5 Tips for Improving Comprehension Skills in 7th Class
As students progress from primary to secondary school, reading comprehension becomes an essential skill that they need to master. Teachers agree that students who possess strong comprehension skills have a better chance of succeeding in higher education and developing critical thinking skills.
Tip 1: Get Your Students Involved in the Text
Teachers can encourage students to become active readers by incorporating text annotation and questioning techniques. Students can underline main ideas in the text, circle unknown words, and write questions and comments in the margins of the text to help them develop a deeper understanding of the material. Encourage your students to read the text more than once to fully comprehend the content.
Tip 2: Use Graphic Organizers to Help 7th Grade Students Understand the Structure of the Text
Graphic organizers such as mind maps, Venn diagrams, and tables help students understand how different pieces of information relate to each other. Teachers can use graphic organizers as a pre-reading activity to activate students’ prior knowledge on the subject, during reading, and after reading to help learners summarize information efficiently and effectively.
Tip 3: Strengthen Vocabulary Skills
Students who have a better vocabulary are more likely to comprehend reading materials. Teachers should teach critical vocabulary words that are specific to the subject matter and provide students with opportunities to use them in their writing and speaking. Using vocabulary flashcards, matching games, and dictionary activities can be effective methods for expanding student vocabulary.
Tip 4: Encourage Active Reading Strategies
Encouraging students to ask questions, make connections, and draw inferences help students become active readers. Teachers can also incorporate real-world examples that relate to the text to keep students engaged and help them develop critical thinking skills. Encouraging students to discuss their interpretations of the text with their peers is a great way to encourage active reading while also promoting class participation.
Tip 5: Use a Multimodal Approach
Teachers should use a multimodal approach, incorporating various media, to help students who learn differently. Incorporating videos, audio, images, and other multimedia into reading activities can help students understand complex texts better. Teachers should also provide students with opportunities to create multimodal work in response to reading assignments, such as graphic novels, podcasts, videos, or image collages.
Conclusion
Comprehension skills are essential to success in school and life. By using techniques like active reading strategies, graphic organizers, multimodal approaches, and vocabulary expansion, teachers can help seventh graders develop the necessary skills to become proficient readers. Students who can read well are more likely to be successful in school and beyond.
