Once a child has learnt to read separate words most parents and teachers focus their teaching process on reading speed and pronunciation. Although clear and fast reading is a very useful skill it is not as important for future development and successful study as reading comprehension or understanding. Reading comprehension skills should be developed from the first reading lessons in order to make children clear with the purpose of reading and its usefulness. The example of the best comprehension of what has been read is that a reader can easily discuss the questions given in the text and is able to create, assess and argue his/her own opinion. In order to develop good comprehension skills it is necessary to apply reading tasks to be done during each reading lesson. The discussion after reading can be seen as a difficult process for the first time. This difficulty can be easily overcome if a teacher or parent would remember the reasons of why the discussion is usually hard to start. The first reason is discussion requires original thinking (a reader’s own opinion). Original ideas can be created if only children would not use only the author’s information. One of the most effective ways to develop original thinking is giving some hints in the form of questions and incomplete statements. For example, ask the children why the hero decides to do something and give some hints: may be he wants….or he just needs… etc. Another good way to develop original thinking is the heroes transmission into reality. For example, ask the question what do you think about the hero’s actions if he were your friend; what you would advise him to do; would you agree if your friend did the same thing etc. Children are more likely to talk about real people and would always adore imaginative tasks.
Though original ideas are required a reader’s own independent opinion good comprehension of reading inevitably involves the text analysis. The text analysis can easily be linked with original ideas presentation. Ask children to support their own ideas with the text. Here compare-contrast questions would be very useful. For example, ask them to give their own opinion and then to find the paragraphs where the characters’ or the author’s opinion could be. Then ask them to read this paragraph aloud and compare the opinions given in class and the ones given in text. Be ready to get surprised by your gifted students: some of them might happen to be more brilliant in their opinion than the author is!
Hint questions, incomplete statements and compare-contrast questions with the text analysis will sooner or later make each reader start understanding the author idea and even interpret and develop it by his/her own. The highly developed comprehension skills are compulsory if your dream is to become a good writer one day.
The article was produced by the writer of masterpapers.com. Sharon White is a senior writer and writers consultant at term papers. Get some useful tips for thesis writing and term paper writing .
