| It is no wonder that many beginning readers | | | | comprehension. As we read, the information is |
| struggle. Reading Comprehension is a more | | | | being stored sequentially in our short term |
| complicated process than many of us realize. To | | | | memory. When eyes jolt backwards and then |
| truly understand a two line text, it is necessary to | | | | forward again, the information is coming into the |
| follow about ten* (yes, ten!) different steps. | | | | brain out of sequence and so it takes more time |
| Since reading is such a basic life skill, teachers and | | | | to identify the data, analyze where it belongs in |
| parents spend lots of time and energy to help | | | | the string of information and then comprehend |
| kids be successful and enjoy reading. When issues | | | | the whole meaning of the word or phrase. |
| arise, many remedial classes focus on phonics | | | | There are many different indicators that a child's |
| skills, decoding, slowing down, and getting your | | | | vision might be the culprit for poor reading |
| mouth ready to say the word. For some kids | | | | comprehension. Leaving out letters or adding |
| that does the trick, but for others it doesn't solve | | | | letters on to words, having trouble writing in a |
| the problem at all. The root of the problem might | | | | straight line, and misreading small words like "in" or |
| be vision. | | | | "to" are just a few. As with any student |
| Even though a child tests 20/20 at the eye | | | | struggling in school, it is important to first identify |
| doctor, vision could still be at the heart of a child's | | | | the root of the problem. This will help you know |
| comprehension issues. When we cover one eye | | | | which road to take to help your child be more |
| to read the letters off the chart, the doctor is | | | | successful. If reading comprehension is a struggle |
| measuring each of our eye's individual ability to | | | | for your child and tutoring doesn't seem to help, |
| see (eye sight). Vision, on the other hand, is both | | | | weak vision might be the answer. |
| of our eyes' ability to work together as a team. | | | | *10 Steps Involved in Reading a Two Line |
| It is a skill that is developed and when it is weak, | | | | Passage |
| it can lead to problems like: reversing letters, | | | | 1. Coordinate the eyes. |
| confusing words that are similar, and difficulty | | | | 2. Move them from left to right across the page. |
| copying information off the board. | | | | 3. Pause a few times every second to |
| As we read, our eyes make a series of quick | | | | comprehend parts of the words |
| stops across the line of text to help us take in | | | | 4. Match the information to what is already |
| the information. Our eyes do this without us | | | | known. |
| consciously knowing it. For adults the number of | | | | 5. Translate the letters into sounds |
| pauses per line is between eight and ten. For a | | | | 6. Hear the sound |
| beginning reader the number of pauses jumps to | | | | 7. Put those sounds together to make a word. |
| between 20 and 30. | | | | 8. Recognize the word |
| Sometimes during these pauses the eyes make a | | | | 9. Make a mental picture to understand its |
| quick jump backwards and then forward again. | | | | meaning. |
| This movement is called a regression and when it | | | | 10. Bring the eyes back to the left and down to |
| occurs in over 15% of the quick stops, it affects | | | | begin the next line of text. |