Reading Checklist

Teaching reading and teaching reading comprehension can be challenging. Struggling readers don't necessarily like to write novel studies, book reports or mind maps about what they're reading. Determining a dyslexic child's comprehension is much more successful when done orally. Here's a checklist of questions to ask a child about a book he's/she's read. Their answers will provide you with their ability to comprehend. Select a few questions to have as a conference with your student (child)

1.____ Who is(are) the main characters in your story?

2.____ Are any of the main characters like you or like somebody you know? What makes you think so?

3.____ Describe your favorite character in the story and tell me why the character is your favorite.

4.____ When do you think the story takes place? Where do you think the story takes place? Why do you think so? (look for evidence.)

5.____ What is the funniest/scariest/best part of the story?

6.____ Is there a problem in this story? If so, how does the problem get solved? How would you have solved the problem?

7.____ Would any of your friends/family enjoy this book? Why or why not?

8.____ Could you come up with another good title for this book? What would it be?

9.____ What if you could change the ending of this book, what would it be?

10.____ Do you think this book would make a good movie? Why or why not?

Sometimes you're lucky to have student or parent volunteers in your classroom at reading time. Keep a folder with these questions and have your volunteers record what the students say about the book title they've just read.

Key to success for ensuring your struggling readers maintain a joy for reading is to ensure that the task following reading isn't unpleasant - answering a series of questions in their book is usually unpleasant and tends to turn these children off reading. Foster a love of reading by sharing your enthusiasm about what their book is all about.