A Surprising Way to Boost Your Child's Reading Comprehension
Every parent wants the best for their child, especially when it comes to their education. If your child has a learning disability like dyslexia, you might be wondering how to support them in their academic journey. One powerful and surprising way to help your child improve their reading comprehension is by building their background knowledge. This can make a significant difference, particularly for students with dyslexia.
The Key to Reading Comprehension
Reading comprehension is at the heart of academic success, and for children with learning disabilities like dyslexia, it can be a challenging endeavor. But there's a surprising solution: building background knowledge.
The Power of Background Knowledge
Background knowledge encompasses a child's understanding of a wide range of topics, including vocabulary, facts, and conceptual understanding. When a child has a strong foundation in a particular subject, they are better equipped to comprehend what they read and make inferences about it. Even if they struggle to decode or sound out the words in the text, their background knowledge compensates for these difficulties.
The "Baseball Experiment"
To illustrate the significance of background knowledge, consider "The Baseball Study" conducted by Recht and Leslie in 1988. In this study, students read a complex text about baseball. Surprisingly, struggling readers comprehended the text better than strong readers did if they had a strong knowledge of baseball. This study highlights the profound impact of background knowledge on reading comprehension.
Building Your Child's Background Knowledge
Now that you understand the importance of background knowledge, you might be wondering how to help your child build it. Good news! Building background knowledge is fun. Here are some enjoyable and educational activities you can engage in with your child to boost their knowledge of the world:
1. Visit Museums and Historic Sites: Explore museums and historic sites in your community. Before your visit, discuss or read about the topic to prepare your child. For instance, you can read Karyn Tunk's Hooray for the Mighty A before visiting a battleship like the USS Alabama.
2. Watch Documentaries: Enjoy documentaries about history, science, or travel together. Documentaries are a fantastic way to learn and spark curiosity.
3. Listen to Podcasts: Make car rides more educational by listening to podcasts. Try shows like "The Past and the Curious," which has an entertaining series called the "Underwear Chronicles" about famous historical moments involving underpants.
The Past and the Curious
4. Explore Maps: Study maps with your child and discuss places you've been as a family, where different family members live, and places you'd like to visit in the future. Maps can open up conversations about geography and culture.
5. Read and Discuss the News: Share articles from the newspaper and discuss current events around the dinner table. This encourages critical thinking and helps your child stay informed about the world.
6. Read Aloud: Choose classic or historical fiction novels to read aloud before bedtime. When you come across unusual vocabulary, look up pictures and information on the internet. A great recommendation is the Little House on the Prairie series, which offers insights into historical life in the United States.
Supporting your child's education goes beyond home activities. Establishing a strong line of communication with your child's teacher is pivotal. Here's how to get started:
The Power of Individualized Support
There's something else super important – individualized support. Your child might need more help than what you can provide at home. Read Write offers one-on-oneacademic language therapy to improve reading comprehension. Find out how this special support can make a big difference for kids with learning disabilities.
In conclusion, building background knowledge is a surprising yet effective way to improve your child's reading comprehension, especially when they have learning disabilities like dyslexia. Remember, you are your child's greatest advocate, and together with the teacher, you can make a significant difference in their educational journey.
Additional Resources
For more ideas and insights on building background knowledge, check out the following links:
- [Reading Rockets: Building Background Knowledge] (https://www.readingrockets.org/topics/background-knowledge/articles/building-background-knowledge)
- [Core Knowledge: The Baseball Experiment] (https://www.coreknowledge.org/blog/baseball-experiment-two-wisconsin-researchers-discovered-comprehension-gap-knowledge-gap/)
