Reading comprehension is the ability to understand and derive meaning from text, crucial for academic success and real-life applications. Key components include vocabulary knowledge and text comprehension, strengthened through various teaching strategies such as summarizing, using visual aids, and reciprocal teaching. To support struggling readers, techniques like reading aloud, tracking progress, and creating engaging quizzes can foster improvement and boost confidence.

1. Improving
Student’s
Reading
Comprehension
Skills

2. What is reading comprehension?
Reading comprehension is a reader’s ability to
understand the explicit and implicit meaning of
a text, or piece of writing.
It moves beyond vocabulary knowledge and
word recognition to add meaning. When
students use reading comprehension skills,
they’re turning words into thoughts and ideas.
Reading comprehension can also help
struggling readers build enjoyment of reading
and participate more fully in lessons.

3. Reading comprehension has real-life
applications for readers of all ages. It can:
• Equip readers to make good day-to-day decisions
with available information
• Give readers the ability to think critically about
what they read online and in the news
• Help readers decipher meaning in recipes,
directions or other step-by-step instructions
• Help students move past word recognition into
understanding and remembering the text

4. Reasons why a variety of students struggle with reading
comprehension and understanding:
• They prefer a different learning style
• They’re not interested in reading or writing
• They don’t have the necessary prior knowledge to
understand the text
• They have trouble focusing on one word at a time
and skip important ideas
• They’re working with a learning need like dyslexia
that makes understanding written materials difficult

5. Why is reading
comprehension
important?
Improving reading comprehension
can help your students become
successful readers in and out of the
classroom for the rest of their lives.

6. Two Core Components of
Comprehension
1. Vocabulary knowledge
Vocabulary knowledge is where reading
comprehension starts. Students with good
vocabulary strategies understand what words
mean and have the background knowledge to
understand a given text.
It also includes strategies for using context clues
to determine the meaning of unfamiliar words.
The reading comprehension process is over before
it begins if students don’t have solid vocabulary
knowledge or the ability to learn new words.

7. 2. Text comprehension
Text comprehension is a big-picture look at what,
exactly, a text means. It helps students interact
with a text to understand what’s being said and
what they need to learn from it.
When students have good text comprehension
skills, they can answer questions about what the
author is saying, summarize the passage and
connect information between texts or prior
knowledge.
In short, it helps them move beyond literal
comprehension and into higher levels of thinking.

8. 11 Proven Tips to Improve Reading Comprehension
Skills for Students
Whether you’re teaching high school or
elementary school, it’s never too late to
use reading comprehension strategies
to improve understanding, boost
retention and make connections. Every
student is different, so adjust
your teaching methods accordingly.

9. 1. Build on existing knowledge
One of the biggest barriers to reading
comprehension is a lack of background
knowledge.
Example:
If you’re reading a text about astronomy, for
example, ask students to record or explain what
they already know about the solar system.
For easy insights, have students answer quick
questions or fill out a KWL (Know, Want to Know,
Learned) chart and share the results.

10. 2. Identify and summarize key ideas
After students read, summarizing a text can
help them pull out main points and absorb
more information.
As you introduce summarization, guide
students through with leading questions and
a specific structure — length, key points, etc.
Use the “I do, we do, you do” format to
model good summarization techniques.

11. As you model the practice, teach
students how to:
• Separate facts from opinions
• Find key ideas amid extra information
• Identify important words and phrases
• Look up vocabulary they don’t understand
Teaching students how to do this consciously helps
train their brains to start summarizing automatically,
leading to better reading comprehension overall.

12. 3. Use online resources
Thanks to the internet, reading doesn't just happen IRL(in
real life) — it's online, too! There are lots of resources you
can use in your classroom to engage kids with different
interests as they practice their reading comprehension.
Free reading websites:
1. Epic Books- https://www.getepic.com/
2. Storyline Online- Readworks-
https://storylineonline.net/
3. Newsela-https://newsela.com/
4. Teach your monster to
read-https://www.teachyourmonster.org/
5. Freckle-https://freckle.com/en-us/

13. 4. Use visual aids
To help students build a picture in their minds of what they’re
reading, use visual aids and visualization techniques.
1. Start by reading aloud and asking students to try
and picture what’s happening in their heads. After, use
writing prompts like:
• What colors did you see the most?
• What do you think the setting looked like?
• How would you describe the main character?
• What sounds do you think you would hear in the world of
the story?

14. 2. Have students draw out a scene,
character or story for even more
understanding. They can make a family
tree of the characters or fun notes to help
them remember the key points in the
story.
3. Anchor charts, word walls or picture
books can also help reinforce key
concepts for your students. When they’re
able to visualize the story or information
they’re reading, they’re more likely to
retain key information.

15. 5. Develop vocabulary skills
Vocabulary is an important part of understanding
a text and is vital for reading ease and fluency.
Vocabulary teaching strategies can help
students build the tools to understand new
words on their own.
To help students learn and remember new words,
try:
• Making a word wall in your classroom
• Pairing new words with physical actions
• Creating graphic organizers that help relate
known words to new ones

16. 6. Implement thinking strategies
To encourage students to engage critically with a
text, ask questions about:
• Where they can spot bias in the material
• Why the author chose a particular genre or style
• What they think happened before or after the story
• Why characters responded to situations the way
they did
These questions get students thinking about the
deeper meaning in a text and help them use
critical thinking skills as they look for key points.

17. 7. Create question and answer
scenarios
Questioning students on different aspects of the text
helps them examine it with fresh eyes and find new
ways of interpreting it.
Use questions that challenge students to find the
answers:
• In several different parts of the text
• On their own, using background knowledge
• In their own opinions and responses to the text
Ask students questions to clarify meaning, help them
understand characters better, make predictions or help
them understand the author’s intent.

18. 8. Encourage reciprocal teaching
Reciprocal teaching gives students four
strategies for reading comprehension and
uses specific techniques to get them involved
in interrogating a text.
Using the “I do, we do, you do” method,
follow the four building blocks of reciprocal
teaching:
• Predicting — Asking questions about
what’s going to happen in the story and
after it’s done.

19. •Questioning — Asking questions
about the who, what, when, where,
how and why of a story.
•Clarifying — Helping students
recognize their confusion, identify
what’s confusing them and taking
steps towards understanding.
•Summarizing — Condensing a reading
to its most important facts and ideas.

20. 9. Use summarizing techniques
Although it might seem tedious for students at first,
summarizing techniques help them learn how to find
and bring together key ideas. It trains them to
automatically synthesize information as they read,
and can benefit learners of all levels.
When students first encounter a text, have them
write a summary and encourage them to refine it
until it only includes the essential information. Ask
clarifying questions to guide their writing, including:
• What is the main idea of this passage?
• What details support the main idea in the story?
• What unnecessary information did the author
include?

21. 10. Ask students to make predictions
Predictions happen when students use the evidence from
the beginning of a text to guess:
• What will happen next
• What they think the text will be about
• What details an author will use to support their argument
At the beginning of a reading, have students record their
predictions. Once the reading is over, have a discussion
about what they got right and what they got wrong. What
made them think of their prediction? Did the author follow
their expectations, or subvert them?

22. 11. Try making inferences
When students make inferences, they’re using the
information they know to make a guess about what they
don’t.
Instead of just predicting what’s going to happen next,
students make inferences about information outside the
story — what happened before the story started, what
genre the story is or what happens after the story is over.
Inferences help students draw conclusions between the
text and their prior knowledge about how the world
works. Plus, it can help boost their creativity.

23. HOW TO ENCOURAGE STRUGGLING READERS
1. Use picture books and visualizing
Even if your child is getting older, picture books
will always have their place. Using pictures to
improve understanding is a great way to boost
your child’s reading confidence.
2. Use audio stories
Books tell amazing stories. From fantasy to
nonfiction, there’s so much to learn from a great
book. Play audiobooks as your child learns to
read, to keep them interested in everything books
have to offer.

24. HOW TO ENCOURAGE STRUGGLING READERS
3. Track student progress
It’s too easy to miss the steps your child has
made towards reading if they’re struggling and
behind their peers. Take some time to celebrate
their progress as they figure it all out.
4. Practice reading aloud
Many kids get nervous reading out loud to others.
Encourage your child to practice with you to
improve their reading skills. And continue reading
out loud to your child to help them gain
confidence.

25. 5. Use quizzes and make them fun
If your child is struggling with reading comprehension,
find out what’s not sticking with fun, trivia-style quizzes.
Have prizes ready (ice cream is always a hit), celebrate
correct answers with dance parties, and learn together
as your child increases their comprehension skills.
6. Encourage kids to teach others
If you have pre-k kids in your home, or friends with
younger children, get together for a child-led story time.
HOW TO ENCOURAGE STRUGGLING READERS

26. REFERENCES:
https://www.prodigygame.com/main-en/blog/improve-readi
ng-comprehension/?fbclid=IwAR1UsE0edkdrdjH9eWU3_TW
Wsq-Y9gB9mc1lKYH2neo636LN51hLfhoJBZI
https://www.prodigygame.com/main-en/blog/reading-websi
tes/

27. “Reading is a gateway skill
that makes all other
learning possible.”
-Barack Obama

28. THANK YOU!