| Young children often think that being a successful | | | | Close your eyes and share with your child the |
| reader means that they can read the words on | | | | details of the scene as you see it in your mind. |
| the page and have a general sense of what the | | | | Refer back to specific words or phrases in the |
| text means. It is understandable. Scarcely | | | | text to model that connection. |
| understanding the text is a big feat for beginning | | | | Practice with Your Child |
| readers. It may earn them the title of Great | | | | After you have modeled these techniques a few |
| Decoder, but they have not yet achieved success | | | | times, some kids will jump right in and make |
| as a reader. Good readers spend most of their | | | | connections and create scenes in their minds. |
| time on comprehension and need little time to | | | | Other children will need to be encouraged to try it |
| figure out what the words actually are. | | | | themselves. Invite your child to close her eyes |
| The ability to live the story in your mind is one of | | | | while you read. Ask her to share what she saw |
| the biggest joys of reading. Visualizing the story | | | | and to talk about what led her to that conclusion. |
| immerses you in the details and leads to deeper | | | | You might need to draw out ideas by asking her |
| comprehension. When we read aloud to our | | | | some key questions about the setting or |
| children, we have the opportunity to model this | | | | character or connections with her life. |
| technique and help them practice it. Making mental | | | | Continue to share your mental pictures and the |
| pictures together will lead to your child to be able | | | | words or life experience that led you to create it. |
| to make mental pictures when she reads silently. | | | | By listening to your process, your child will start to |
| Connecting the Text to Your Life | | | | implement a similar method in her mind. Also, if |
| Using images from your own life can help make | | | | she creates a mental picture that has little to do |
| strong connections to a text. Start with a text | | | | with the text, help her to adjust her image by |
| that makes you recall a specific moment in your | | | | asking her what words in the story made her |
| life. You might even want to close your eyes | | | | think that way. Sometimes you might need to |
| while your share your story to model seeing it in | | | | read on a bit to help her adjust her image. The |
| your mind and allow yourself to take in more of | | | | ability to correct mental pictures as you read is |
| the sensory details. Connect the memory back | | | | another important comprehension strategy. |
| with the text by finishing with something like "so, I | | | | Practicing making mental pictures while we read |
| know how "x" character must feel." or "I wonder | | | | aloud with our child will give her a tool that will |
| if the story will end like mine did." | | | | guide her to deeper comprehension of the text, |
| Creating a Mental Picture | | | | more enjoyment, and ultimately more success as |
| To model this technique, read a passage full of | | | | a reader. |
| rich detail. Stop and think about what you read. | | | | |