6 Tips to Boost Reading Comprehension Skills in Students in 2018
Reading comprehension is an essential skill that every student should possess. It allows them to understand and interpret what they read accurately. Students who have mastery over this skill have a higher chance of succeeding academically and professionally. However, many students struggle with comprehension, and this can lead to frustration and poor academic performance. In this article, we will explore six tips that expert educators suggest to boost reading comprehension skills in students.
1. Start with assessment
Before you can boost reading comprehension skills, you need to know where your students stand currently. One way to do this is by conducting an assessment. Assessments can help you identify your students’ strengths and weaknesses. From the results, you can customize your teaching strategies to their specific needs.
2. Build vocabulary
Teachers can incorporate new vocabulary words into class lessons to improve comprehension. Additionally, encourage students to read books, newspapers, and magazines that expose them to new words. When playing games or taking quizzes in class, use newly acquired vocabularies to help students remember definitions.
3. Encourage active reading
Active reading involves engaging with text material actively. Students should be encouraged to use strategies like taking notes, analyzing, or summarizing what they read. Teachers can instruct students to highlight main ideas, underline vocabulary words, and summarize the material in their own words.
4. Scaffold the material
Scaffolding involves breaking down complex material into smaller, more manageable pieces. This technique can help individual students to overcome challenges they may experience when reading a text. By gradually introducing new information, students will be less overwhelmed by the full complexity of the text. Teachers can scaffold the reading material by providing an overview, breaking down historical context, or providing interactive learning opportunities that explore individual components of the text.
5. Make the material relevant and engaging
Making material relevant to a student’s life and interests increases engagement, motivation. And positive attitudes towards learning the material. Teachers can create learning materials that feature diverse topics and issues that students find interesting and useful in their daily lives. The use of multimedia such as video adaptations of texts, online activities and assessment quizzes can also generate student interest.
6. Encourage dedicated reading time
Encourage your students to set aside dedicated reading time every day. During this time, they should read material they enjoy. You may track what they are reading and encourage their engagement in the reading material. By reading regularly, students will reinforce their reading comprehension skills and develop a sense of enjoyment in the process.
Conclusion
Developing strong reading comprehension skills is crucial in ensuring academic success and personal growth. Students who can understand what they read can engage more deeply with the world around them. To boost reading comprehension skills, educators should assess their students’ skills, build vocabulary, encourage active reading, scaffold material, making it relevant engaging, and encourage dedicated reading time. By using these tips, educators can help students develop their reading comprehension skills for success in all walks of life.
