Tell him to write down his expectations for how a character might behave or what will happen to the character. This helps promote his overall understanding of the text, as it actively employs his brain to see if the predictions end up being true.
Instruct the teen to think aloud while reading the book by herself. A person with a learning disability can help overcome reading comprehension problems by audibly expressing her thoughts when coming upon a plot twist or a new revelation about the character, for example.
Recreate a story graphically for the teen by drawing a chart depicting the characters, plot, conflict and resolution. You might use a cartoon or map to help the teen visualize the story. Have the teen review the story graphically before reading it so that he can first grasp the basic points and be prepared to delve deeper into the story.
Give the teenager a theme and a series of books or essays that center around that theme. Her brain will have an easier time comprehending an assignment if it is not forced to wander between different themes and different topics in a short period of time.
Host a book club with other teens who are seeking to improve reading comprehension. Provide an environment where they can feel accepted and as part of a group. The other teens can help each other with comprehension by talking about different aspects of the story together and reinforce basic themes through discussion.