Kids Who Read, But Don't Understand
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Comment| Wednesday, December 6th, 2006 | Robert Seith | CWK Producer |
“You, as a good reader, don’t realize what it’s like as a student, in the case of comprehension…[when they] cannot make a picture of what they’re hearing and reading. And the way we talk about it is: it goes in one ear and out the other, and it doesn’t stick in-between.””
– Robert Hedges – Program Administrator for Literacy
With placement tests and the pressures applied by the federal “No Child Left Behind’ policy, there’s more stress than ever placed on improving the reading skills of grade school children. But some critics say there’s too much emphasis on speed, rather than comprehension.
How do you develop a good reader?
Some parents and teachers believe by pushing kids to read more, and to read books above their reading level…
But many experts say... that’s a mistake.
“You know the constant, ‘I want to challenge my child’”, says Jill Isbell Rhodes, a Reading Recovery teacher with the Long Beach Unified School District. “’I want to motivate them through challenging material’. But often for the children that are starting to struggle with literacy, that challenge becomes an obstacle.”
Experts say that some kids may seem to be good readers, and they may read fast.
“They can read the words… but they don’t comprehend what they mean,” says Sharon Faber, Doctor of Education E.D.D.
Seven-year-old Derrick Bailey seemed like he could read very well, But when teachers asked him about what he just read, he often couldn’t answer.
“And the teacher called me for a conference and she told me that Derrick might be put behind if he didn’t get to the grade level he should be,” says his mother, Marna Collins.
Getting help is crucial, and the earlier the better.
Studies show that, out of every eight kids in the Second Grade who are behind in reading, only one will ever catch up.
Derrick was put into in a reading recovery program - where a key strategy is assigning books at, or slightly below, his reading level.
“To sit down and enjoy a book because it’s easy, that’s the best thing a parent can help a child do - is find books that are easy,” says Rhodes.
Within a couple of months, Derrick’s comprehension jumped almost a full grade.
Derrick says he didn’t used to enjoy reading, “but now I do.”
Tips for Parents
- One of the most important things you can do for your child is to read to them, and read to them a lot, from an early age. Stop at times and talk with your child about what was said or meant in the book. (Literacy Volunteers of America)
- For a child who is reluctant to read, even comic books are a good stepping-stone. Again, the key is: the more exposure to words on a page they get, and the more they enjoy it, the better. (Linda Rief, English Teacher, Oyster River Middle School New Hampshire)
- Enjoyment of reading comes in part from modeling. Parents who enjoy reading and read a lot are more likely to have children who read. (National Children’s Literacy Initiative)
References
- Literacy Volunteers of America
- Literacy Network
- National Children’s Literacy Initiative
