1. The document outlines 4 steps parents can take at home to improve their child's comprehension and analysis skills: oral exercises like discussing plots of shows, using the Socratic method to have deeper conversations, journaling to get comfortable writing, and writing instructional essays to organize thoughts. 2. Step 1 involves oral exercises where the parent talks with the child about a show or topic, having the child think critically about important scenes and how they fit the overall plot. 3. Step 2 is using the Socratic method by asking questions to understand what the child finds passionate and having a discussion where the parent plays devil's advocate to challenge ideas.

1. 4 Steps to Develop Comprehension and
Analysis Skills at Home
By Oxford Tutoring

2. Education centers on
using new research and
experience to identify
what students need to
learn.

3. This system has been trusted to
help students
However, what are parents supposed to do if they feel that more can be done
to help their students reach their educational goals?

4. Oxford Tutoring
1. Many parents come to Oxford
Tutoring with that very question.
2. There are times when instruction with
our trained and knowledgeable tutors
is warranted

5. At home activities
There are a number of activities
that are effective, free, and fun
that a parent and child can work
on together at home.
● Oral Exercises
● The Socratic Method
● Written Exercises

6. The Challenge

7. Most common request of our
ELA tutors
Is to help students comprehend and analyze plots and arguments.

8. Yet, students are not being taught how to explain their findings.

9. Steps to Take At Home
to Improve
Comprehension and
Analysis

10. Step #1: Oral Exercises

11. This is where you simply just talk to your student about an interest.

12. If your student is an avid Netflix
User
Strike up a conversation about what he or she is currently watching.

13. The Goal
● Get the student to think
critically
● And decide what is important
enough to be included in the
conversation

14. Next, they will analyze the
content in order to explain how
each of those “important”
scenes fit together into the
overall plot of the story.

15. The Challenge 1. Keeping the
student on track
2. And focused on
the same topic
throughout the
entire
conversation.

16. Step #2: The Socratic
Method

17. At heart, the
Socratic Method
And the main goal in this second activity, is
based on trying to truly understand what the
student likes about the topic he or she has
chosen to discuss.

18. Questions to Ask
● What makes him or her so
passionate about it?
● Why is it worth talking about?

19. You are more of the participant now.

20. To make this activity work
Channel...
● One part: that annoying kid who asks “why” all the time;
● One part: wise person who says “hmm…” and “that’s
interesting”;
● One part: Devil’s advocate who challenges what is known by
pushing the idea to the extreme.

21. Once you have completed these oral
activities a few times,
The student will become accustomed to thinking critically about the
things he or she cares about.
Then, the student will be ready to start writing about what he or she
has been thinking about.

22. Step #3: Written
Exercises

23. Journaling

24. This tried and true method will help students get comfortable with writing.

25. What’s great about journaling
is that there are no rules - so
you cannot mess up!

26. The Goal
● To get the student to put more
than a single thought or
sentence into the writing
process.
● Asking a student to fill a page
with text helps him or her get
comfortable with putting ideas
together.

27. Instructional/
Informational
Essays

28. Now that they have journaled, it is time to move onto essays.

29. Let’s think of essays as writing down
thoughts in an organized fashion.
The focus is still helping the student think critically and fully about an
idea.
Use what the student has written in the journal and put the thoughts
into a rational sequence.

30. Don’t worry about
making it pretty - that’s
Oxford Tutoring’s job.

31. Step #4: It’s the same,
but different

32. Now, it is time to apply these steps to new novels and informative essays.

33. The Goal
● Keep it fun!
● Leave the “work” for school and
us here at Oxford Tutoring.

34. Oxford Tutoring
(949) 681-0388