Understand what comprehension involves. People must read the words, understand the meaning of the words and sentences and retain what they have read.
Make sure your students can understand the words. Give a word recognition test. Make a list of common words. Have the student check off the words they understand. This identifies the words they know.
Teach students the common words that are unfamiliar to them. Show students how to read and reread passages to help them understand the meanings of words and whole passages.
Help students predict what will happen next in stories. Predicting common actions helps students understand what they have read.
Read passages out loud together. Then let students read to themselves. Some people understand better when they hear a story. Others understand better when they read silently.
Ask questions to determine if students remember what they read. Ask questions about the beginning of the story and the end. Point out highlights in the story so they can retain the narrative thread. Teach them to find highlights and memorable moments on their own.
Teach students how to summarize stories. Find the main idea and supporting details. Show students how to skim and scan to find these answers.