Reading Level and Reading Comprehension

[tmcg]

Okay, Ladies...
I need to ask what I should do to help my daughter. She is 6 1/2 yo and we are doing Little Hearts for 1st grade. She is reading chapter books independently, like Little House in the Big Woods and those associated with that series!!!!! BUT when we were reading through her history book, History for Little Pilgrims, she is not very good at picking out the important information to answer the questions at the end of the unit. For example, when asked what she learned about Thomas Jefferson, she gave details fo him in school, but never got the concept he had been a president! When we tried to have her skim for answers, she was not really good at that.....so I suggested next time she read the questions first to see what information she is looking for. Next year, we will be in Beyond and I am trying to determine if we should do Drawn. I also have a hard time picking out books because I don't know what reading level they are and I don't want them to be too easy or too hard. Please tell me what you think I should do with an advanced reader who needs help w/ reading comprehension. Thanks.

[Tmisek]

Hi! I just wanted to say that my name is Tammy, too, and I have a 6 1/2 year old, a 4 1/2 year old, and a 2 1/2 year old! We won't be starting HS until the fall, though.

In regards to your post, I bet Thomas Jefferson in school was more interesting to your daughter than him being president, so to her that was an important part of the story. I also think reading comprehension is a skill that gets better with time, so I wouldn't be worried that she isn't remembering all the details. She sounds like she is a great reader for a 6 year old!!

My oldest dd will be doing Beyond next year, too, and we WILL use DITHOR...she will be 7 by then and reading and writing are her strengths. Her comprehension is probably average, which means it still needs work! Right now she is in public school, so I am very excited to start in the fall!

[tmcg]

Tammy,
Thanks for the encouragement. It is nice to know someone else is in the same boat, with the same age children. What state do you live in (no, not the state of confusion...I mean the state of the country...LOL!) Hope you enjoy HS next year.

Tammy

[Tmisek]

We're in Nebraska...although, a lot of the time I AM in the state of confusion!!

[Carrie]

Tammy,

I agree that you should feel very good about your daughter's reading. She's doing wonderfully well for her age.

Comprehension is something that takes time to develop. Most little ones will pick out details like the ones you're describing, as little ones have no concept of what the President really is! Yet, they can relate to the "school" part of Jefferson's life or his childhood. Kiddos often comprehend information more readily that they can connect with somehow.

As you move into Beyond, your daughter will have an opportunity to practice orally narrating even more than what is done in LHFHG. Narration really helps with comprehension.

It also sounds like your daughter is ready for Level 2/3 of Drawn into the Heart of Reading. This will help with comprehension as well.

Skimming is a skill that comes MUCH later. It's a skill that often helps with note-taking and researching, which are both higher level skills. So, take heart that your little daughter is doing well and that she will grow into comprehending better what she's reading as she matures.

Blessings,
Carrie

[my3sons]

Hi Tammy! First and foremost, let's celebrate how well your dd is doing reading! Way to go dd, and Mom! Second of all, you just described my ds when we were at the part you're doing for LHFHG. His reading well orally came WAY before his reading comprehension. I actually remember the review you are talking about because my ds didn't do well with it either. I want to encourage you that her skills in this area will grow. My ds is doing Beyond now, and his comprehension is very good - both with the read-alouds and with his Emerging Reader Set. Even though the Emerging Reader Set is below his oral reading ability, I am having him do it because he absolutely needs it for his reading comprehension ability. The questions he's been answering with the Emerging Readers set have really helped him learn to think about what he's reading. The other thing that really helps him is to read the Key Idea out loud to him - both before the reading and after the reading. That really helped him focus on the big idea of the lesson. Last, it has helped him to know that I am going to be asking him questions about what was read (if they are in the guide). Otherwise, I don't make up my own questions (though with my first poor son I did). I've come to realize that not every reading has to be a test for reading comprehension - some things are just meant to be enjoyed, and whatever they take from it they do. Are you doing the Emerging Reader's Set with the questions? If not, I'd recommend doing that. A far as DITHOR, I'd do the Emerging Reader's Set first. If you've done the Emerging Reader's Set, then you could start slowly with DITHOR, probably with you doing the writing for her in the Student Book, and probably with books below her reading level - so she can focus on building her reading comprehension first and foremost.

I just want to encourage you that what you are describing is totally normal! I have come to realize that reading itself has many different skills that often develop at totally different rates - i.e. being able to read the words on the page well, being able to read out loud to someone else well, being able to read silently well, being able to think about reading when reading out loud, being able to listen to someone else reading and think about that well, being able to sound out words well, being able to think about reading when reading silently - and then comes all of the story elements and analyzing of literature. SIGH - so, it is wonderful that your dd has got the first big part of reading down well - now, she can work on the next skill, and so on, and so forth. The important thing is you realized that reading is a skill that needs to be taught past just being able to read what's on a page. She will grow in her comprehension over time, just as she learned to read over time, and when she does - WOO HOO - another celebration is in store!

In Christ,
Julie

[tmcg]

Thanks for the insight and suggestions!