Reading every day can help your child improve their reading skills. Some new readers might struggle especially with reading comprehension. A little reading time every day can especially help with improving reading comprehension.

What exactly is reading comprehension?

Pig blue walk purple apple sun jump clouds. You were probably able to recognize each word in that sentence and know what they each mean independently. However, reading those words together to try to understand the meaning of the sentence is impossible. The sentence is just nonsense!

Reading comprehension is being able to not just recognize words in a sentence individually but being able to understand what those words put together mean.

Comprehension is ultimately the main goal of reading because it means you understand the information the text is trying to say. So, if your child is struggling with reading comprehension, they are likely struggling in other areas of their learning which is why reading comprehension is so important.

What causes problems with reading comprehension?

Your child’s reading comprehension issues might not be noticeable at first, especially if they are good at memorizing vocabulary. However, here are some signs to look for:

• Frequently avoiding reading or homework
• Can read words in a sentence but cannot explain the meaning
• Difficulty summarizing what they read
• Often does assignments incorrectly

These signs might indicate that your child is struggling with reading comprehension. In order to help your child effectively improve, it could help to identify the reason why they are struggling in the first place. Some reasons they might be struggling are:

• Difficulty with language processing – This could also be an issue with visual reasoning. Often this is genetic or a development difference.
• Dyslexia – This learning disability has more to do with phonemic awareness. However, since it makes reading more difficult, comprehension can be affected.
• ADD/ADHD – Since their attention can slip easily from the reading material, their reading comprehension might be weaker.
• Lacking practice or instruction – Sometimes the reason your child is struggling is simply because they are not getting enough practice or individualized instruction. Luckily, there are simple ways to help improve their reading comprehension at home.

How can I improve reading comprehension?

Many kids who are struggling are reluctant to read for fun. Here are some daily reading activities to get your child to read and have fun at the same time:

• Bake together – Choose a new recipe to try together and have your child read the instructions aloud to you as you bake together. Recipes usually use simple sentence structure and much clearer direct language, so it will help your child build their reading comprehension.
• Do a reading treasure hunt – Goal or task-oriented activities are a great way to trick your child into reading. Set up a reading treasure hunt where your child has to read to find the next clue. You can make it as easy or advanced as you like.
• Read a series together – A great way to bond with your child and get them to read is to share a book together. Book series are a great way to get long periods of practice and encourage your child to keep on reading.
• Host a movie night – If your child is reading a book that has been turned into a film, it could be fun to create a movie night once they are done reading the book.
• Have fun with apps – A great way to get reading practice every day is to use a reading app. Many schools are already using fun and interactive reading apps to help students practice reading.

Which reading app helps with improving reading comprehension?

There are tons and tons of different reading apps available for your child to use to help improve their reading skills. Some target specific reading skills such as vocabulary or fluency.

For improving reading comprehension, you want to choose an app that gives your child plenty of reading materials to practice with but also some interactive activities that checks their understanding.

The best all-in-one app for reading comprehension is Readability . It provides a large library of original reading materials, and it is constantly being updated. Your child can use the app in several different ways.

Readability can work like an e-reader, audiobook, and private tutor all at once.  It reads to your child at first and then prompts your child to read aloud. Using A.I. and voice-recognition technology, the app can listen to your child as they read aloud and gives them instant feedback for error correction.

Readability also discusses the reading material with your child to check their comprehension. The app’s innovative Interactive voice based Questions & Answers asks your child questions about the story they just read and listens to their answers.

Improving reading comprehension is easier than you think! Really the best way to improve your child’s reading comprehension is to get them to read a lot and often. Try any of these simple everyday activities to make reading run and actually see an improvement in your child’s reading comprehension.