Reading comprehension

[Ktede]

My 9 year (4th grade) continues to retain well when I read aloud to him and he follows along but struggles with comprehension when he reads independently.

 

How do I improve that skill? (No vision issues)

[LaCEmom]

You could choose independent reading that's at a lower level for now. Give him some practice with fluency & perhaps build confidence.

[wintermom]

Maybe have him read aloud to you. That way you can see whether he is actually reading each word or skipping or mispronouncing words which is leading to comprehension problems.

[Jess4879]

I agree with the previous posters.  Choose a book that is easy for him to read and have him read it aloud to you. Then ask him questions as you read.  Ask him what he thinks will happen next, or how a character might have felt when such and such happened, etc.  Depending on his reading level, you could ask a question at the end of each paragraph, and then each page and eventually the end of each chapter.  You can also have him narrate back, act out a scene, draw a picture, etc.

[Minerva]

I will second choosing an easier reading level for his silent reading and having him read out loud to you (every day). Make sure you take lots of breaks to discuss what he pictures and visualizes while you are reading. If he isn't getting a clear picture, reread the passage until he can *see* clearly. 

 

My dd(9) told me that when she hears a book out loud it is even better than watching a movie. On the other hand, when she is reading, she really needs to go slowly and at a very light reading level to have a clear picture. With a lot of practice it is getting better. She reads out loud to me every day for about twenty minutes and reads silently for about an hour. In her case it is partially a fluency issue (it's hard to have a clear picture when you have to stumble over words) and also that she is naturally an auditory learner.