone asked you to write an essay with your other hand. If you are right handed, you would have to write with your left hand. You would be busy just trying to hold the pen and make the letters properly. It would be so hard to pay attention to the content of the essay, the grammar, spelling and punctuation all at the same time! So it is with children who are learning to read and those who are encountering more difficult material for the first time. They may become so occupied with the task of just figuring out the words that they totally forget about remembering the content.

    • Your child should be looking for meaning every time he reads because everything is written for a reason. A joke is written to make others laugh. Poetry is often written to share an emotion. Prose is written to tell a story or give information. They were all written for a reason.
    • If your child reads well orally but cannot tell you a single thing about the words his mouth said, he is reading on "autopilot." He is doing the same thing you would be doing if you read aloud, "Glorp haj wibben." Your nicely trained brain assigned a pronunciation to each word and your mouth obediently said it without you actually thinking much about it. Your child needs to turn off his "autopilot."
      • Have your child decide to look for something specific in the material.
      • Have your child try to answer the "reporter's questions" --who, what, where, when, why and how--as he reads.
      • After reading the selection, have your child repeat to himself what happened in the story or what new thing he learned.
      • If you child cannot do these things, have him reread the material and try again.
  • Inspect what you expect.
    • After your child reads anything, even a cereal box, ask questions or talk about what he read.
    • Use a recipe or follow directions with your child to make or assemble things. Keep pointing out how you and he must read to learn the necessary information.
    • When traveling, use maps and let him be the navigator, if possible. Have him look for signs to tell you when to turn, how far you have to go, when you have arrived, etc.
  • Practice makes perfect.
    • Not really, but it surely improves the performance. So have your child read every day, whether he wants to or not. A child should read about ten minutes for each year in school. Ex: A third grader should read about thirty minutes; a sixth grader should read about sixty minutes.

      People usually do not enjoy tasks that they do poorly. So do not expect your child to enjoy reading until after he has read enough to become a very good reader.

    • Have your child read aloud to you periodically to make sure he is not developing any bad habits.
    • If at all possible, let your child read about topics he likes--at least some of the time.

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