Comprehension skills are vital for success in the 7+ to 11+ exams. They not only enhance your child’s ability to understand and interpret texts but also boost their overall academic performance. In this post, we’ll explore some effective strategies to help your child improve their comprehension skills, making study time both enjoyable and productive.
The Importance of Comprehension Skills
Comprehension is the foundation of all learning. It enables children to grasp the meaning of what they read, follow instructions accurately, and engage with complex ideas. For the 7+, 8+ to 11+ exams, strong comprehension skills can make a significant difference in performance across various subjects.
Tips to Enhance Comprehension Skills
1. Encourage Active Reading Encourage your child to read actively by asking questions about the text. This can include:
- What is the main idea of the passage?
- Can you summarise what you just read?
- Why do you think the character made that choice?
2. Build Vocabulary A rich vocabulary enhances comprehension. Introduce new words in everyday conversations and encourage your child to use them in sentences. Make a game out of learning new words and their meanings.
At https://www.fynschool.com/creativecarnival play the Word Bank game, which will introduce and test your child’s vocabulary.
3. Use Graphic Organizers Graphic organisers like story boards, story maps, Venn diagrams, and flowcharts help children organize information visually. These tools can make it easier to understand and recall details from the text.
4. Practice Summarisation Have your child practice summarising paragraphs or chapters. This reinforces understanding and helps identify key points. Start with short texts and gradually move to longer ones.
5. Discuss and Predict Discuss the content of the books your child is reading. Ask them to predict what might happen next and why they think so. This engages critical thinking and keeps them invested in the story.
7. Highlight and Underline While reading through texts, get your child into the habit of underlining facts that seem important. They can underline the text in the exam and it can help focus their attention on possible questions.
7. Relate to Real Life Connect the stories and information in books to real-life experiences. This makes the content more relatable and easier to understand. For example, if a story involves a trip to the zoo, talk about your own zoo visits.
Read our guide to vocabulary https://learn.fynschool.com/studyguides/creative-writing/vocabulary/
Conclusion
Improving comprehension skills is a journey that involves consistent practice and engagement. By incorporating these strategies into your child’s study routine, you’ll help them build the confidence and skills they need to excel in their 7+ to 11+ exams. Remember, the key is to make learning enjoyable and relevant to their everyday experiences.