Listening comprehension precedes reading comprehension. Children who are read a lot can thus build up a large vocabulary. The title of a book can make them curious about what it is about. Illustrations are indispensable in children’s picture books. They support the child’s thinking and show what is being told in the text. Reading is essential for children and cannot be started early enough. A clean task for parents.
Listening comprehension as a basis for reading comprehension
Read aloud
When primary school children in group four are faced with reading comprehension, a long step has already preceded this. Teachers and parents first teach the child to listen comprehensively. This can be done in a playful way. Picture books are a source of pleasure for children. In addition to reading them, parents can use the books to help their children understand what is being read.
For reading
Before reading a picture book, the title is first looked at. It can be discussed with the child what the book will be about and foreknowledge is activated. Illustrations contribute to the story. So illustrations are just as essential as the text. If ‘the pictures’ don’t appeal to a child, they won’t be interested in the book.
While reading
While reading, questions may be asked by the reader: how would the book proceed? What do you think of what is happening? The reader can draw the child’s attention to the illustrations. Because that usually shows what happens in the story. As a result, many children understand better what they are being told. Children learn how a story is constructed and are actively involved in it.
After reading
After reading, conclusions are drawn: did you expect this? How would you have done / said / resolved that? In many cases, a child will act out parts of the book and will give his or her own explanation. In many situations that the child experiences, reference can be made to the book. As a result, a child better understands that a story lies in many contexts.
Story comprehension and vocabulary
Vocabulary and word comprehension
Once a child is read, this part of the day will become an important event for them. While reading picture books, they are actively involved in the story, they think along, they predict, there is interaction. By reading aloud, children gain an understanding of how a story is constructed. They gradually distinguish an introduction, a core with highlights and a conclusion. Reading aloud also contributes to building up a wide vocabulary. Picture books take place in the most normal and the most fantastic environments. A child or an animal in the lead experiences things that small children recognize and things that are completely new to them. Children love picture books.
The library
Many parents buy picture books for their children and read aloud every day. You can borrow picture books from the library. There is a very large selection of beautiful (print) books. And what’s even better: a children’s subscription at the library is free.
Technical and reading comprehension
Technical reading
In group 3, children learn to read technical: converting signs into sounds. The goal, of course, is word recognition and text comprehension.
A lot of energy is required of children to learn to read, to express themselves. This will take longer for some children than for others. A great deal of patience will therefore be required from teachers of group 3. They will have to give a lot of individual help.
Reading comprehension
Children who can listen comprehensively will understand more quickly what they are expressing. So they are quickly engaged in reading comprehension at the same time as narrating. It is important for both parents and teachers to structurally reflect the strategies of reading comprehension.
So: Have a child think about title, illustrations in advance and let them search for familiar words in the text. It will then quickly understand what a text, a book is about. Familiarity with words and word meanings will help a child to quickly explain words and sentences. And that is what we want to achieve with reading: understanding.