Word knowledge and reading comprehension

word knowledge and reading comprehension

When I read an English text, I sometimes come across words of which I do not know the meaning. With a single word that is usually not so bad. I still understand the point of the story. However, when I read a French book I know even fewer words and it does not take long before I no longer understand the story.

Vocabulary: you know a lot of words

Word knowledge: you understand what the words mean

To read comprehension, it is especially important to know the words that are used.

It is therefore very possible that your child answers one text much better than the next. He then does not understand some words and gets lost. If you have a child who never asks the teacher or master anything in class, he will not pick up those words quickly either.

Reading a lot helps

Every child reads at his own level. But what is that. I sometimes have the idea that it is looked at how fast a child reads and then a certain reading level is attached to it. Speed ​​of reading, however, has little to do with word knowledge. For example, my son reads one and a half times as fast as I do. Yet he does not know the meaning of all the words that pass by.

Still, a lot of reading helps. Your child will then be presented with many words. And when he reads a lot, he also gets to see difficult words in different contexts.

Improve your little reading child’s word knowledge

As a parent you usually do not know which word your child understands and which does not. So to teach him/her better word knowledge, you can do the following exercise. Have your child read a maximum of 10 pages of a book. He has to ask you for every word he comes across that he doesn’t know the meaning of. After 2 words he can stop reading. Of course you have to be in the room. to explain the word right away.

Children with less vocabulary usually don’t read much because they like other things more. So don’t tire it too much at once. By having the 2 words asked, he may only have to read 5 pages. This way he is ready quickly if he asks a lot. If he does not come across 1 word within 10 pages that he does not understand, then another book is better to continue with. Or he doesn’t dare to ask because he …. and that can be anything.

Suppose there never comes a question, then you can take a look in the book in question and pick out some difficult words. You then ask your child if he can explain this.

Adv. reading comprehension

Group 7 elementary school

Group 8 elementary school

Word knowledge in the reading comprehension lesson

Suppose your child is tutored in reading comprehension, then that is 1 on 1. Children are more inclined to ask questions than in a classroom environment. And if they don’t ask, questions from my side will reveal why your child chooses a certain answer. So I find out if the problem lies with the word knowledge.

Prefer to book an extra lesson?

Scroll to Top