QUESTION: Why is it so hard for my child to comprehend what they’re reading?

ANSWER:

Reading comprehension is hard.

It takes more than one skill to understand what you read. If your child is struggling, it could be for different reasons.

1. The age of your child plays a significant role in their reading comprehension abilities. It affects how well your child understands what they read.
   • Younger children may have trouble understanding what they read because they are still learning new words and thinking skills.
   • Older children may face different challenges, such as more complex texts or specific subject matter.
2. Some children may have trouble understanding what they read because of certain learning differences like dyslexia or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
   • Dyslexia can make it hard for them to sound out words correctly.
   • ADHD can make it difficult for them to pay attention, which can make it harder for them to remember what they read.
3. It is important to look back at any help or special things your child has had in the past.
   • This can tell you how well they have been doing and if the help was useful. Look at all of the help they have had, so you can see which strategies worked best and which ones need to be changed or stopped.

Based on the 3 possible factors above, here are 5 potential reasons your child could be having reading comprehension difficulties:

1. Vocabulary Development: A limited vocabulary can hinder your child’s ability to understand the meaning of words and grasp the overall message of a passage.
   • Encouraging a rich and diverse language environment at home, engaging in conversations, reading aloud, and exposing your child to a wide range of literature can significantly support vocabulary development.
2. Decoding Skills: Difficulty in decoding or recognizing words can make reading a laborious task for your child, leaving little mental capacity for comprehension.
   • Focusing on phonics instruction, word recognition strategies, and regular practice can strengthen your child’s decoding skills and facilitate comprehension.
3. Lack of Background Knowledge: Comprehension relies on prior knowledge and experiences. If your child lacks background knowledge on a particular topic, they may struggle to connect with the content.
   • Encourage your child to explore various subjects through reading, discussions, and real-world experiences. Helping them make connections between what they know and what they read can enhance their comprehension abilities.
4. Reading Fluency: Poor reading fluency, characterized by slow, labored reading, can impede comprehension.
   • Encouraging regular reading practice, using tools like repeated readings, and providing opportunities for your child to read aloud can improve their reading fluency and subsequently enhance comprehension.
5. Attention and Focus: Difficulty sustaining attention and staying focused while reading can affect comprehension.
   • It may be helpful to create a quiet and distraction-free reading environment, break reading tasks into smaller manageable chunks, and incorporate short breaks to help your child maintain focus.

If your child continues to struggle, don’t wait…

Get a thorough assessment to know exactly what is causing their challenges.

Remember, every child learns at their own pace, and it’s okay if your child is taking a little longer to master reading comprehension. With patience, persistence, and the right support, I’m confident that your child will overcome this hurdle.

Please reach out to me here for a complimentary, personalized Learning Clarity Breakthrough Session to work out specific strategies for your child