Recommendations for improving reading comprehension

[someoneoutthere]

DS, almost 7 and asd is finally started reading phonics way (blending and reading, not reading from memory anymore). He has moderate to severe speech delay, still does not ask and answer where, when, why questions etc. After having the breakthrough for decoding, now we need to work on his comprehension skills. I have looked into 'head sprout' comprehension programme, but it is for grade-3 onwards (American programme, but found their reading programme quite useful as accent was not an issue for us). Can anybody suggests some basic comprehension programme, or iPad apps, or books we can practice with DS? He is still at the early stage of reading, can blend most words if not difficult and long. He is in year-2 and school has so far not been much helpful ( we live overseas).

Thanks in advance.

Bond books (available from - Amazon) are very good and start at age 5-6

But tbh if your DS is only just getting the hang of reading, I think you would be better to focus on ths so that his reading speed improves and it becomes easier for him before starting to worry about his comprehension skills

Perhaps get a book but only use it when you feel he's ready?

Thank you justgettingbymum. Although DS has just started reading, the SALT advice is that we don't let him get too far ahead with his reading until his understanding is also at the same level. She wants us to run a comprehension programme with him, hence the post.

Fair enough
Hope the book is helpful

If he is just beginning to read the best way to build his understanding is by talking to him about what he has read. Certainly don't attempt written comprehension yet.I would stick to asking him literal questions and developing word understanding.

www.prel.org/programs/rel/vocabularyforum/beck.pdf

I can talk about stories, main characters and events.

I can talk about information found in non-fiction texts.
I can tell you who the main character is in a story and one thing about them.
I can show you which book to look in to find out e.g. how a butterfly grows e.g. who ate the porridge
I can join in stories and rhymes with patterned language and repeated words and phrases

Wow, thank you mrz. With DS's speech level, we would be working on what you have suggested for the next six months at least. What is written comprehension mrz? DS can answer questions on simple stories or find the answer to a question in a written paragraph. It's due to his expressive language delay, he can't answer a lot of questions.

Where there is a written question about what the child has read and they have to write an answer which is the format in bond books

I found 'first aid in english' reader series really helped. Graded reading - a few pages each story with questions about the story the child can look through the story if they need to - helps them learn to scan. It's a bit 'old fashioned' in a way but it was really effective in DS' case. They're quite cheap from Amazon.

I use First Aid in English too but would not try with a child who has language delay

Mrz is quite right not suitable for a child with language delay - sorry OP I obviously didn't read your post thoroughly . Some good advice above -Good Luck