How to Encourage Reading Comprehension at Home

Helping your child develop strong reading comprehension skills starts at home. The time you spend reading together is an investment in their academic future and a way to foster a lifelong love of books. Here’s how to make the most of your reading time.

Read Together Regularly

• Make reading a daily habit. Whether it’s a bedtime story or reading a chapter of a longer book, regular practice builds familiarity and confidence.

Ask Open-Ended Questions

• After reading a section, ask questions that require more than a yes or no answer. This encourages your child to think deeply about the story and express their thoughts.

Example Questions:

• “Why do you think the character did that?”
• “What do you think will happen next?”
• “How would you change the ending of the story?”

Discuss the Story

• After reading, have a discussion about the book. Ask your child what they liked or didn’t like, and why. Discuss the characters’ motivations and the story’s themes.

Encourage Retelling

• Ask your child to retell the story in their own words. This reinforces understanding and helps them recall details.

Connect the Story to Real Life

• Relate the story to your child’s own experiences. For example, if the story is about a trip to the zoo, talk about your last visit to the zoo. This helps make the story more relatable and memorable.

Use Visual Aids

• For younger children, use pictures to help them understand the story. Ask them to describe what’s happening in the picture and how it relates to the text.

Reading comprehension is a skill that can be nurtured at home through regular practice and thoughtful discussion. By making reading a shared activity, you’re not only helping your child improve academically, but also building a bond over a shared love of stories.