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Reading without comprehension is about as much fun as looking at a page of jumbled letters. What’s the point? The reason we read is to gain knowledge, enrich our lives, and be entertained. None of these things can happen without comprehension.

Comprehension can be difficult to master. In order to comprehend, a student must be able to read with some proficiency and then analyze, internalize, and apply the text. These skills elude many students who have the ability to decode words but who are not yet able to connect those words to derive meaning.

The good news is that comprehension can be taught. You may not remember learning to comprehend. You may not even remember a time when you read without comprehension. But somewhere along the way, you learned strategies that enabled you to read with understanding. Our Read Live program includes several comprehension strategies as part of its instruction.

Nonfiction Stories

Acquiring factual knowledge is key to developing strong comprehension skills. Studies have shown that students who score high on general knowledge tests—such as knowing which part of the body is affected by pneumonia or which U.S. president resigned because of the Watergate scandal—also perform better on standardized reading tests. This is because reading comprehension and factual knowledge are inextricably linked.

Read Live uses high-interest, nonfiction stories that build background knowledge while improving reading skills. While it would be easier to provide fictional content that requires less research and fact-checking, we know nonfiction builds the factual knowledge crucial for comprehension. Because comprehension is the ultimate goal, high-interest, nonfiction content has always been nonnegotiable.

Exposure to a Variety of Topics

Students need exposure to a broad range of topics to boost overall comprehension. Consider a sports enthusiast who easily comprehends a story about basketball but struggles to read most textbooks. The solution is not to provide only sports-related reading material, but rather to expose the student to different topics more frequently and provide opportunities to practice reading about them. Students need to develop comprehension skills across a variety of subjects so that the texts they encounter in academics and beyond become more accessible.

Each Read Live level features a variety of relevant topics. In just one level, a reader might learn science, history, pop culture, the arts, athletics, and more. This broad exposure increases a student’s background knowledge, boosting comprehension across many subjects.

Setting the Stage

Thinking about meaning before, during, and after reading is how we ensure that we’re comprehending the text. Predicting what the text will be about, contemplating meaning throughout the reading process, and summarizing the text after reading are crucial strategies for solidifying comprehension.

In Read Live, students write a prediction before reading each story. During cold timings, teachers remind students to focus on the main idea, look for important details, and click on vocabulary words. These prompts help students approach each story with a comprehension mindset, ensuring they get the most out of their reading practice. After each story, students write a retelling or summary to demonstrate their understanding.

Vocabulary Development

Vocabulary plays a critical role in comprehension. High-information texts introduce students to the rich vocabulary they will encounter as their reading material becomes more sophisticated.

A standout feature of Read Live is its approach to vocabulary development. Key words are explicitly taught at the beginning of each story. Challenging vocabulary words are highlighted throughout each story, and students can click on them to see definitions in context. The Wordtastic wait-time activity further deepens vocabulary knowledge by testing synonyms and antonyms.

Formative Assessments

Comprehension questions remind students to read for meaning and give teachers insight into comprehension strengths and weaknesses. Ideally, questions will test different aspects of comprehension, such as main idea, inference, vocabulary, etc.

Every Read Live story includes comprehension questions that serve as formative assessments. These questions require students to think critically about the main idea, recall key details, analyze vocabulary, make inferences, and provide short answers. Students cannot move onto a new story until they answer the questions correctly, and first-attempt results are recorded so teachers are aware of any comprehension weaknesses—such as if a student consistently struggles to find the main idea or to recall details about the story.

More Information

Comprehension is an essential component of reading and the “why” behind every reading endeavor. Check out our comprehension page to learn more about the strategies for teaching comprehension and how Read Live and other Read Naturally programs incorporate them.