Yes! My Kid is Reading!
Independent Reading...What is the Goal? What Should it Look Like?
Launch the media gallery 1 playerYour child has started to read on their own...woo hoo!! Now you just need to make sure that he/she is understanding what they've read.
When choosing a book, your child needs to find books that have been written at their "Just Right" independent level. This means that they can read the words (decode) and understand it (comprehend) on their own. (Side note: This will usually not be the same level that they read during guided reading at school with the teacher. The teacher is working with them at their instructional level.)
For independent reading, there are three main things a child should be able to do after reading to demonstrate that they can comprehend the text:
1. Retell the beginning, middle, and end of the story.
2. Answer questions (who, what, where, when, why, how) about what has happened in the book.
3. Make a connection between the text and themselves. another book, or the world.
Do quick informal checks when they're reading a new book...the answers don't have to be perfect. If they are struggling to come up with them, then you may want to find an easier text.
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