Comprehension
Comprehension - One of the best things you can do with your child is read, read, read. Read to them, take turns reading, and/or have them read to you. Talk about cover - What do you think this book is going to be about? What do you know about _____? Ask questions as you are reading the book - Why do you think Samantha feels sad? Where do you think the boys will go next? Summarize the story after you are done reading it - At the beginning of the story....Then....Finally. If you would like shorter passages with comprehension questions, please use the resources below
WORD-BUILDING EXERCISES: Listening Comprehension
1. What Does Not Belong?
Objective: Child will demonstrate an understanding of categories.
Exercise: Prepare sets of four pictures (three that belong to one category and one that does not). (Examples: shoe, hat, shirt, and apple; car, train, plane, and pencil; etc.) Place a set of pictures in front of Child, naming each picture as you set it down. Ask Child to point to the picture that does not belong.
2. Guessing Game
Objective: Child will demonstrate the ability to use clues to identify objects.
Exercise: While holding an object or picture behind your back, give Child three clues that describe the item. (Example: It is red, it is round, and it is a fruit--apple.) Have Child guess the item.
3. Answering Questions
Objective: Child will demonstrate understanding of a story that she
has listened to by accurately answering "Wh" questions about the story. Exercise: Read a story or short passage to Child. Then ask her a variety of "Wh" questions (what, who, where, why, when) about the story. (Examples: What happened to Peter Rabbit? Who was in the garden? Where was Peter hiding? Why didn't Peter tell his mother where he was going? When did Peter's mother find out?)
More questions you could ask your child during activities and daily routines are here
4. Real Versus Nonsense Words
Objective: Child will demonstrate the ability to distinguish between real words and nonsense words.
Exercise: Say two words (one real and one made up). (Examples: cup and kip; lig and leg; kitty and fitty; etc.). Ask Child, "Which one is a real word?"
GRAMMATICAL/SYNTACTIC EXERCISES: Listening Comprehension
1. Sequencing a Story
Objective: Child will demonstrate the ability to understand the sequence of a story and retell it.
Exercise: Tell Child a story that contains a series of events. Use pictures that illustrate the sequence. Mix up the pictures and have Child put them back in the right order. Then ask Child to retell the story.
2. Sentence Completion
Objective: Child will choose the correct singular or plural forms to complete sentences.
Exercise: Read a sentence to Child, and then ask her to complete the sentence using either the singular or plural form of the word. For example, say: "Listen to this sentence--My mom gave me two... would you say apple or apples?" Repeat the sentence and have Child complete it.
3. What Happens Next?
Objective: Child will identify which sentence appropriately follows a given statement.
Exercise: Present a main sentence to Child. (Example: I went to the store.) Then say, "I will tell you two more sentences, and you tell me which one comes next." (Example: I bought some candy. I buyed some candy.) This example focuses on understanding verb tense; it can be easily changed to focus on other parts of speech, such as pronouns. (Example: I bought some candy. He bought some candy.)
4. Yes-No Game
Objective: Child will demonstrate an understanding of different syntactical structures (parts of speech) by answering yes-no questions.
Exercise: Show Child an action picture such as a boy throwing a snowball. Ask Child, "Is SHE throwing the ball?" Child should answer, "No, HE is throwing the ball." If Child just answers, "No," say, "How should I say it?" This example focuses on understanding pronouns; it can be easily changed to focus on other parts of speech, such as plurals (Is he throwing the BALLS?) or verb tense (Does he THREW the ball?).
5. Compare/ Contrast
Objective: Child will demonstrate understanding similarities and differences between two pictures/ objects through describing.
Exercise: When looking at pictures in a book, playing with toys, going for a walk, etc., choose two things to compare/contrast by asking your child "How are ____ and ____ the same? How are they different?" Have a discussion about it. This will help build children's understanding of word relationships, similarities/differences, and use of describing words and categories. A free resource offered online for this can be found here.