Children can develop problems with reading comprehension at any stage, affecting how well they do in school. Their teachers are often the ones to point it out, but, as the parent, you must also keep an eye out for any signs.
The earlier it is detected, the earlier you can start treatments to help your kid. While programs like Brain Retrain can help, seeking professional advice is essential.
To ensure you’re on the right track, it’s best to educate yourself about what causes reading comprehension problems and what exactly a reading comprehension problem is. This way, you’ll have an idea of what to expect and how to address it.
What Cognitive Factors Influence Reading Comprehension?
Reading comprehension uses specific cognitive functions a child needs to develop; otherwise, he or she may exhibit problems understanding what they’re reading. That’s why it’s essential to understand what cognitive factors influence reading comprehension skills, namely:
Background Knowledge
Background knowledge is the amount of knowledge or information a person has about a specific topic. It’s acquired through real-world experience, literary knowledge, or both.
Children who lack background knowledge may end up with reading comprehension problems because they’re not actively reading. Meaning, they can’t draw parallels between background knowledge and the text they’re reading or actively relate to text or passages.
It goes without saying that forming actual connections with what they are reading is necessary to improve reading comprehension.
Vocabulary
Recognizing speech, definition, context, and functions in a sentence all play a role in figuring out words and their meanings. Meanwhile, not understanding familiar words or their relationship will make it more difficult for the child to figure out the word. Thus, children already behind in vocabulary will struggle with reading comprehension.
Fluency
Reading fluency allows a child to retain information because they understand the text accurately within a specific time. It may be lacking for children with reading comprehension problems. The best way to master this skill is to practice the meaning of words, word placement, grammar, and understanding context.
Critical Thinking
Critical thinking is where children actively respond to the text they read, which means they can determine the main idea and supporting details of the passage. On top of that, they should be able to identify literary devices and their effect on text.
Children who suffer from developmental disabilities or lack comprehension skills may need to deepen their critical thinking skills.
What Is a Reading Comprehension Problem?
Reading comprehension involves understanding and interpreting written words or passages. Those with reading comprehension problems will have difficulty learning new concepts, which is why it’s considered a learning disability or disorder.
It doesn’t necessarily mean the child can’t read. It’s just that they’ve difficulty understanding what they are reading. Like many hidden learning disorders, it’s not always detected early, so the child can be behind on their schoolwork.
Signs of Reading Comprehension Problems
According to the Dyslexia Center of Utah, around 70% to 80% of people have poor reading skills and are dyslexic. Additionally, 15% to 20% of the population have a language-based learning disability. To put that in perspective, that’s one in five people nationwide.
That said, it’s crucial to understand when reading comprehension problems will peak. Most children show signs of S-RCD (specific reading comprehension deficit) between ages seven and eight. However, they can end up becoming more distinctive later.
Look for the following signs, as they are the key identifiers of reading comprehension problems:
- Struggles to comprehend basic words, phrases, or sentences
- Difficulty processing essential ideas while reading
- Gets frustrated or upset when reading
- Trouble reading out loud
- Problems recalling details of what they just read
An excellent way to determine if your child is having trouble reading is to talk to their teacher. Kids will struggle to get through their school day most of the time, so the teacher will be the first to notice. Hence, any class that heavily relies on reading or understanding written material is an excellent place to start.
What Causes Reading Comprehension Problems?
It’s important to be aware of the many possible reasons that may affect reading comprehension. Below are some that are most common in children:
Attention Deficit Disorder (ADHD)
ADHD is a common neurodevelopmental disorder that shows symptoms before age four. It’s diagnosed in early childhood and lasts throughout adulthood.
Symptoms of ADHD include impulsive behavior, trouble paying attention, and being overly energetic. Aside from that, children with ADHD will often struggle to focus on a task for an extended period, influencing reading comprehension problems.
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
ASD is a developmental disability that causes social, communication, and behavioral issues. Children with ASD will struggle with learning, thinking, and problem-solving abilities. Since reading is an ability that requires almost all three of those qualities, reading becomes a more difficult task for children with ASD.
Lessened Gray Matter
Children who have brain disorders may have less gray matter in some regions of the brain. The main areas include brain functions that help control language processing and executive functioning. Both of these skills are necessary for reading comprehension.
Dyslexia
Dyslexia is a learning disability that impairs a person’s capability to identify and process written letters. Children with dyslexia will exhibit lower reading levels than their peers, which can be identified early in school. Symptoms to look out for include phonological processing difficulty, spelling, and rapid visual-verbal responses.
Limited Vocabulary
Children with reading comprehension problems may also have poor early vocabulary skills. Kids who may read easily but struggle with grasping the meaning of words will likely have a reading comprehension problem. However, most children tend to grow out of this phase by improving their vocabulary skills.
Strategies That Can Help Develop Reading Comprehension
Kids should be encouraged to use specific skills to enhance their reading capability. Parents, guardians, and teachers are the ones responsible for helping them achieve this using the following strategies:
- Teach students to use an active reading voice inside their head
- Help students develop decoding skills
- Practice new vocabulary and review old ones along with their meaning
- Teach grammatical rules
- Teach students a morphological structure to figure out the meaning of words via prefixes, roots, and suffixes
- Practice inferring meaning of words
- Teach students about text structure
- Allow students to annotate text
- Encourage students to practice developmental imagery while reading
- Create pre-reading activities
- Use audiobooks along with reading
How Can Brain Retrain Help?
Brain Retrain is a program that utilizes audio frequencies to help stimulate specific areas of the brain that control learning and behavior. In psychology, this treatment is called auditory neurofeedback.
The Frontiers in Neurology has found that children with ASD show positive improvements in reading comprehension using this approach. Brain Retrain’s therapeutic programs are designed to offer corrective care for children with ASD and other learning disabilities and behavioral disorders.
How Can You Assist Children With S-RCD
As mentioned, reading comprehension problems are not always diagnosed early. Teachers, parents, and peers may believe that the child is a slow learner or struggles with a few concepts. However, it will become more apparent after an extended period as they continue to encounter more problems.
Sometimes, reading comprehension problems can be a sign of a developmental disability, which will need to be diagnosed by a professional. You can help children with S-RCD by implementing techniques that make learning easier.
There is no one set treatment for reading disorders, as it will be based on the child’s needs. Still, teachers, peers, and parents can each play a part in helping strengthen a child’s reading ability.
How Teachers Can Assist
Teachers can help by looking out for children who exhibit reading comprehension problems. Children who show any issues with reading comprehension, pronunciation, or struggle to grasp vocabulary concepts should be noted.
Let parents know that their child is having difficulties in class. Early intervention can help parents get a diagnosis or professional help for their child.
What Parents Can Do
Parents can help foster a stronger vocabulary and teach individual words and the meaning of those words at home. Aside from that, parents should help generate a mental image during reading sessions. Creating a mental image can help kids who struggle with concepts.
What Peers Can Do
Peers can help each other by practicing spelling and grammar and reading aloud. Children who struggle with comprehension will often be more likely to pick up concepts if used in conversation. Hence, having peers explain and read words can help those behind in reading comprehension.
Early Intervention Is Key
Reading comprehension problems can be challenging to detect, as it may just seem like a child is slower in learning concepts than other kids of the same age. Keeping in touch with teachers, guardians, and peers is vital in detecting reading comprehension problems.Luckily, reading skills can often be improved at home by practicing vocabulary, comprehension, and critical thinking. However, if a child continues to struggle, it may be worth bringing them to see a professional. On top of that, you can try using programs like Brain Retrain.