• Foundation for all subjects: Comprehension is key for understanding texts, instructions, and complex concepts in every subject, not just in English class.

• Boosts critical thinking: It helps you analyze, synthesize, evaluate, draw conclusions, and recognize bias.

• Improves memory & focus: It strengthens your ability to retain information and concentrate. 

• Ask Questions (WHO/WHAT): As you read, pause ask questions about the most important WHO or WHAT in the passage. For larger passages, create stopping points after each heading or paragraph to ensure understanding before moving on.  

• Ask Questions (Meaning): Actively ask questions when something does not make sense to clarify meaning. 

• Make Connections: Help your child bridge the gap between the book/passage and their own world (text to self, text to text, text to world). When adolescents connect a story to their own experiences, they remember and understand it much more clearly. 

• Summarizing: Work with your child to summarize the story or chapter in 10 words or less.

• 3-2-1 Strategy: Record 3 key ideas, 2 supporting details, and 1 question about the text.  

• Content area subjects: Reading skills are not just for Language/English class. Reading in content area subjects can be just as challenging for some students. Students need to navigate complex multisyllabic and technical vocabulary. 

What is a Lexile Measure in Reading? A Parent's Guide from Lexia

Raise a Reader: A Parent Guide to Reading for Ages 11-13 from Scholastic

Tips for Parents of Struggling Adolescent Writers