Are you the type of person who loves to snuggle in on a rainy evening with a good book, read on the beach while listening to the waves, or enjoy chatting in a book club? I happen to fall into the category of all of the above. That’s part of why I enjoy being a reading coach so much – so I can help children get to the point where they can enjoy reading.
Most of us don’t think about the combination of skills it takes to read. While we are reading we are decoding words, understanding word meanings, analyzing, applying information, recognizing punctuation, remembering what we read, and comprehending it all. That’s a lot going on in our brains!
Strong reading comprehension skills are not only critical for academic success, but are important in order to get to the point where you can engage with a story and appreciate reading. With the appropriate support, comprehension skills can be strengthened and improved.
Here are 10 key reasons why reading comprehension is essential for children’s success and how you can help your child develop strong reading skills.
1. Builds Stronger Academic Performance
Reading comprehension is the foundation for learning in all subjects. Whether it’s solving word problems in math, understanding history lessons, or following science experiments, strong comprehension skills make learning easier and more enjoyable.
✔ Children with strong reading comprehension retain more information and perform better in school.
✔ Struggling readers often fall behind in multiple subjects due to difficulty understanding written material.
📌 How to Help: Encourage active reading strategies such as previewing the text, jotting notes in the margin (writing personal connections helps understanding and retention), summarizing paragraphs, and engage in discussion while asking questions.
2. Develops Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving Skills
Comprehending a text involves analyzing, predicting, and drawing conclusions. Strong readers can:
✔ Make connections between ideas in different texts.
✔ Identify cause-and-effect relationships in stories and real life.
✔ Evaluate information and form independent opinions.
📌 How to Help: Ask your child open-ended questions like, “Why do you think the character made that choice?” or “What would you do in that situation?” You can also encourage critical thinking by reading two books within the same genre and discussing the similarities and differences between the books’ messages and characters.
3. Expands Vocabulary and Language Skills
Children who understand what they read naturally develop a richer vocabulary. Exposure to new words in context helps children:
✔ Learn and remember new words naturally without memorization drills.
✔ Improve grammar, sentence structure, and writing skills.
✔ Express ideas more clearly in conversations and school assignments.
📌 How to Help: Keep a new words journal where kids write down unfamiliar words, look up their meanings as they are reading, and use them in sentences. Also, encourage your child to read a variety of genres such as biographies, poetry, fiction & non-fiction because each genre has unique words and expressions.
4. Strengthens Focus and Attention Span
Reading requires children to stay engaged, follow a storyline, and retain information over time. Strong comprehension skills help children:
✔ Develop longer attention spans and focus for extended periods.
✔ Stay engaged in independent reading and school assignments.
✔ Reduce frustration and distraction when reading new material.
📌 How to Help: Before reading even begins, help your child set a purpose for their reading. The purpose can be to continue learning about new things (expanding your brain!) such as a historical event or a new person. Their purpose can also be to read for fun. Also, encourage reading in a quiet space without distractions and gradually increase reading time to improve focus.
5. Boosts Confidence and Self-Esteem
Children who struggle with comprehension can feel frustrated and discouraged. When they improve their reading skills, they:
✔ Feel more confident participating in classroom discussions.
✔ Develop a positive attitude toward learning.
✔ Gain a sense of achievement when they understand and enjoy books.
📌 How to Help: Praise effort over outcome; celebrate small reading milestones and encourage perseverance. Inspire your child by reading together! I always enjoyed sitting on the patio on a nice day, sharing a snack and reading alongside my mom. A lot of my students who I coach share with me that they enjoy reading to their siblings. This is a great way to share the experience and get some good practice.
6. Encourages a Love for Reading
Children who comprehend what they read find reading enjoyable rather than frustrating. Strong comprehension skills help children:
✔ Stay engaged and excited about books.
✔ Explore different genres, topics, and ideas.
✔ Develop a lifelong habit of reading for pleasure and learning.
📌 How to Help: Let your child choose books that interest them, even if they prefer graphic novels, magazines, or audiobooks. Read aloud together, bringing stories to life with voices and enthusiasm! Find Book-Inspired Movies & Shows. Watching an adaptation can spark interest in reading the book – I personally love to read the book and then watch the show/movie and note what differences there were.
7. Prepares Kids for Success in Higher Education and Careers
Strong reading comprehension is essential for higher education and future careers. As children grow, they will need to:
✔ Understand complex textbooks, research articles, and academic papers.
✔ Read and interpret instructions, contracts, and professional documents.
✔ Communicate clearly in written and verbal formats.
📌 How to Help: Encourage children to read a variety of materials, including mysteries, newspapers, and informational texts. There are also a variety of online stories & articles your child may find interesting. Websites like Storyberries, Oxford Owl, NASA Kids’ Club are great for elementary and middle school aged children. For highschoolers, check out The Learning Network (NY Times) and Newsela.
8. Helps with Social and Emotional Development
Reading stories helps children understand emotions, relationships, and different perspectives. When kids comprehend texts deeply, they:
✔ Develop empathy by understanding characters’ experiences and feelings.
✔ Learn to navigate social situations through stories.
✔ Improve their emotional intelligence and ability to relate to others.
📌 How to Help: To foster social and emotional development through reading, select stories that explore feelings, empathy, friendship, conflict resolution, and self-acceptance then discuss the challenges presented in the story. Examples: The Feelings Book by Todd Parr, The Invisible Boy by Trudy Ludwig.
9. Improves Writing and Communication Skills
Reading and writing go hand in hand. The better a child understands texts, the better they express their ideas in writing. Strong readers can:
✔ Organize thoughts by using a graphic organizer or pre-writing list when writing essays or stories.
✔ Use richer vocabulary and varied sentence structures.
✔ Express their opinions clearly and persuasively.
📌 How to Help: You can have your child pretend they are a book reviewer and write a review of books they’ve read or keep a reading journal to jot down thoughts, opinions, and new things they learn as they read. As mentioned previously (under #3 for Vocabulary) it is helpful to keep a new words journal. Have your child use this alongside their writing to use some of those words they learned from reading.
10. Makes Learning More Enjoyable and Less Stressful
When children comprehend what they read, school becomes less overwhelming and they:
✔ Enjoy classroom learning and feel prepared for lessons.
✔ Develop a growth mindset and embrace challenges.
✔ Feel motivated to explore new subjects and ideas.
📌 How to Help: Keep reading sessions stress-free and positive. If a child struggles with a passage, encourage patience and discussion instead of pressure.
Why Online Reading Tutoring Can Help Strengthen Reading Comprehension (and more)
✔ Personalized instruction tailored to your child’s reading level.
✔ Science-backed strategies for improving phonics, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension.
✔ Flexible, convenient sessions from the comfort of home that include fun activities to strengthen your child’s reading skills.
📌 Savvy Learning’s online reading tutors help children develop strong comprehension skills, build confidence, and become lifelong readers!
📚 Looking for expert reading support? Contact Savvy Learning today to help your child develop strong comprehension skills and confidence in reading!
