COMPREHENSION STRATEGIES REFERENCE GUIDE
Your Complete Guide to Building Understanding
This guide explains the key comprehension strategies that good readers use—and how you can teach them through conversation!
🎯 THE BIG SIX COMPREHENSION STRATEGIES
Research shows that proficient readers use six key strategies. Here’s how to teach each one through conversation:
1. MAKING CONNECTIONS 🌉
What it is: Linking the story to personal experiences, the real world, or other texts
Why it matters: Connections anchor new information in memory and build empathy
How to teach it:
TEXT-TO-SELF
Linking story to child’s own life
Prompts to use:
- “Does this remind you of something that happened to you?”
- “Have you ever felt this way?”
- “What would you do in this situation?”
Example: Book: Character is nervous about first day of school You: “Remember when you were nervous about your first swim lesson? How did that feel?”
Age Adaptations:
- Ages 2-4: Focus on concrete experiences (“That dog looks like Grandma’s dog!”)
- Ages 5-7: Include emotional experiences (“Have you ever felt lonely like this character?”)
- Ages 8+: Connect to more abstract experiences (“This is like when you had to choose between two friends…”)
TEXT-TO-WORLD
Linking story to real-world events, facts, or current happenings
Prompts to use:
- “This is just like what we saw at [place]!”
- “Have you seen something like this in real life?”
- “This reminds me of something that happened in the news…”
Example: Book: Animals hibernating in winter You: “Remember when we learned that bears really do sleep all winter? That’s what’s happening in this story!”
Age Adaptations:
- Ages 2-4: Connect to immediate environment (“Look! A truck, just like we see on our street!”)
- Ages 5-7: Connect to places you’ve visited or things you’ve learned
- Ages 8+: Include current events, social issues, or broader world knowledge
TEXT-TO-TEXT
Linking story to other books, movies, or stories
Prompts to use:
- “Does this remind you of another book we read?”
- “This character is like [other character]. How?”
- “This ending is similar to…”
Example: Book: Character learns to be brave You: “This reminds me of ‘The Cowardly Lion’ in The Wizard of Oz. Both characters discover they had courage all along!”
Age Adaptations:
- Ages 2-4: Connect to familiar stories, songs, or TV shows
- Ages 5-7: Compare characters, problems, or settings across books
- Ages 8+: Compare themes, author’s craft, or story structures
2. VISUALIZING 🎨
What it is: Creating mental images while reading
Why it matters: Visualization improves memory and deepens understanding
How to teach it:
Think-Aloud Examples:
- “I’m picturing a dark, shadowy forest with tall trees…”
- “When they describe the birthday cake, I can almost see the rainbow frosting!”
- “I’m imagining what their house looks like based on this description…”
Prompts to use:
- “What do you see in your mind when I read this?”
- “Can you describe what you’re picturing?”
- “If you were drawing this scene, what would it look like?”
Activity Ideas:
- Draw a scene from the story after reading
- Close eyes and imagine while parent reads descriptive passage
- Compare mental image to book illustrations
Best Book Types:
- Rich descriptive language
- Books without many illustrations (chapter books)
- Poetry
3. QUESTIONING ❓
What it is: Asking questions before, during, and after reading
Why it matters: Questions drive deeper thinking and engagement
How to teach it:
Model Your Own Questions:
- “I’m wondering why the character made that choice…”
- “Hmm, I have a question—how did she get there?”
- “I’m curious about what will happen next…”
Prompts to use:
- “What are you wondering about?”
- “Do you have any questions about this part?”
- “What would you like to know more about?”
Types of Questions:
BEFORE Reading:
- “What do you think this book will be about?” (prediction)
- “What do you already know about [topic]?” (activating knowledge)
DURING Reading:
- “Why is that happening?” (inference)
- “What will happen next?” (prediction)
- “How does this work?” (clarification)
AFTER Reading:
- “Why did the author…?” (analysis)
- “What if…?” (extension)
- “I’m still wondering about…” (lingering questions)
Activity: Wonder Notes Keep sticky notes handy. When your child asks a great question, write it down and stick it in the book. Review “wonder questions” afterward.
4. MAKING INFERENCES 🔍
What it is: Reading between the lines; understanding what’s not explicitly stated
Why it matters: Most meaning in text is implied, not stated directly
How to teach it:
What Inferencing Sounds Like:
- “The book doesn’t say she’s sad, but I can tell by her face and her slumped shoulders”
- “I think he’s nervous because his hands are shaking”
- “They don’t say it’s morning, but the sun is rising so it must be”
Prompts to use:
- “How is the character feeling? How can you tell?”
- “Why do you think they did that?”
- “What’s really going on here?”
- “The author didn’t say it directly, but what do you think is happening?”
Clues to Use for Inferences:
- Pictures/illustrations
- Character actions
- Dialogue (what they say and how)
- Facial expressions
- Setting details
- What characters DON’T say or do
Age Adaptations:
- Ages 2-4: Focus on emotions from pictures (“Is he happy or sad?”)
- Ages 5-7: Infer simple character motivations (“Why did she do that?”)
- Ages 8+: Infer themes, character complexity, subtle meanings
5. DETERMINING IMPORTANCE 🎯
What it is: Identifying key ideas, themes, or details
Why it matters: Good readers distinguish between main ideas and supporting details
How to teach it:
Prompts to use:
- “What’s this story really about?”
- “What’s the most important part?”
- “If you were telling a friend about this book in one sentence, what would you say?”
- “What’s the big lesson or message?”
Activities:
- Retelling: “Tell me what happened in this story”
- Rating Moments: “Was that an important part or just a small detail?”
- Three-Word Summary: “If you could only use THREE words to describe this book, what would they be?”
Age Adaptations:
- Ages 2-4: “What happened in this story?” (basic plot)
- Ages 5-7: “What was the problem and how did they solve it?” (story structure)
- Ages 8+: “What’s the theme? What lesson did the character learn?” (deeper meaning)
6. SYNTHESIZING 🧩
What it is: Putting pieces together; evolving understanding as you read
Why it matters: Reading is an active process—good readers adjust their thinking
How to teach it:
What Synthesizing Sounds Like:
- “At first I thought X, but now I think Y because…”
- “This is changing my mind about the character…”
- “Oh! That explains why earlier they…”
Prompts to use:
- “How has your thinking changed since the beginning?”
- “What surprised you?”
- “Did you learn something new about the character?”
- “How did this story change what you think about [topic]?”
Activities:
- Stop and Predict: Halfway through, predict ending. After reading, discuss if prediction changed
- Character Change Chart: Track how character changes from beginning to end
- Opinion Evolution: “Do you still think the same thing you thought at the start?”
Age Adaptations:
- Ages 2-4: Simple before/after (“At the start, he was sad. At the end, he was happy!”)
- Ages 5-7: Character growth and change
- Ages 8+: Theme development and nuanced understanding
🗣️ THE POWER OF THINK-ALOUDS
What it is: Narrating your thinking process out loud while reading
Why it’s powerful: Makes invisible thinking visible
How to Do It:
- Read a passage
- Pause naturally
- Share what’s in your head using “I” statements
- Keep it brief (1-2 sentences)
- Continue reading
Think-Aloud Stems:
- “I’m thinking…”
- “I wonder…”
- “I’m picturing…”
- “This reminds me of…”
- “I’m confused about…”
- “I’m noticing…”
What to Think Aloud About:
- Visualizing: “I’m imagining…”
- Predicting: “I think what will happen next is…”
- Questioning: “I’m wondering why…”
- Connecting: “This reminds me of…”
- Inferring: “I think the character is feeling…”
- Clarifying: “I’m confused, so I’m going to reread…”
⏰ THE POWER OF WAIT TIME
What it is: Pausing 5-7 seconds after asking a question before speaking again
Why it matters:
- Respects thinking time
- Shows you value thoughtful answers over fast answers
- Reduces anxiety
- Leads to longer, more complex responses
How to Do It:
- Ask your question
- Take a breath
- Count slowly to 7 in your head
- Wait a beat more
- THEN respond
If They’re Still Stuck:
- Offer a sentence starter: “Maybe it’s because…”
- Simplify the question: “Is he happy or sad?”
- Share your own thinking first
- Say: “That’s a tricky one! What do YOU think?”
📖 AGE-APPROPRIATE EXPECTATIONS
AGES 2-4 (Pre-Readers)
What to Expect:
- Short attention spans (5-10 min books)
- Concrete thinking
- Focus on pictures more than words
- Love repetition
Focus On:
- Picture walks
- Simple predictions
- Naming emotions
- Text-to-self connections to immediate experiences
- Basic retelling (“What happened?”)
AGES 5-7 (Beginning Readers)
What to Expect:
- Growing attention spans (15-20 min books)
- Beginning to read independently
- Understanding cause and effect
- Literal comprehension strong
Focus On:
- Character feelings and motivations
- Simple inferences
- Predictions with reasons
- Retelling with beginning, middle, end
- Connections to life and other books
AGES 7-9 (Growing Readers)
What to Expect:
- Longer books/chapters (20-30 min sessions)
- More complex plot understanding
- Developing empathy
- Beginning to grasp themes
Focus On:
- Character change and development
- Theme identification
- Multiple perspectives
- Synthesizing information
- Text evidence (“How do you know?”)
AGES 9+ (Confident Readers)
What to Expect:
- Novel-length books
- Abstract thinking emerging
- Strong opinions about books
- Complex emotional understanding
Focus On:
- Theme and symbolism
- Author’s craft and purpose
- Critical analysis
- Making connections across texts
- Evaluating and critiquing
🎯 PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
A Simple Framework for ANY Reading Session:
BEFORE Reading:
- Picture walk OR prediction question
- Activate prior knowledge
DURING Reading:
- 1-2 think-alouds (model your thinking)
- 1-2 wonder questions (invite their thinking)
- 1 connection (text-to-self/world/text)
AFTER Reading:
- One reflection question
- Optional: retelling or rating
Remember: You don’t need ALL strategies every time. Pick 1-2 to focus on per book.
📊 TRACKING PROGRESS
Signs of Growing Comprehension:
✓ Longer, more detailed answers ✓ Spontaneous questions or connections ✓ Accurate predictions ✓ Remembering and referring back to stories ✓ Talking about characters’ feelings ✓ Noticing when something doesn’t make sense ✓ Retelling with key details in order ✓ Making inferences without prompting
💡 QUICK TIPS
When Short on Time: Use these three essential moves:
- One prediction before reading
- One think-aloud during reading
- One question after reading (“What did you think?”)
When They’re Resistant:
- Back off! Some days are just for enjoyment
- Share YOUR thinking without asking them to respond
- Wait until they’re older/more ready
- Try different book genres—maybe they need action, not feelings
When Answers Are Always “I Don’t Know”:
- Offer two choices to start
- Model your own answer first
- Look at pictures together
- Simplify the question
- Build confidence with easier books first
Remember: Comprehension conversations are about building thinking skills, not testing memory. Keep it joyful, keep it curious, and trust the process! 🌸
Words That Bloom | Making Reading Joyful For more resources: www.wordsthatbloom.com