Situation:To aid in their comprehension, skillful readers ask themselves questions before, during and after they read (Pressley and Afflerbach 1995 ). By modeling this behavior you can help him become more proficient and encourage him to use it when he reads independently.
Some of the questions might include:
Prior to reading:
- By looking at the cover and reading the description, can you make any predictions about what the story might be about?
While reading: (pause throughout the reading of the text)
- What is this story about?
- Who is the main character?
- What does the main character want?
- Will he/she get it? If so how?
After watching/reading:
- What was the main sequence of events in the story? Graphic organizers are a great way to visually show sequence of events or story elements.
- Why did the story end this way?
- What was the author’s purpose in writing this?
My 16 year old grandson can read quickly and easily but seems to have difficulty when it comes to understanding what he has read. Books aimed at his age group seem to go right over his head. He prefers movies-usually animated and loves to watch old movies aimed at little kids. How can I help him to better understand what he is reading?