So what questions do I need to be asking during reading to improve my child's comprehension?

[caffeinated]

Please?

What level book are they on or what type of reading scheme do they use???

I,m stumped on this as well. Dd is on a grey ort Bob Bug, her first book.
I,ve asked why was bob scared(coz he thought a rat was in the room). Why does Bobs begin with B and not b, etc ad nausem, etc.
I don,t think i,m asking the right questions.
Her lovely teacher always seems so busy.

That i,m loathe pester.

I ask each of the DSs what the longer words mean, and questions to make sure they understand it in context.
e.g. DS1 (10) had somebody giving something a 'perfunctory kick' tonight
And DS2 (6) had 'instead of the boat being freed from the ice the timbers started to crack' or words to that effect. Once we had established that timber was wood, he then had to realise it was talking about the boat itself that was cracking up.

? Who?
? What?
? When?
? Where?
? How?
? List the facts in order.

? What is meant by... ?
? Can you describe... ?
? What is the difference... ?
? What is the main idea... ?
? Why did... ?
? Explain why... ?

? Who would you choose...?
? What would happen if...?
? How would you...?
? Do you know someone like...?
? Would you do the same thing in the same situation...?
? If you had to...what would you do?

? What part of the reading was funniest?
? What part was the most exciting?
? What part was the saddest?
? Tell some things that could not have happened in real life.
? Which things were fact, and which were opinions?
? What could you do that was just like what the person in the story did?
? Find five words in the story which begin with the same sound.
? List five compound words from the story.
? What was the purpose of...?

? How could we/you...?
? Make up another ending to the story that still fits the details.
? Rewrite a sentence from the reading but change one thing in it.
? Write a new title for this story.
? Write a two-line poem about the reading.

? Was the main character in this reading good or bad? Why?
? Which is better...?
? Would you agree that...?
? What is your opinion of...?
? Were they right to do...? Why? Or why not?
? Compare two characters in the reading. Tell which one you think is better and why.

Comprehension is mainly about learning the trick of engaging FULLY in the text, imagining the story in your head.

Obviously the level of complexity, depends on the age of the child and the length/detail of the story.

Key questions that can help with this - at a suitable pause are:

• What has happened so far?
• What do you think might happen next?
• What do you think XXX is thinking right now?
• Why did the children look surprised [or whatever]

If they are very young, get them to talk to you about the picture first and what they can see in the picture; before they actually read the words on the page.

Sorry age 6 year 2 Ort 9 (gold?) we have always read a lot of books and he has always had a good understanding I thought. At school they only read as a group during guided reading never 1 to 1 with an adult and he is quite shy so I am wondering if he is just struggling with speaking up in a group or if he isn't grasping what he is reading.

Mrz I take my hat off to you. That's fabulous. Gonna dig out our old picture books which are less text heavy and quicker to read in one go and discuss it more using your splendid list. Is that a good idea?

caffeinated I can't take any credit other than I collected them in response to a previous request for ideas.

Mrz you,re blooming fantastic. Thankyou, thankyou.

For fiction:
Where do you think this book is set?
What words or phrases did you use as clues to work that out?
Describe one of the main characters.
How is he/she feeling in the section you just read?

For non-fiction:
Why has the author chosen this layout?
Show me how you would use the glossary.

For longer books where the child is already part of the way through:
If this were a TV drama, pretend you are doing the voiceover that starts "Previously on..."

Some of the above won't be appropriate yet for a 6 y old but might be useful in the future.