Reading Comprehension

[Heather in WI]

We just received the results of a standardized test our oldest son recently took. He did wonderfully on the math, science, and English (grammar/rhetoric) portions, but bombed the reading comprehension section. Surprisingly, his reading comprehension score was significantly lower than it was last year.

 

I'm considering adding in a Reading course for next year, like BJU Reading 6 or ???

 

Thoughts?

Edited March 15, 2011 by Heather in WI

[Colleen in NS]

We just received the results of a standardized test our oldest son recently took. He did wonderfully on the math, science, and English (grammar/rhetoric) portions, but bombed the reading comprehension section. Surprisingly, his reading comprehension score was significantly lower than it was last year.

 

I'm considering adding in a Reading course for next year, like BJU Reading 6 or ???

 

Thoughts?

 

Narrations WWE/WTM-style?

[AmericanMom]

Have you ever looked at the reading comprehension sections of those standardized tests? There is definitely a strategy for taking them. I would suggest something simpler that goes over the strategy on how to read those passages. For example, read the questions first and then go back and read the passage, so you know what they are looking for, that kind of thing. It is not the same way you read a book. It doesn't sound like you need to add a whole program, I would just do some test prep like Reading Detective or one of the test prep books, just doing the reading comp. section.

[rafiki]

.

[Heather in WI]

Narrations WWE/WTM-style?

 

We already do that plus one level outlining. (5th grade) :)

 

Have you ever looked at the reading comprehension sections of those standardized tests? There is definitely a strategy for taking them. I would suggest something simpler that goes over the strategy on how to read those passages. For example, read the questions first and then go back and read the passage, so you know what they are looking for, that kind of thing.

 

Thanks, American Mom. This is really helpful. He is a great reader and narrates/outlines well, so I was baffled by the low score. I'd like to have a look at some test prep books.

 

Also, thanks one|Michele for the heads up on the Reading Detective software. :)

 

Any recommendations for good test prep books? It looks like there are a million choices on Amazon!

[Koerarmoca]

No advice. I just wanted to add that my 7th grader started her standard testing today and she told me the reading was "sooooo lame and boring" maybe he didn't enjoy the content and it reflected in his scores.

[Colleen in NS]

We already do that plus one level outlining. (5th grade) :)

 

OK, that's what I thought!! But your avatar is different than what I remember, so I thought maybe I was talking to a different poster. :lol: In that case, what American Mom said makes sense. We don't have standardized testing here, so test prep strategies never occurred to me. Sorry about that! :D

[Trish]

We do Reading Detective from Critical Thinking Co.

[EKS]

What is your impression of his reading comprehension? Does it seem to be a weakness or is the score a surprise? If it is not a surprise, I would recommend REWARDS, which teaches strategies for decoding multisyllabic words. If it is a surprise, then it is more likely a problem with reading comprehension tests, and that is easily remedied using something like Reading Detective.

[Heather in WI]

LOL, yes I changed my avatar, Colleen. :)

 

I was really surprised by the score. He reads above grade level fluently with comprehension. In the past year he's read and we've discussed Ender's Game, The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, Animal Farm, etc. He "got" the books and we had great conversations about them.

[MicheleinMN]

We already do that plus one level outlining. (5th grade) :)

 

 

 

Thanks, American Mom. This is really helpful. He is a great reader and narrates/outlines well, so I was baffled by the low score. I'd like to have a look at some test prep books.

 

Also, thanks one|Michele for the heads up on the Reading Detective software. :)

 

Any recommendations for good test prep books? It looks like there are a million choices on Amazon!

 

 

Test Ready from http://www.rocksolidinc.com - The Reading and Vocabulary tests. Also, I always have my children read the questions first and THEN read the paragraph or page or story.

[Heather in WI]

Test Ready from http://www.rocksolidinc.com - The Reading and Vocabulary tests. Also, I always have my children read the questions first and THEN read the paragraph or page or story.

 

Thank you!

[ElizabethB]

Have you ever looked at the reading comprehension sections of those standardized tests? There is definitely a strategy for taking them. I would suggest something simpler that goes over the strategy on how to read those passages. For example, read the questions first and then go back and read the passage, so you know what they are looking for, that kind of thing. It is not the same way you read a book. It doesn't sound like you need to add a whole program, I would just do some test prep like Reading Detective or one of the test prep books, just doing the reading comp. section.

 

:iagree:

 

That is why I like giving the test myself, we do the ITBS yearly.

 

My daughter did better her first year on shorter, more "boring" stories than on longer, harder, more interesting stories. Honestly, I thought they were all pretty lame.

 

The next year, I told her to read the questions first and try to pay attention and stay awake even if the stories were horrible and boring, and to go back and reread portions of the story if need be.

 

That fixed the problem. If I had not watched her take the test, I might not have realized that the true problem was not paying attention to poorly written, dull stories.