Reading comprehension is one of the fundamental steps of learning how to read. While there are other factors that also play a part, the stories your child chooses can also influence their reading progress. Keep reading to learn more about how to find the best reading comprehension books for your family.

What are the Three Levels of Reading Comprehension?

The actual number of steps to achieve full reading comprehension is still under debate. But many educators agree that the three main tiers of understanding are:

Literal Meaning

The first step of reading comprehension is being able to take the text at face value. The literal meaning of the story is the most basic, surface-level of understanding.

To reach this point, your child should be able to talk about these key points independently:

• Main idea
• Stated facts
• Sequence of events
• Story characters

Gaining a solid understanding of the most basic aspects of the subject matter is also the point where most readers begin to cultivate interest and investment in the story.

Inferential Meaning

Once the reader can identify the key elements in the text, the next step is understanding what’s being said. While step one focuses on establishing the “what” and “who,” inferential understanding answers “how” and “why.”

At this point, the reader can make predictions for the characters based on their prior actions and traits. Additionally, they should be able to:

• Use cause and effect scenarios
• Draw conclusions
• Provide unstated facts and main ideas

The first step in this process focuses on establishing the “what” and “who,” inferential understanding answers “how” and “why.”

Evaluative Meaning

Once the reader gains a deeper understanding of the story as a whole, they can start to apply their own opinions. This is the evaluative stage of reading comprehension, and it’s the final step of the process.

These questions often cover topics like moral decisions made by the characters, or difficult circumstances they encountered along the way.

Once your child understands the difference between these stages, they’ll be able to draw their own conclusions regarding the context of the story. This will also help them improve their reading speed and fluency since they’ll be able to navigate the story with more ease.

What are the Best Books for Reading Comprehension?

There’s no one-size-fits-all solution for building reading comprehension skills, but the best books for this reading stage typically have a few things in common.

When you’re shopping for books to help your kids practice their reading comprehension, look for books that will help them:

• Create mental images
• Use existing knowledge
• Make predictions
• Ask questions about the story
• Understand different themes and character paths

Stories that feature a clear storyline with established protagonists and antagonists are a great place to start, such as The Wizard of Oz or Little Red Riding Hood.

Try to find books that fit your child’s individual interests for the best results. Any reader is more likely to stay focused when they’re absorbed in the story.

If you use a reading app for reading comprehension, you don’t have to worry about building up a bulky library. You can access multiple different titles from your mobile device, giving your child more choices for reading material.

What Factors Influence Reading Comprehension?

Developing your child’s reading comprehension depends on more than just the books they read. There are a few key steps in the cognitive recognition process that can also influence your young reader’s success rate including:

• Background knowledge
• Vocabulary
• Fluency

Learning how to read effectively is rarely a linear process. Each step assists the reader with other aspects of the process, and every piece is important to the puzzle as a whole.

Working on these individual skills will not only speed up the process for your kids, but they’ll be able to advance to higher reading levels with more ease later on.

What’s the Best Way to Improve Reading Comprehension?

If you want to help your child get over this hurdle as quickly as possible, it’s important to keep the big picture in mind. Giving your child a variety of choices when it comes to what they’re reading and how they practice is one of the easiest ways to keep them on a routine.

Using a reading app to improve your child’s reading comprehension gives them the freedom to choose stories they enjoy while being able to learn and grow at their own pace. With real-time listening and adaptable AI, reading apps can track your child’s progress while helping them understand where they need to improve.

The individual exercises might vary between kids, but consistency and patience are the best ways to ensure a successful reading journey for any child. Follow these guidelines to find the best reading comprehension books for your child.