Following my Facebook Live session on inference in the 11+, SATs, GCSE and ISEB group, I thought it would be a great idea to share some quick tips on how to help your child improve their comprehension skills.

Comprehension is one of my favourite areas of English and I’ve written a number of comprehension books over the years. You can check them out on Amazon.

Moving on, here are some of my favourite tricks for improving children’s comprehension skills.

They’re simple but powerful tips and I hope they’ll be of use to your child.

Tip One:

Encourage your child to read every day.

It’s an obvious point but it’s easy to dismiss reading and ignore it. Make it part of your child’s routine to read daily.

Tip Two:

Reading isn’t just about reading.

It’s about asking questions, soaking up ideas, linking character experiences with your own. Encourage your child to be inquisitive, question what characters say or do, and think deeply about the text.

Tip Three:

Don’t rush through books.

A controversial one but I’ve observed students who read through tons of books every week and never actually understand them properly. It’s better to read one book properly than to read ten badly.

Tip Four

Write summaries of each chapter.

This is a great way to remember the story and engage in it on a deeper level. You can be creative and mind-map the main points, highlights or themes in the story.

A Bonus Tip:

Make learning fun. Use coloured paper, felt tips, gel pens, stickers, anything that will help you to visualise your learning.