Improving reading comprehension

[geraldinecarter]

How old is the child, Frances?

[john walker]

Frances, the best thing by a mile I've ever come across on the subject of comprehension instruction is Cathy Collins Block, Linda B. Gambrell and Michael Pressley's Improving Comprehension Instruction (2002). It has everything.

[volunteer]

Is this any help / use?

http://education.wm.edu/centers/ttac/do ... ential.pdf

[palisadesk]

frances5, I’ve been meaning to respond to this but have been pressed for time. I couldn’t agree more with recommending Michael Pressley’s work but for your specific concerns about your own son and how to teach inferencing, I have some specific ideas and recommendations I could share. If you’ll send me a PM with your email address, I can send you some info on a parent-friendly program you might consider, and I’ll try to scan and send some pictures I’ve used (I’ve found using line drawings to teach students what we mean by inferencing and how to do it is a good place to start) with a few suggestions.
“Reading Comprehension” is certainly not “a” skill, but it is composed of component skills that we CAN teach, and actually as a parent you are in an ideal position to teach and reinforce some of these. I don’t know your son but I worked with a group of 9-year-old boys last year on this and have some ideas and materials I’m sure would be useful for you.

Susan S.