Here you will find helpful themes and hints for more effective learning. Research-based, we’ll keep the topics simple for quick and enjoyable reading with general overviews of such topics as: did you know that people learn more when they’re having fun? Of course they do! Brain research has now verified this, so you can rest assured that the few extra moments you take making a learning activity fun is well worth it and creates lasting memory.
Did you know there is one question you can keep asking to help a reader get excellent at Reading Comprehension quickly? It is simply to ask often, “So, what is happening in the story?” (or article, or paragraph, etc.). This trains the mind to not only pay attention to the letters and words, but also the meanings of them. Books that have comprehension or discussion questions scattered throughout are also very helpful in this.
I have a daughter who loved to snuggle up before bed and read with me. Since my children were babies, I loved to snuggle up with them and read before bed. It became a lasting theme with us. But, one night my young daughter was uncharacteristically in a mood and didn’t seem to focus well; she to get up and keep playing around in her room. Wanting to allow her to get any extra energy out before bed, I waited for her to settle down while I continued reading one of our favorite books but was not sure she was still listening. Eventually, I asked her, “Are you still listening?” To which she replied with an unusually curt response, “Ugh, Yes! But only because I know you’ll ask me the questions at the end.” I was shocked at how much a 4 year old could sound like a teenager! Thankfully, that was only one night out of thousands of nights and the rest we have truly enjoyed with one another, and her brother, in that respect. As you can see, the surly surprise confirmed that it really was working to ask those comprehension questions as you read.
Here would be a good place for us to share our favorite books that have questions printed in them (although, remember that you can ask them yourself during any type of reading of any genre), so comment below on your favorites. One of my children’s absolute favorites was The Bible in Pictures for Little Eyes by Kenneth N Taylor. I’ll put a link to it here in case you want to enjoy it, too: https://smile.amazon.com/New-Bible-Pictures-Little-Eyes/dp/0802430570/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=the+Bible+in+Pictures+for+little+eyes&qid=1603369875&sr=8-3